Trip from Keokuk, IA to Waukee, IA

Drive Time

4h 1m

Distance

200.4 mi

322 km

Drive Score

10/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$30

one way

EV Charging

Loading...

station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 39 min
4 AM
3h 48m ★
6 AM
4h 1m
8 AM
4h 27m
10 AM
4h 10m
12 PM
4h 8m
3 PM
4h 12m
5 PM
4h 26m
8 PM
3h 53m

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

human settlement in Dallas County, Iowa, United States of America

Waukee, IA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Keokuk, IA to Waukee, IA covers 200.4 miles and takes about 4h 1m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on US 34, A Avenue West, Avenue of the Saints for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 61.1 miles on US 34. At current regular gas prices, budget about $30.44 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

100.2 miles from Keokuk, IA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 1m into the drive .

Drive Character

The drive from Keokuk, IA to Waukee, IA covers 200.4 miles and takes about 4h 1m, using a mix of highways and local roads.

Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 19 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
US 34 is the longest continuous segment at about 61.1 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 14 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 45.3 miles in near US 34; IA 163.

Route Complexity 6/10

Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 200.4 miles you will encounter 14 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 45.3 miles (US 34; IA 163): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 123.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 175.3 miles (US 65; IA 5 / Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 14 key points

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

5
45.3 mi into trip | ~57m in | US 34; IA 163

Keep slight right at fork onto US 34; IA 163

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

Exit 45
5
123.2 mi into trip | ~2h 27m in

Take the exit toward IA 92: Oskaloosa, Knoxville

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward IA 92: Oskaloosa, Knoxville
5
175.3 mi into trip | ~3h 27m in | US 65; IA 5 / Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway

Merge onto US 65; IA 5 / Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
187.6 mi into trip | ~3h 41m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I-35 north: Minneapolis

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

Toward I-35 north: Minneapolis
6
194.1 mi into trip | ~3h 50m in

Take the exit toward US 6

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Toward US 6

Towns Along This Route

On the drive from Keokuk, IA to Waukee, IA, road signs begin pointing toward Knoxville along the way.

Knoxville

123.2 mi in | ~2h 27m

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
US 34 61.1 mi 1h 10m
A Avenue West 32.4 mi 36m
Avenue of the Saints 26.5 mi 30m
State Highway 5 19.2 mi 22m
US 63 16.7 mi 19m
Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway 12.3 mi 14m
US 218 9.7 mi 14m
Hickman Road 5.7 mi 9m
Longest stretch: US 34 — 61.1 mi, about 1h 10m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Keokuk, IA and Waukee, IA.

1

Start on US 136

3.5 mi · 5 min · Main Street
2

Continue on US 61; US 218

5.6 mi · 6 min · US 61; US 218
3

Turn left onto US 218

9.2 mi · 13 min · US 218
4

Take the ramp onto US 218

0.4 mi · 57 sec · US 218
5

Merge onto US 218; IA 27

27 mi · 30 min · Avenue of the Saints
6

Keep slight right at fork onto US 34; IA 163

61 mi · 1 hr 10 min · US 34; IA 163
Exit 45
7

Continue on US 63; IA 163

17 mi · 19 min · US 63; IA 163
8

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 1 min
Toward IA 92: Oskaloosa, Knoxville
9

Turn left onto IA 92

32 mi · 36 min · A Avenue West
10

Turn right

0.1 mi · 7 sec
11

Continue on IA 5

19 mi · 22 min · State Highway 5
12

Merge onto US 65; IA 5

12 mi · 14 min · Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13

Keep slight left at fork

0.9 mi · 1 min
Toward I-35 north: Minneapolis
14

Merge onto I 35

5.7 mi · 6 min · I 35
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 39 sec
Toward US 6 Use the slight right lane.
16

Turn left onto US 6

5.7 mi · 9 min · Hickman Road
Use the straight / left lanes.
17

Turn left onto CR R22

0.2 mi · 34 sec · 6th Street
18

Turn left onto Ashworth Drive

139 ft · 4 sec · Ashworth Drive
19

Arrive at destination

Ashworth Drive

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 100.2 miles from Keokuk, IA, or about 2h 1m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 61.1 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 80 miles or 1h 37m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 100.2 miles or 2h 1m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 3h 14m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Waukee, IA than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Keokuk, 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 Keokuk, IA

This is one driving day of about 200.4 miles and 4h 1m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Keokuk, 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 US 34 for about 61.1 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 100.2 mi from Keokuk, IA · 2h 1m into the drive

city in Johnson County, Iowa, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Iowa City, IA

100 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

Iowa City, IA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Iowa City, IA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 100.2 miles from Keokuk, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before US 34 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 61.1 miles.

Arriving in Waukee, IA

The final approach into Waukee, 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 Waukee, 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

$30.44 one way

$60.88 round trip

$3.86/gal 25.4 MPG avg 70 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.25 $33.56 $67.11
premium $4.80 $37.83 $75.66
diesel $5.64 $44.52 $89.04

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$30

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$55–$80

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 70.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $21 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 60.1 0 $21.04 $9.62
Efficient EV 50.1 0 $17.54 $8.02
EV Truck/SUV 80.2 1 $28.06 $12.83

Gas CO2

70 kg

EV CO2

23 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 data refreshed 3 days ago

Origin

Keokuk, IA

Afternoon in Keokuk on Monday

Local time

4:58 PM

CDT

Current temp

53°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Waukee, IA

Afternoon in Waukee on Monday

Local time

4:58 PM

CDT

Current temp

43°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

10 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

4h 1m 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 Keokuk, IA to Waukee, IA covers 200.4 miles and takes about 4h 1m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are US 34, A Avenue West, Avenue of the Saints. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 100.2 miles from Keokuk, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $30.44 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 200.4 miles you will encounter 14 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 45.3 miles (US 34; IA 163): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 123.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 175.3 miles (US 65; IA 5 / Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Keokuk, IA to Waukee, IA, road signs begin pointing toward Knoxville along the way.

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