Origin
Iowa City, IA
Late night in Iowa City on Saturday
Local time
3:23 AM
CDT
Current temp
73°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Iowa City, IA to Mount Pleasant, IA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 5m
Distance
49.8 mi
80 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 0m
★
6 AM
1h 5m
8 AM
1h 16m
10 AM
1h 9m
12 PM
1h 8m
3 PM
1h 10m
5 PM
1h 15m
8 PM
1h 2m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Iowa City, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Mount Pleasant, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Iowa City, IA to Mount Pleasant, IA covers 49.8 miles and takes about 1h 5m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on East Benton Street, South Riverside Drive, Highway 218 South for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $7.79 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 5m. Total distance: 49.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 5m 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 5m drive with frequent turns across 49.8 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.
East Benton 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 Iowa City, IA to Mount Pleasant, IA is easy. At 1h 5m 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 Iowa City, IA to Mount Pleasant, IA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| East Benton Street | — | — |
| South Riverside Drive | — | — |
| Highway 218 South | — | — |
| Oak Crest Hill Road Southeast | — | — |
| Avenue of the Saints | — | — |
| Iowa Avenue | — | — |
| North Broadway Street | — | — |
| North Jefferson Street | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
East Benton Street
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Iowa City, IA and Mount Pleasant, IA.
1
Start on South Gilbert Street
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
South Gilbert Street
2
Turn right onto East Benton Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
East Benton Street
3
Turn left onto South Riverside Drive
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
South Riverside Drive
4
Continue on Old Highway 218 South
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Old Highway 218 South
5
Continue on Oak Crest Hill Road Southeast
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Oak Crest Hill Road Southeast
6
Take the ramp straight
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
7
Keep slight left
0.7 mi
·
1 min
8
Merge slight left onto Avenue of the Saints
42 mi
·
48 min
·
Avenue of the Saints
9
Turn right onto Iowa Avenue
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Iowa Avenue
10
Continue on North Broadway Street
1.3 mi
·
3 min
·
North Broadway Street
11
Continue on North Jefferson Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
North Jefferson Street
12
Turn right onto West Warren Street
0.1 mi
·
39 sec
·
West Warren Street
13
Turn left onto South White Street
59 ft
·
3 sec
·
South White Street
14
Arrive at your destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 24.9 mi from Iowa City, IA · 32m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
25 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 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 24.9 miles from Iowa City, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Mount Pleasant, IA
The final approach into Mount Pleasant, 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
$7.79 one way
$15.57 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
17 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $8.55 | $17.10 |
| premium | $4.89 | $9.58 | $19.17 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.00 | $21.99 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 17.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.9 | 0 | $5.23 | $2.39 |
| Efficient EV | 12.5 | 0 | $4.36 | $1.99 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 19.9 | 0 | $6.97 | $3.19 |
Gas CO2
17 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (65% 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
Mount Pleasant, IA
Late night in Mount Pleasant on Saturday
Local time
3:23 AM
CDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
72°F
Riverside, IA
25 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
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
1h 5m 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 Iowa City, IA to Mount Pleasant, IA covers 49.8 miles and takes about 1h 5m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are East Benton Street, South Riverside Drive, Highway 218 South. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 24.9 miles from Iowa City, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $7.79 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 Iowa City, IA to Mount Pleasant, IA is easy. At 1h 5m 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 Iowa City, IA to Mount Pleasant, IA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Iowa City, IA to Mount Pleasant, 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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