The drive from Lake Mills, IA to Council Bluffs, IA covers 268 miles and takes about 5h 1m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Avenue of the Saints, I 80, I 35 for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is mixed drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 120.9 miles on Avenue of the Saints.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $41.90 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
134 miles from Lake Mills, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 32m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 1m. Total distance: 268 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 1m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Drive Character
The drive from Lake Mills, IA to Council Bluffs, IA covers 268 miles and takes about 5h 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 17 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Avenue of the Saints is the longest continuous segment at about 120.9 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 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 13.7 miles in near I 35; IA 27 / Avenue of the Saints.
Driving Effort6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 268 miles you will encounter 8 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 13.7 miles (I 35; IA 27 / Avenue of the Saints): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 134.5 miles (I 35): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 148.8 miles (I 80): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 8 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
13.7 mi into trip|~22m in|I 35; IA 27 / Avenue of the Saints
Merge onto I 35; IA 27 / Avenue of the Saints
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
134.5 mi into trip|~2h 33m in|I 35
Keep slight right at fork onto I 35 toward I 35 South, I 80: Kansas City, Council Bluffs, Davenport
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 35 South, I 80: Kansas City, Council B...
7
148.8 mi into trip|~2h 49m in|I 80
Keep slight right at fork onto I 80 toward I 80 West: Omaha
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 80 West: Omaha
6
244.4 mi into trip|~4h 32m in|I 80
Keep slight left at fork onto I 80 toward I 80 West: Council Bluffs, Omaha Nebraska
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 80 West: Council Bluffs, Omaha Nebrask...
5
263.4 mi into trip|~4h 53m in
Take the exit toward US 6: Council Bluffs, Oakland
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 6: Council Bluffs, Oakland
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Lake Mills, IA and Council Bluffs, IA, road signs point toward Davenport and Omaha Nebraska.
Davenport
134.5 mi in|~2h 33m|via I 35
Omaha Nebraska
244.4 mi in|~4h 32m|via I 80
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Avenue of the Saints
120.9 mi
2h 10m
I 80
114.6 mi
2h 3m
I 35
14.3 mi
16m
410th Street
5.4 mi
9m
East Kanesville Boulevard
3.7 mi
6m
Bluebill Avenue
3.7 mi
5m
County Road 105
1.5 mi
2m
County Highway 105
1 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
Avenue of the Saints
— 120.9 mi, about 2h 10m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Lake Mills, IA and Council Bluffs, IA.
1
Start on US 69
0.8 mi·1 min·West Main Street
2
Continue on CR 105
1.0 mi·1 min·County Highway 105
3
Continue on CR 105; I 35 ALT
1.5 mi·2 min·County Road 105
4
Turn right onto Bluebill Avenue
3.7 mi·5 min·Bluebill Avenue
5
Continue on North Western Street
1.0 mi·1 min·North Western Street
6
Turn left onto CR A38
5.4 mi·9 min·410th Street
7
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·41 sec
Toward Blanco River
8
Merge onto I 35; IA 27
121 mi·2 hr 10 min·Avenue of the Saints
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight right at fork onto I 35
14 mi·16 min·I 35
Toward I 35 South, I 80: Kansas City, Council Bluffs, DavenportUse the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight right at fork onto I 80
96 mi·1 hr 42 min·I 80
Toward I 80 West: OmahaUse the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork onto I 80
19 mi·20 min·I 80
Toward I 80 West: Council Bluffs, Omaha Nebraska
12
Take the exit
0.3 mi·31 sec
Toward US 6: Council Bluffs, Oakland
13
Turn straight onto IA 906
2.8 mi·4 min·East Kanesville Boulevard
14
Continue on IA 906
0.1 mi·20 sec·East Broadway
15
Continue on IA 906
0.9 mi·2 min·East Kanesville Boulevard
16
Continue on West Broadway
0.4 mi·50 sec·West Broadway
17
Arrive at destination
West Broadway
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 134 miles from Lake Mills, IA, or about 2h 32m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 120.9 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 59 miles or 1h 11m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 134 miles or 2h 32m 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 6m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Council Bluffs, IA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Lake Mills, 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 Lake Mills, IA
This is one driving day of about 268 miles and 5h 1m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 59 miles from Lake Mills, 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 Avenue of the Saints for about 120.9 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 134 mi from Lake Mills, IA
· 2h 32m into the drive
The midpoint is around 134 miles from Lake Mills, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel check
Top up before Avenue of the Saints if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 120.9 miles.
Arriving in Council Bluffs, IA
The final approach into Council Bluffs, 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 Council Bluffs, IA.
After long uninterrupted mileage, take five minutes before the last urban segment to reset and refocus on exits, merges, and city traffic.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Nearby Places
Restaurants, cafes, gas stations and more along your route.
Top Restaurant
Runza Restaurant
4.4
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Council Bluffs, Iowa
Near the end, right off the route
0.8 mi from route
~2 min detour
$10 to $20
mile 268
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$41.90 one way
$83.80 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg94 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$46.00
$92.01
premium
$4.89
$51.57
$103.15
diesel
$5.61
$59.17
$118.34
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: 93.8 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $28 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
80.4
0
$28.14
$12.86
Efficient EV
67
0
$23.45
$10.72
EV Truck/SUV
107.2
1
$37.52
$17.15
Gas CO2
94 kg
EV CO2
31 kg (67% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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 15, 2026
Origin
Lake Mills, IA
Late night
in Lake Mills on Saturday
Local time
2:46 AM
CDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Council Bluffs, IA
Late night
in Council Bluffs on Saturday
Local time
2:46 AM
CDT
Current temp
55°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
16 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 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 Lake Mills, IA to Council Bluffs, IA covers 268 miles and takes about 5h 1m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Avenue of the Saints, I 80, I 35. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 134 miles from Lake Mills, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $41.90 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 268 miles you will encounter 8 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 13.7 miles (I 35; IA 27 / Avenue of the Saints): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 134.5 miles (I 35): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 148.8 miles (I 80): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Between Lake Mills, IA and Council Bluffs, IA, road signs point toward Davenport and Omaha Nebraska.
