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Trip from Kalona, IA to Ankeny, IA

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

2h 26m

Distance

119.7 mi

193 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$19

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 30 min
4 AM
2h 16m ★
6 AM
2h 26m
8 AM
2h 46m
10 AM
2h 33m
12 PM
2h 31m
3 PM
2h 34m
5 PM
2h 45m
8 PM
2h 20m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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Downtown Kalona, IA, IA

Kalona, IA

Vasilij Zajcev

city in Polk County, Iowa, United States

Ankeny, IA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Kalona, IA to Ankeny, IA covers 119.7 miles and takes about 2h 26m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on I 80, Black Hawk Avenue Southwest, I 35 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 91 miles on I 80. At current regular gas prices, budget about $18.71 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

59.8 miles from Kalona, IA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 17m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 26m. Total distance: 119.7 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

2h 26m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (87%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Drive Character

This is a 2h 26m highway drive covering 119.7 miles, with most of the trip on I 80 and Black Hawk Avenue Southwest. The longest continuous stretch is about 91 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 24 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 91 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 80 and Black Hawk Avenue Southwest. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near 5th Street.

Driving Effort 7/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a demanding drive. With 15 significant decision points across 119.7 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: near the start (5th Street): Navigation decision point; at 111.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 112.9 miles (I 35): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 15 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

5
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | 5th Street

Turn right onto 5th Street

Navigation decision point

7
111.5 mi into trip | ~2h 12m 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
112.9 mi into trip | ~2h 15m 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
8
117.9 mi into trip | ~2h 21m in

Keep slight left at fork toward High Trestle Trail

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane. Toward High Trestle Trail
5
119.6 mi into trip | ~2h 26m in | Southwest 3rd Street

Turn left onto Southwest 3rd Street

Navigation decision point

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 80 91 mi 1h 37m
Black Hawk Avenue Southwest 5.9 mi 10m
I 35 4.7 mi 5m
Highway 1 Southwest 4 mi 5m
Black Diamond Road Southwest 3.3 mi 5m
Orval Yoder Turnpike Southwest 2.8 mi 5m
500th Street Southwest 1.8 mi 3m
East 1st Street 1.5 mi 3m
Longest stretch: I 80 — 91 mi, about 1h 37m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Kalona, IA and Ankeny, IA.

1

Start on B Avenue

36 ft · 3 sec · B Avenue
2

Turn right onto 5th Street

0.2 mi · 49 sec · 5th Street
3

Turn left onto IA 22

0.4 mi · 35 sec · East Avenue
4

Turn right onto IA 1

0.7 mi · 1 min · 1st Street
5

Continue on IA 1

1.1 mi · 1 min · State Highway 1
6

Continue on IA 1

4.0 mi · 5 min · Highway 1 Southwest
7

Turn left onto CR F62

1.8 mi · 3 min · 500th Street Southwest
8

Turn right onto Orval Yoder Turnpike Southwest

2.8 mi · 5 min · Orval Yoder Turnpike Southwest
9

At end of road, turn left onto CR F52

3.3 mi · 5 min · Black Diamond Road Southwest
10

Turn right onto CR W38

2.8 mi · 4 min · Black Hawk Avenue Southwest
11

Keep slight left at fork onto CR W38

3.1 mi · 5 min · Black Hawk Avenue Southwest
12

Continue on CR W38

507 ft · 17 sec · Black Hawk Avenue Northwest
13

Take the ramp

0.4 mi · 47 sec
14

Merge onto I 80

91 mi · 1 hr 37 min · I 80
15

Take the exit

0.5 mi · 1 min
Exit 137B Toward I-35 north: Minneapolis Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16

Continue on this road

0.3 mi · 42 sec · this road
Exit 137B Toward I-35 north: Minneapolis
17

Continue on this road

0.5 mi · 52 sec · this road
Exit 137B Toward I-35 North: Minneapolis
18

Merge onto I 35

4.7 mi · 5 min · I 35
Toward I 35 North: Minneapolis Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 39 sec
Toward 1st Street
20

Keep slight left at fork

256 ft · 8 sec
Toward High Trestle Trail Use the left lane.
21

Turn straight onto East 1st Street

1.5 mi · 3 min · East 1st Street
22

Turn left onto Southwest Walnut Street

0.2 mi · 40 sec · Southwest Walnut Street
23

Turn left onto Southwest 3rd Street

48 ft · 2 sec · Southwest 3rd Street
24

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 59.8 miles from Kalona, IA, or about 1h 17m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 91 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 26 miles or 40m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 59.8 miles or 1h 17m 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 58m

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 Kalona, 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 Kalona, IA

This is one driving day of about 119.7 miles and 2h 26m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 26 miles from Kalona, IA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 80 for about 91 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 59.8 mi from Kalona, IA · 1h 17m into the drive

city in Iowa, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Brooklyn, IA

60 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

North Liberty, IA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 26 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Brooklyn, IA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 59.8 miles from Kalona, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before I 80 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 91 miles.

Arriving in Ankeny, IA

The final approach into Ankeny, 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 Ankeny, 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

$18.71 one way

$37.43 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 42 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $20.55 $41.09
premium $4.89 $23.04 $46.07
diesel $5.61 $26.43 $52.86

Estimated Tolls: $0.20

Orval Yoder Turnpike Southwest (2.8 mi) $0.20

Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$19

Tolls

$0

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$44–$69

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 41.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $13 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 35.9 0 $12.57 $5.75
Efficient EV 29.9 0 $10.47 $4.79
EV Truck/SUV 47.9 0 $16.76 $7.66

Gas CO2

42 kg

EV CO2

14 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.

Forecast as of Apr 18, 2026

Origin

Kalona, IA

Morning in Kalona on Saturday

Local time

9:23 AM

CDT

Current temp

52°F

Sunny

NW 15 to 20 mph 0% chance Live 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

Ankeny, IA

Morning in Ankeny on Saturday

Local time

9:23 AM

CDT

Current temp

70°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

50°F

Brooklyn, IA

60 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

18 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 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 Kalona, IA to Ankeny, IA covers 119.7 miles and takes about 2h 26m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are I 80, Black Hawk Avenue Southwest, I 35. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 59.8 miles from Kalona, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $18.71 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 demanding drive. With 15 significant decision points across 119.7 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.

The main spots that need attention: near the start (5th Street): Navigation decision point; at 111.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 112.9 miles (I 35): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.

The route from Kalona, IA to Ankeny, 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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