Skip to main content

Trip from Granger, IA to West Des Moines, IA

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

23m

Distance

18.5 mi

30 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$3

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 7 min
4 AM
0h 21m ★
6 AM
0h 23m
8 AM
0h 28m
10 AM
0h 25m
12 PM
0h 24m
3 PM
0h 25m
5 PM
0h 27m
8 PM
0h 22m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

city in Polk, Dallas, Warren, and Madison counties, Iowa, United States

West Des Moines, IA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Granger, IA to West Des Moines, IA covers 18.5 miles and takes about 23m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Northwest Granger Drive, Northwest 114th Street, Northeast Grimes Boulevard for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly surface roads. At current regular gas prices, budget about $2.89 one way before food or hotel costs.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Northwest Granger Drive
Northwest 114th Street
Northeast Grimes Boulevard
Grimes Boulevard
Southeast Grimes Boulevard
I-35 south
I 235 East
John MacVicar Freeway

Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.

Longest stretch: Northwest Granger Drive — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Granger, IA and West Des Moines, IA.

1

Start on Sycamore Street

0.3 mi · 40 sec · Sycamore Street
2

Turn left onto Northwest Granger Drive

2.8 mi · 3 min · Northwest Granger Drive
3

Continue on Northwest 114th Street

2.6 mi · 3 min · Northwest 114th Street
4

Continue on Northeast Grimes Boulevard

1.0 mi · 1 min · Northeast Grimes Boulevard
5

Continue on Grimes Boulevard

0.6 mi · 50 sec · Grimes Boulevard
6

Continue on Southeast Grimes Boulevard

1.8 mi · 2 min · Southeast Grimes Boulevard
7

Take the exit slight right toward I-35 south, I-80 west: Kansas City, Council Bluffs

0.7 mi · 1 min · I-35 south, I-80 west: Kansas City, Council Bluffs
8

Merge slight left

3.3 mi · 3 min
9

Keep slight left

0.4 mi · 26 sec
10

Take the exit slight right toward I 235 East: West Des Moines, Des Moines

0.4 mi · 57 sec · I 235 East: West Des Moines, Des Moines
11

Merge slight left onto John MacVicar Freeway

2.8 mi · 3 min · John MacVicar Freeway
12

Take the exit slight right toward Windsor Heights, West Des Moines

0.5 mi · 1 min · Windsor Heights, West Des Moines
13

Turn right onto 8th Street

1.0 mi · 2 min · 8th Street
14

Turn left onto Vine Street

469 ft · 13 sec · Vine Street
15

Arrive at your destination

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$2.89 one way

$5.78 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 7 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $3.18 $6.35
premium $4.89 $3.56 $7.12
diesel $5.61 $4.08 $8.17

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$3

Estimated CO2 emission: 6.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 5.6 0 $1.94 $0.89
Efficient EV 4.6 0 $1.62 $0.74
EV Truck/SUV 7.4 0 $2.59 $1.18

Gas CO2

6 kg

EV CO2

2 kg (67% 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.

Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Granger, IA

Afternoon in Granger on Saturday

Local time

2:04 PM

CDT

Current temp

51°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

West Des Moines, IA

Afternoon in West Des Moines on Saturday

Local time

2:04 PM

CDT

Current temp

52°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

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

1 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

23m on the road

Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

What kind of drive is this?

18.5 mi in 23m across surface roads — expect steady turns and local traffic rather than long highway runs.

Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Main road: Northwest Granger Drive.

How Hard Is This Drive?

1/10

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive.

Driving Effort 1/10

Very easy - short and simple to drive

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

The drive from Granger, IA to West Des Moines, IA is easy. At 23m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

Where does it get tricky?

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Granger, IA to West Des Moines, IA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 23m. Total distance: 18.5 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

23m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.

Scenic Drive

Mostly surface roads route profile.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Granger, IA to West Des Moines, IA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at West Des Moines, IA before heading back.

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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

Was this helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!

/500

Explore More

Explore more options from Granger, IA or browse trips ending in West Des Moines, IA.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse IA road trips.