Origin
Knoxville, IA
Afternoon in Knoxville on Saturday
Local time
3:07 PM
CDT
Current temp
73°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Knoxville, 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
1h
Distance
47.9 mi
77 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 56m
★
6 AM
1h 1m
8 AM
1h 10m
10 AM
1h 4m
12 PM
1h 3m
3 PM
1h 5m
5 PM
1h 10m
8 PM
0h 58m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Knoxville, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Ankeny, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This straightforward 47.9-mile drive from Knoxville to Ankeny, Iowa, is easily manageable in about 1 hour, making it a perfect day trip. The majority of your journey, 64% to be exact, will be on highways, primarily State Highway 5 and Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway (also IA 5). With a modest fuel cost estimated at $7, this route offers a budget-friendly way to travel within the Midwest region. You won't need to break up this short trip with an overnight stay, and there are no specific stops recommended, allowing for maximum flexibility.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| State Highway 5 | 18.2 mi | 20m |
| Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway | 10.3 mi | 11m |
| IA 5 | 6.7 mi | 7m |
| I 35 | 4.7 mi | 5m |
| East 1st Street | 1.5 mi | 3m |
| I 80 | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| McKimber Drive | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| West Pleasant Street | 0.5 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
State Highway 5
— 18.2 mi, about 20m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Knoxville, IA and Ankeny, IA.
1
Start on IA 14
36 ft
·
2 sec
·
North Lincoln Street
2
Turn right onto IA 92 Bus
0.5 mi
·
53 sec
·
West Pleasant Street
3
Continue on IA 92 Bus
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
·
McKimber Street
4
Continue on IA 92 Bus
0.5 mi
·
56 sec
·
McKimber Drive
5
Take the ramp
0.6 mi
·
1 min
6
Merge onto IA 5; IA 92
6.7 mi
·
7 min
·
IA 5; IA 92
7
Turn right
0.1 mi
·
7 sec
8
Continue on IA 5
18 mi
·
20 min
·
State Highway 5
9
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
10
Merge onto US 65
10 mi
·
11 min
·
Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway
11
Take the exit
1.2 mi
·
1 min
Exit 84
Toward I 80 West: Council Bluffs
12
Merge onto I 80
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
I 80
13
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Exit 137B
Toward I-35 north: Minneapolis
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Continue on this road
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
·
this road
Exit 137B
Toward I-35 north: Minneapolis
15
Continue on this road
0.5 mi
·
52 sec
·
this road
Exit 137B
Toward I-35 North: Minneapolis
16
Merge onto I 35
4.7 mi
·
5 min
·
I 35
Toward I 35 North: Minneapolis
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
Toward 1st Street
18
Keep slight left at fork
256 ft
·
8 sec
Toward High Trestle Trail
Use the left lane.
19
Turn straight onto East 1st Street
1.5 mi
·
3 min
·
East 1st Street
20
Turn left onto Southwest Walnut Street
0.2 mi
·
40 sec
·
Southwest Walnut Street
21
Turn left onto Southwest 3rd Street
48 ft
·
2 sec
·
Southwest 3rd Street
22
Arrive at destination
Southwest 3rd Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
24 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 miles from Knoxville, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 135 decision points cluster between mile 37.7 and 47.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
37.7 mi into trip
|
~44m 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
39.8 mi into trip
|
~47m 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
41.1 mi into trip
|
~50m 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
46.1 mi into trip
|
~56m 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
47.9 mi into trip
|
~1h in
|
Southwest 3rd Street
Turn left onto Southwest 3rd Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.49 one way
$14.98 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
17 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $8.22 | $16.44 |
| premium | $4.89 | $9.22 | $18.44 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.58 | $21.15 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 16.8 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 | 14.4 | 0 | $5.03 | $2.30 |
| Efficient EV | 12 | 0 | $4.19 | $1.92 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 19.2 | 0 | $6.71 | $3.07 |
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
Ankeny, IA
Afternoon in Ankeny on Saturday
Local time
3:07 PM
CDT
Current temp
70°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
3 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
1h 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.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a highway-focused drive for most of this trip, with 64% of the route utilizing main roads like IA 5. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 18.2 miles on State Highway 5, offering a consistent pace. This drive generally maintains a steady flow, characteristic of rural Iowa highways. The road's personality is practical and efficient, prioritizing getting you to your destination smoothly rather than offering winding, scenic detours.
64% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 18.2 mi on State Highway 5.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on State Highway 5 and Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 37.7 miles in.
Driving Effort
9/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 47.9 miles you will encounter 13 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 37.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 39.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 41.1 miles (I 35): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h. Total distance: 47.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (64%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 18.2 miles on State Highway 5. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Ankeny, IA before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 37.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 39.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 41.1 miles (I 35): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Ankeny, IA before heading back.
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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