Origin
Lake Mills, IA
Afternoon in Lake Mills on Saturday
Local time
12:47 PM
CDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Lake Mills, IA to Davenport, IA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
4h 7m
Distance
255.7 mi
412 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$40
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
3h 54m
★
6 AM
4h 7m
8 AM
4h 33m
10 AM
4h 16m
12 PM
4h 14m
3 PM
4h 18m
5 PM
4h 32m
8 PM
3h 59m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Lake Mills, IA
Tom Fisk
Davenport, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Lake Mills, IA to Davenport, IA covers 255.7 miles and takes about 4h 7m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Highway 105, County Road 105, Bluebill Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly surface roads. At current regular gas prices, budget about $39.98 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
127.8 miles from Lake Mills, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 3m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Highway 105 | — | — |
| County Road 105 | — | — |
| Bluebill Avenue | — | — |
| North Western Street | — | — |
| 410th Street | — | — |
| Blanco River | — | — |
| Avenue of the Saints | — | — |
| US 18 East | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
Highway 105
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Lake Mills, IA and Davenport, IA.
1
Start on West Main Street
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
West Main Street
2
Continue on County Highway 105
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
County Highway 105
3
Continue on County Road 105
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 410th Street
5.4 mi
·
9 min
·
410th Street
7
Take the ramp right toward Blanco River
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
·
Blanco River
8
Merge slight left onto Avenue of the Saints
17 mi
·
18 min
·
Avenue of the Saints
9
Take the exit slight right toward US 18 East, IA 27 South: Mason City, Charles City
0.4 mi
·
27 sec
·
US 18 East, IA 27 South: Mason City, Charles City
10
Turn slight right onto US 18 East, IA 27 South: Mason City, Charles City
81 mi
·
1 hr 34 min
·
US 18 East, IA 27 South: Mason City, Charles City
11
Take the exit slight right toward US 218 south: Waterloo
318 ft
·
8 sec
·
US 218 south: Waterloo
12
Continue on US 218 south: Waterloo
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
·
US 218 south: Waterloo
13
Merge slight left onto Leo P Rooff Expressway
6.7 mi
·
8 min
·
Leo P Rooff Expressway
14
Continue on Washington Street
2.4 mi
·
3 min
·
Washington Street
15
Keep slight right to continue on I-380 south, US 20, IA 27: Cedar Rapids, Dubuque, Cedar Falls
6.5 mi
·
7 min
·
I-380 south, US 20, IA 27: Cedar Rapids, Dubuque, Cedar Falls
16
Keep slight right to continue on Avenue of the Saints
65 mi
·
1 hr 11 min
·
Avenue of the Saints
17
Take the exit slight right toward I 80
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
·
I 80
18
Keep slight left to continue on I 80 East: Davenport
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
I 80 East: Davenport
19
Merge slight left
50 mi
·
54 min
20
Take the exit slight right toward I 280 East, US 6 East, US 61 South: Rock Island, Moline
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
I 280 East, US 6 East, US 61 South: Rock Island, Moline
21
Take the exit slight right toward US 6 East, CR F58 West: Kimberly Road, Walcott
0.4 mi
·
51 sec
·
US 6 East, CR F58 West: Kimberly Road, Walcott
22
Continue on West Kimberly Road
3.0 mi
·
4 min
·
West Kimberly Road
23
Turn slight right onto Hickory Grove Road
2.5 mi
·
5 min
·
Hickory Grove Road
24
Turn left onto West Locust Street
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
West Locust Street
25
Turn right onto Gaines Street
0.3 mi
·
49 sec
·
Gaines Street
26
Turn left onto West 14th Street
0.3 mi
·
46 sec
·
West 14th Street
27
At the end of the road, turn right onto Harrison Street
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Harrison Street
28
Turn right onto West 4th Street
164 ft
·
4 sec
·
West 4th Street
29
Arrive at your destination
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 127.8 miles from Lake Mills, IA, or about 2h 3m into the drive.
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 56 miles or 54m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 127.8 miles or 2h 3m 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 22m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Davenport, 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 255.7 miles and 4h 7m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 56 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.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
128 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 56 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 127.8 miles from Lake Mills, 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.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$39.98 one way
$79.95 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
90 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $43.89 | $87.78 |
| premium | $4.89 | $49.21 | $98.41 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $56.46 | $112.91 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$40
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$65–$90
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 89.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $27 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 76.7 | 0 | $26.85 | $12.27 |
| Efficient EV | 63.9 | 0 | $22.37 | $10.23 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 102.3 | 1 | $35.80 | $16.36 |
Gas CO2
89 kg
EV CO2
30 kg (66% 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.
Destination
Davenport, IA
Afternoon in Davenport on Saturday
Local time
12:47 PM
CDT
Current temp
71°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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
4h 7m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
255.7 mi in 4h 7m across surface roads — expect steady turns and local traffic rather than long highway runs.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
29 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Main road: Highway 105.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 4h 7m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Lake Mills, IA to Davenport, IA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 7m. Total distance: 255.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 7m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Lake Mills, IA to Davenport, IA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Possible but tiring. At 4.1 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 8.2 hours — manageable with a long break at Davenport, IA, but most travelers stay overnight.
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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