Origin
Indiana, IA
Afternoon in Indiana on Friday
Local time
12:42 PM
CDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Indiana, IA to Le Mars, IA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
5h 7m
Distance
271.7 mi
437 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$42
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
4h 54m
★
6 AM
5h 8m
8 AM
5h 35m
10 AM
5h 17m
12 PM
5h 15m
3 PM
5h 19m
5 PM
5h 34m
8 PM
5h 0m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Indiana, IA
Kelly
Le Mars, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Indiana, IA to Le Mars, IA covers 271.7 miles and takes about 5h 7m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on County Highway G76, Highway 5, Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $42.48 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
135.8 miles from Indiana, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 33m into the drive .
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 7m. Total distance: 271.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 7m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 5h 7m drive with frequent turns across 271.7 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 24 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
County Highway G76 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. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way.
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 5h 7m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Indiana, IA to Le Mars, IA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| County Highway G76 | — | — |
| Highway 5 | — | — |
| Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway | — | — |
| I-35 north | — | — |
| I 80 west | — | — |
| John MacVicar Freeway | — | — |
| I 880 West | — | — |
| I 29 North | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
County Highway G76
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Indiana, IA and Le Mars, IA.
1
Start on County Highway G76
1.9 mi
·
3 min
·
County Highway G76
2
Continue on County Highway G76
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
County Highway G76
3
Turn sharp left
6.1 mi
·
9 min
4
Take the ramp left
11 mi
·
12 min
5
Turn right
0.1 mi
·
7 sec
6
Continue on State Highway 5
19 mi
·
22 min
·
State Highway 5
7
Merge slight left onto Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway
12 mi
·
14 min
·
Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway
8
Keep slight left to continue on I-35 north: Minneapolis
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
I-35 north: Minneapolis
9
Merge slight left
4.3 mi
·
5 min
10
Take the exit slight right toward I 80 west: Council Bluffs
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
I 80 west: Council Bluffs
11
Merge slight left onto John MacVicar Freeway
0.5 mi
·
40 sec
·
John MacVicar Freeway
12
Merge slight right
95 mi
·
1 hr 41 min
13
Keep slight right to continue on I 880 West: North Omaha, Sioux City
17 mi
·
17 min
·
I 880 West: North Omaha, Sioux City
14
Keep slight right to continue on I 29 North: Sioux City
0.4 mi
·
39 sec
·
I 29 North: Sioux City
15
Merge slight left
72 mi
·
1 hr 17 min
16
Take the exit slight right toward US 20 East, US 75 North: Fort Dodge, Le Mars
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
US 20 East, US 75 North: Fort Dodge, Le Mars
17
Merge slight left
28 mi
·
33 min
18
Take the exit slight right toward IA 3: Plymouth Street, Business District
0.4 mi
·
57 sec
·
IA 3: Plymouth Street, Business District
19
Turn right onto State Highway 3
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
State Highway 3
20
Continue on Plymouth Street West
367 ft
·
6 sec
·
Plymouth Street West
21
Continue on Plymouth Street Southwest
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Plymouth Street Southwest
22
Turn left onto 5th Avenue Northwest
440 ft
·
13 sec
·
5th Avenue Northwest
23
Turn right onto 1st Street Northwest
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
1st Street Northwest
24
Arrive at your destination
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 135.8 miles from Indiana, IA, or about 2h 33m into the drive.
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 60 miles or 1h 8m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 135.8 miles or 2h 33m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 12m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Le Mars, 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 271.7 miles and 5h 7m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 60 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.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 135.8 mi from Indiana, IA · 2h 33m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
136 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 60 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 135.8 miles from Indiana, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Le Mars, IA
The final approach into Le Mars, IA usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Le Mars, IA.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$42.48 one way
$84.95 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
95 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $46.64 | $93.28 |
| premium | $4.89 | $52.29 | $104.57 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $59.99 | $119.98 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$42
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$67–$92
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 95.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $29 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 81.5 | 1 | $28.53 | $13.04 |
| Efficient EV | 67.9 | 0 | $23.77 | $10.87 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 108.7 | 1 | $38.04 | $17.39 |
Gas CO2
95 kg
EV CO2
32 kg (66% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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
Le Mars, IA
Afternoon in Le Mars on Friday
Local time
12:42 PM
CDT
Current temp
50°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
50°F
Avoca, IA
136 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
21 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
5h 7m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
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 Le Mars, IA covers 271.7 miles and takes about 5h 7m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are County Highway G76, Highway 5, Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 135.8 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 $42.48 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. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
This is a straightforward 5h 7m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Indiana, IA to Le Mars, IA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Indiana, IA to Le Mars, 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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