The drive from Le Mars, IA to Waukee, IA covers 214.2 miles and takes about 4h behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 80, US 75, I 880 for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is highway-focused drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 89.2 miles on I 80.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $33.49 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
107.1 miles from Le Mars, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 2m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h. Total distance: 214.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h drive, comfortable solo distance.
Drive Character
This is a 4h highway drive covering 214.2 miles, with most of the trip on I 80 and US 75. The longest continuous stretch is about 89.2 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 19 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 89.2 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 80 and US 75. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2.2 miles in.
Driving Effort7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 12 significant decision points across 214.2 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: at 2.2 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 2.5 miles (US 75): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 30.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 12 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
7
2.2 mi into trip|~4m in
Take the ramp toward US 75
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward US 75
5
2.5 mi into trip|~5m in|US 75
Merge onto US 75
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
7
30.1 mi into trip|~38m in
Take the exit toward I 29: Sioux City, Council Bluffs
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 29: Sioux City, Council Bluffs
6
30.4 mi into trip|~38m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 29 South: Council Bluffs, Sioux Gateway Airport
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 29 South: Council Bluffs, Sioux Gatewa...
8
120.4 mi into trip|~2h 16m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 80 East: Des Moines
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 16A
Toward I 80 East: Des Moines
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Le Mars, IA and Waukee, IA, road signs point toward Council Bluffs and Sioux Gateway Airport.
Council Bluffs
30.1 mi in|~38m
Sioux Gateway Airport
30.4 mi in|~38m
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 80
89.2 mi
1h 35m
US 75
27.6 mi
33m
I 880
16 mi
17m
Ute Avenue
2.8 mi
4m
State Highway 3
1.1 mi
1m
6th Street
0.8 mi
1m
Plymouth Street Southwest
0.5 mi
1m
Plymouth Street Northwest
0.4 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
I 80
— 89.2 mi, about 1h 35m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Le Mars, IA and Waukee, IA.
1
Start on 1st Street Northeast
239 ft·15 sec·1st Street Northeast
2
Turn left onto Central Avenue
441 ft·19 sec·Central Avenue
3
Turn right onto IA 3
0.4 mi·1 min·Plymouth Street Northwest
4
Continue on IA 3
0.5 mi·1 min·Plymouth Street Southwest
5
Continue on IA 3
366 ft·6 sec·Plymouth Street West
6
Continue on IA 3
1.1 mi·1 min·State Highway 3
7
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·44 sec
Toward US 75Use the left lane.
8
Merge onto US 75
28 mi·33 min·US 75
Use the straight lane.
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi·23 sec
Toward I 29: Sioux City, Council BluffsUse the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight left at fork
73 mi·1 hr 19 min
Toward I 29 South: Council Bluffs, Sioux Gateway Airport
11
Take the exit
0.8 mi·1 min
Exit 71Toward I 880 East: Des Moines
12
Continue on I 880
16 mi·17 min·I 880
13
Keep slight left at fork
0.7 mi·43 sec
Exit 16AToward I 80 East: Des MoinesUse the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Merge onto I 80
89 mi·1 hr 35 min·I 80
15
Take the exit
0.3 mi·42 sec
Toward CR R22: Waukee, Booneville
16
Turn left onto CR R22
2.8 mi·4 min·Ute Avenue
17
Continue on CR R22
0.8 mi·1 min·6th Street
18
Turn sharp right 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 107.1 miles from Le Mars, IA, or about 2h 2m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 89.2 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 47 miles or 56m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 107.1 miles or 2h 2m 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 16m
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 Le Mars, 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 Le Mars, IA
This is one driving day of about 214.2 miles and 4h.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 47 miles from Le Mars, 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 I 80 for about 89.2 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 107.1 mi from Le Mars, IA
· 2h 2m into the drive
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $22 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
64.3
0
$22.49
$10.28
Efficient EV
53.6
0
$18.74
$8.57
EV Truck/SUV
85.7
1
$29.99
$13.71
Gas CO2
75 kg
EV CO2
25 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 16, 2026
Origin
Le Mars, IA
Late night
in Le Mars on Friday
Local time
5:03 AM
CDT
Current temp
50°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Waukee, IA
Late night
in Waukee on Friday
Local time
5:03 AM
CDT
Current temp
70°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
20 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
4h 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 Le Mars, IA to Waukee, IA covers 214.2 miles and takes about 4h without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 80, US 75, I 880. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 107.1 miles from Le Mars, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $33.49 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 is a demanding drive. With 12 significant decision points across 214.2 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: at 2.2 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 2.5 miles (US 75): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 30.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Le Mars, IA and Waukee, IA, road signs point toward Council Bluffs and Sioux Gateway Airport.
How this page is built
Compiled and maintained by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy (Helsinki). Each route is built from authoritative open government and mapping datasets rather than crowdsourced reviews. Distances and geometry come from
OSRM
over
OpenStreetMap.
Fuel cost uses
EIA
weekly regional averages.
EV charging comes from the
NREL Alternative Fuels
dataset.
National park proximity is from the
NPS API.
Pages are published only after passing our data-quality checks; our
methodology page
documents refresh cadence, editorial standards, and known limitations.
