The drive from Indiana, IA to Britt, IA covers 166.7 miles and takes about 3h 26m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 35, US 69, Little Wall Lake Road for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is highway-focused drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 55 miles on I 35.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $26.06 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.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
83.3 miles from Indiana, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 38m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 26m. Total distance: 166.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 26m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (78%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 3h 26m highway drive covering 166.7 miles, with most of the trip on I 35 and US 69. The longest continuous stretch is about 55 miles on I 35.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 24 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 35 is the longest continuous segment at about 55 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 35 and US 69. You will hit about 16 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 2 miles in near IA 5.
Driving Effort5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 166.7 miles you will encounter 16 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2 miles (IA 5): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 48.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 50.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 16 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
2 mi into trip|~3m in|IA 5
Turn sharp left onto IA 5
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
5
48.2 mi into trip|~59m in
Take the exit toward I 80 West: Council Bluffs
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 84
Toward I 80 West: Council Bluffs
7
50.3 mi into trip|~1h 1m in
Take the exit toward I-35 north: Minneapolis
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 137B
Toward I-35 north: Minneapolis
6
51.6 mi into trip|~1h 4m in|I 35
Merge onto I 35 toward I 35 North: Minneapolis
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 35 North: Minneapolis
5
156.8 mi into trip|~3h 13m in|US 18; US 69
At end of road, turn left onto US 18; US 69
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 35
55 mi
59m
US 69
25.9 mi
35m
Little Wall Lake Road
19.5 mi
26m
State Highway 5
18.2 mi
20m
IA 5
17 mi
21m
Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway
10.3 mi
11m
US 18
9.5 mi
13m
US 20
3.3 mi
3m
Longest stretch:
I 35
— 55 mi, about 59m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Indiana, IA and Britt, IA.
1
Start on CR G76
1.9 mi·3 min·County Highway G76
2
Continue on CR G76
0.2 mi·26 sec·County Highway G76
3
Turn sharp left onto IA 5
6.1 mi·9 min·IA 5
4
Take the ramp onto IA 5
11 mi·12 min·IA 5
5
Turn right
0.1 mi·7 sec
6
Continue on IA 5
18 mi·20 min·State Highway 5
7
Take the exit
0.5 mi·1 min
8
Merge onto US 65
10 mi·11 min·Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway
9
Take the exit
1.2 mi·1 min
Exit 84Toward I 80 West: Council Bluffs
10
Merge onto I 80
0.9 mi·1 min·I 80
11
Take the exit
0.5 mi·1 min
Exit 137BToward I-35 north: MinneapolisUse the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Continue on this road
0.3 mi·42 sec·this road
Exit 137BToward I-35 north: Minneapolis
13
Continue on this road
0.5 mi·52 sec·this road
Exit 137BToward I-35 North: Minneapolis
14
Merge onto I 35
55 mi·59 min·I 35
Toward I 35 North: MinneapolisUse the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Take the exit
0.3 mi·56 sec
Toward US 20 West: Fort Dodge
16
Merge onto US 20
3.3 mi·3 min·US 20
17
Take the exit
0.4 mi·51 sec
Toward US 69
18
Turn right onto US 69
19 mi·26 min·Little Wall Lake Road
19
Turn right onto US 69; IA 3
0.8 mi·1 min·220th Street
20
Turn straight onto US 69; IA 3
12 mi·17 min·US 69; IA 3
21
Continue on US 69
14 mi·18 min·US 69
22
At end of road, turn left onto US 18; US 69
9.5 mi·13 min·US 18; US 69
23
Turn left onto Main Avenue North
0.3 mi·33 sec·Main Avenue North
24
Arrive at destination
Main Avenue North
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 83.3 miles from Indiana, IA, or about 1h 38m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 55 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 37 miles or 45m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 83.3 miles or 1h 38m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 45m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Britt, IA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Indiana, 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 Indiana, IA
This is one driving day of about 166.7 miles and 3h 26m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 37 miles from Indiana, IA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on I 35 for about 55 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 83.3 mi from Indiana, IA
· 1h 38m into the drive
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $18 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
50
0
$17.50
$8.00
Efficient EV
41.7
0
$14.59
$6.67
EV Truck/SUV
66.7
0
$23.34
$10.67
Gas CO2
58 kg
EV CO2
20 kg (66% 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 18, 2026
Origin
Indiana, IA
Morning
in Indiana on Saturday
Local time
9:11 AM
CDT
Current temp
37°F
Mostly Clear
NW 14 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Red Flag Warning
Red Flag Warning issued April 18 at 2:33AM CDT until April 18 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Omaha/Valley NE
Flood Watch
Flood Watch issued April 17 at 10:38PM CDT until April 24 at 7:00AM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL
Destination
Britt, IA
Morning
in Britt on Saturday
Local time
9:11 AM
CDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
34 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
3h 26m 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 Indiana, IA to Britt, IA covers 166.7 miles and takes about 3h 26m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 35, US 69, Little Wall Lake Road. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 83.3 miles from Indiana, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $26.06 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 166.7 miles you will encounter 16 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: at 2 miles (IA 5): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 48.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 50.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Indiana, IA to Britt, 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, EIA for fuel prices, NREL for EV charging, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
