Origin
Grundy Center, IA
Afternoon in Grundy Center on Friday
Local time
12:30 PM
CDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Grundy Center, IA to Ames, IA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 14m
Distance
69 mi
111 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$11
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 9m
★
6 AM
1h 15m
8 AM
1h 26m
10 AM
1h 19m
12 PM
1h 18m
3 PM
1h 19m
5 PM
1h 26m
8 PM
1h 11m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Grundy Center, IA
Ethan Bianco
Ames, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Grundy Center, IA to Ames, IA covers 69 miles and takes about 1h 14m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on 240th Street, Sanford Avenue, 160th Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $10.79 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 14m. Total distance: 69 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 14m 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
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 1h 14m drive with frequent turns across 69 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 14 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
240th Street is one of the defining roads on this drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
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 Grundy Center, IA to Ames, IA is easy. At 1h 14m 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 Grundy Center, IA to Ames, IA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| 240th Street | — | — |
| Sanford Avenue | — | — |
| 160th Street | — | — |
| North Main Street | — | — |
| Marsh Avenue | — | — |
| Lincoln Highway | — | — |
| I 35 North | — | — |
| USDA Veterinary Labs | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
240th Street
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Grundy Center, IA and Ames, IA.
1
Start on G Avenue
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
G Avenue
2
Continue on 240th Street
6.3 mi
·
9 min
·
240th Street
3
Turn left onto Sanford Avenue
16 mi
·
21 min
·
Sanford Avenue
4
Turn right onto 160th Street
4.3 mi
·
5 min
·
160th Street
5
Keep slight left to continue on North Main Street
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
North Main Street
6
Continue on Marsh Avenue
5.9 mi
·
8 min
·
Marsh Avenue
7
Turn right
1.6 mi
·
2 min
8
Take the ramp right
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
9
Merge slight left onto Lincoln Highway
28 mi
·
32 min
·
Lincoln Highway
10
Take the exit slight right toward I 35 North: Minneapolis
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
I 35 North: Minneapolis
11
Merge slight left
1.2 mi
·
1 min
12
Take the exit slight right toward USDA Veterinary Labs
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
·
USDA Veterinary Labs
13
Turn left onto East 13th Street
2.7 mi
·
5 min
·
East 13th Street
14
Arrive at your destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 34.5 mi from Grundy Center, IA · 37m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
35 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 15 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 34.5 miles from Grundy Center, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Ames, IA
The final approach into Ames, IA usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.79 one way
$21.57 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
24 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $11.84 | $23.69 |
| premium | $4.89 | $13.28 | $26.56 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $15.23 | $30.47 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 24.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 20.7 | 0 | $7.24 | $3.31 |
| Efficient EV | 17.3 | 0 | $6.04 | $2.76 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 27.6 | 0 | $9.66 | $4.42 |
Gas CO2
24 kg
EV CO2
8 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.
Destination
Ames, IA
Afternoon in Ames on Friday
Local time
12:30 PM
CDT
Current temp
70°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
72°F
Albion, IA
35 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
21 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
1h 14m 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Grundy Center, IA to Ames, IA covers 69 miles and takes about 1h 14m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are 240th Street, Sanford Avenue, 160th Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 34.5 miles from Grundy Center, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $10.79 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.
The drive from Grundy Center, IA to Ames, IA is easy. At 1h 14m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Grundy Center, IA to Ames, IA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Grundy Center, IA to Ames, IA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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.
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