Origin
Granger, IA
Late night in Granger on Saturday
Local time
5:27 AM
CDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Granger, IA to Ames, IA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
46m
Distance
32 mi
51 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 43m
★
6 AM
0h 46m
8 AM
0h 54m
10 AM
0h 49m
12 PM
0h 48m
3 PM
0h 50m
5 PM
0h 54m
8 PM
0h 44m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Ames, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Granger, IA to Ames, IA covers 32 miles and takes about 46m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on South Kennedy Avenue, 230th Street, Northwest 142nd Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 11.5 miles on South Kennedy Avenue. At current regular gas prices, budget about $4.75 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 46m. Total distance: 32 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
46m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (2%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 46m drive with frequent turns across 32 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 19 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
South Kennedy Avenue is the longest continuous segment at about 11.5 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near CR F31 / State Street.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 46m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (CR F31 / State Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.5 miles (IA 17 / Northwest 142nd Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 19.4 miles: Navigation decision point.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 7 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
CR F31 / State Street
Turn left onto CR F31 / State Street
Navigation decision point
5
0.5 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
IA 17 / Northwest 142nd Street
Enter roundabout onto IA 17 / Northwest 142nd Street
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
4
19.4 mi into trip
|
~28m in
Take the ramp toward US 30 East: Ames
Navigation decision point
Toward US 30 East: Ames
4
28.8 mi into trip
|
~39m in
Take the exit toward Iowa State University
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward Iowa State University
4
32 mi into trip
|
~46m in
|
I 35 Business / 13th Street
Turn right onto I 35 Business / 13th Street
Navigation decision point
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Granger, IA to Ames, IA, road signs begin pointing toward Iowa State University along the way.
Iowa State University
28.8 mi in
|
~39m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| South Kennedy Avenue | 11.5 mi | 16m |
| 230th Street | 7.6 mi | 8m |
| Northwest 142nd Street | 5.7 mi | 7m |
| 220th Street | 1.5 mi | 1m |
| Y Avenue | 1.2 mi | 1m |
| University Boulevard | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| Grand Avenue | 0.8 mi | 2m |
| South 4th Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
South Kennedy Avenue
— 11.5 mi, about 16m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Granger, IA and Ames, IA.
1
Start on Sycamore Street
8 ft
·
7 sec
·
Sycamore Street
2
Turn left onto CR F31
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
·
State Street
3
Continue on CR F31
0.2 mi
·
17 sec
·
190th Street
4
Enter roundabout onto IA 17
192 ft
·
3 sec
·
Northwest 142nd Street
5
Continue on IA 17
5.6 mi
·
7 min
·
Northwest 142nd Street
6
Continue on State Highway 17
0.3 mi
·
21 sec
·
State Highway 17
7
Continue on Y Avenue
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Y Avenue
8
Continue on IA 17
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
·
State Highway 17
9
Continue on IA 17
11 mi
·
16 min
·
South Kennedy Avenue
10
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
54 sec
Toward US 30 East: Ames
11
Merge onto US 30
1.5 mi
·
1 min
·
220th Street
12
Continue on US 30
7.6 mi
·
8 min
·
230th Street
13
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
Toward Iowa State University
14
Turn left onto University Boulevard
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
University Boulevard
15
Turn right onto South 4th Street
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
South 4th Street
16
Turn left onto South Grand Avenue
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
·
South Grand Avenue
17
Continue on I 35 Business; US 69
0.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Grand Avenue
18
Turn right onto I 35 Business
117 ft
·
3 sec
·
13th Street
19
Arrive at destination
I 35 Business
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 16 mi from Granger, IA · 23m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
16 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 32 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 16 miles from Granger, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Ames, IA
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Ames, IA if you are unfamiliar with the area.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.75 one way
$9.50 round trip
$3.77/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.25 | $5.36 | $10.72 |
| premium | $4.65 | $5.86 | $11.73 |
| diesel | $5.30 | $6.68 | $13.36 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.2 kg one way.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.6 | 0 | $3.36 | $1.54 |
| Efficient EV | 8 | 0 | $2.80 | $1.28 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.8 | 0 | $4.48 | $2.05 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (64% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Ames, IA
Late night in Ames on Saturday
Local time
5:27 AM
CDT
Current temp
79°F
Partly Sunny then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
SW 22 mph
28% chance
Live forecast
50°F
Boone, IA
16 mi in
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
28 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
46m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Granger, IA to Ames, IA covers 32 miles and takes about 46m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are South Kennedy Avenue, 230th Street, Northwest 142nd Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 16 miles from Granger, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $4.75 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
This is a straightforward 46m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (CR F31 / State Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.5 miles (IA 17 / Northwest 142nd Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 19.4 miles: Navigation decision point.
On the drive from Granger, IA to Ames, IA, road signs begin pointing toward Iowa State University along the way.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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