The drive from Harlan, IA to Ankeny, IA covers 113.2 miles and takes about 2h 13m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 80, US 59, Northwest 2nd Street for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is highway-focused drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 94.6 miles on I 80.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $17.70 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
56.6 miles from Harlan, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 6m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 13m. Total distance: 113.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
This is a 2h 13m highway drive covering 113.2 miles, with most of the trip on I 80 and US 59. The longest continuous stretch is about 94.6 miles on I 80.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 16 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 80 is the longest continuous segment at about 94.6 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 80 and US 59. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near 12th Street.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 2h 13m drive. You will face about 9 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 (12th Street): Navigation decision point; at 93.9 miles (I 80): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 106.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 9 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0 mi into trip|~0m in|12th Street
Turn right onto 12th Street
Navigation decision point
9
93.9 mi into trip|~1h 46m in|I 80
Keep slight right at fork onto I 80 toward I 35, I 80 East: Chicago, Minneapolis, Kansas City
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 123B
Toward I 35, I 80 East: Chicago, Minneapolis, K...
7
106.4 mi into trip|~2h in
Take the exit toward IA 415: Polk City
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 135
Toward IA 415: Polk City
4
112 mi into trip|~2h 10m in|Southwest Ordnance Road
Turn right onto Southwest Ordnance Road
Navigation decision point
4
112.9 mi into trip|~2h 11m in|Southwest Walnut Street
Turn left onto Southwest Walnut 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.
Between Harlan, IA and Ankeny, IA, road signs point toward Minneapolis and Kansas City.
Minneapolis
93.9 mi in|~1h 46m|via I 80
Kansas City
93.9 mi in|~1h 46m|via I 80
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 80
94.6 mi
1h 42m
US 59
8.5 mi
11m
Northwest 2nd Street
2.8 mi
4m
Southwest State Street
2.5 mi
4m
12th Street
1.5 mi
2m
Linden Road
1.1 mi
1m
Southwest Ordnance Road
0.9 mi
1m
800th Street
0.4 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 80
— 94.6 mi, about 1h 42m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Harlan, IA and Ankeny, IA.
1
Start on Willow Street
55 ft·4 sec·Willow Street
2
Turn right onto 12th Street
1.5 mi·2 min·12th Street
3
Continue on Linden Road
1.1 mi·1 min·Linden Road
4
Continue on 800th Street
0.4 mi·46 sec·800th Street
5
Turn left onto US 59
8.5 mi·11 min·US 59
6
Continue on US 59
0.1 mi·19 sec·Avoca Lane
7
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·33 sec
8
Merge onto I 80
82 mi·1 hr 28 min·I 80
9
Keep slight right at fork onto I 80
12 mi·14 min·I 80
Exit 123BToward I 35, I 80 East: Chicago, Minneapolis, Kansas CityUse the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.4 mi·48 sec
Exit 135Toward IA 415: Polk CityUse the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Turn left onto IA 415
2.8 mi·4 min·Northwest 2nd Street
12
Continue on IA 415
2.5 mi·4 min·Southwest State Street
13
Turn right onto Southwest Ordnance Road
0.9 mi·1 min·Southwest Ordnance Road
14
Turn left onto Southwest Walnut Street
0.4 mi·1 min·Southwest Walnut Street
15
Turn right onto Southwest 3rd Street
48 ft·2 sec·Southwest 3rd Street
16
Arrive at destination
Southwest 3rd Street
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 56.6 miles from Harlan, IA, or about 1h 6m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 94.6 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 25 miles or 32m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 56.6 miles or 1h 6m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 45m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Ankeny, IA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Harlan, IA so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Harlan, IA
This is one driving day of about 113.2 miles and 2h 13m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 25 miles from Harlan, IA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 80 for about 94.6 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 56.6 mi from Harlan, IA
· 1h 6m into the drive
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$17.70 one way
$35.40 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg40 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$19.43
$38.86
premium
$4.89
$21.78
$43.57
diesel
$5.61
$24.99
$49.99
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$18
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$43–$68
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 39.6 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $12 in charging
· 0 stops
· 68% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
34
0
$11.89
$5.43
Efficient EV
28.3
0
$9.91
$4.53
EV Truck/SUV
45.3
0
$15.85
$7.24
Gas CO2
40 kg
EV CO2
13 kg (68% 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 16, 2026
Origin
Harlan, IA
Evening
in Harlan on Friday
Local time
5:15 PM
CDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Ankeny, IA
Evening
in Ankeny on Friday
Local time
5:15 PM
CDT
Current temp
70°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
73°F
Stuart, IA
57 mi in
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
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
19 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
2h 13m 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 Harlan, IA to Ankeny, IA covers 113.2 miles and takes about 2h 13m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 80, US 59, Northwest 2nd Street. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 56.6 miles from Harlan, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $17.70 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 2h 13m drive. You will face about 9 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (12th Street): Navigation decision point; at 93.9 miles (I 80): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 106.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Between Harlan, IA and Ankeny, IA, road signs point toward Minneapolis and Kansas City.
