Origin
Leon, IA
Morning in Leon on Saturday
Local time
9:08 AM
CDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Leon, IA to West Des Moines, IA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 16m
Distance
62.8 mi
101 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 10m
★
6 AM
1h 16m
8 AM
1h 28m
10 AM
1h 21m
12 PM
1h 19m
3 PM
1h 21m
5 PM
1h 28m
8 PM
1h 13m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Leon, IA
Quang Nguyen Vinh
West Des Moines, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Leon, IA to West Des Moines, IA covers 62.8 miles and takes about 1h 16m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 35, Northwest Church Street, Grand Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 46.2 miles on I 35. At current regular gas prices, budget about $9.82 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 16m. Total distance: 62.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 16m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (74%). Straightforward navigation.
Drive Character
This is a 1h 16m highway drive covering 62.8 miles, with most of the trip on I 35 and Northwest Church Street. The longest continuous stretch is about 46.2 miles on I 35.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 9 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 35 is the longest continuous segment at about 46.2 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 35 and Northwest Church Street. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes around 9.4 miles in near 120th Street.
Driving Effort
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Leon, IA to West Des Moines, IA is easy. At 1h 16m with 74% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 9.4 miles (120th Street): Navigation decision point; at 11.1 miles: Navigation decision point; at 11.4 miles (I 35): Merge point - match speed before joining.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 6 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
9.4 mi into trip
|
~13m in
|
120th Street
Turn left onto 120th Street
Navigation decision point
5
11.1 mi into trip
|
~16m in
Take the ramp toward Webb
Navigation decision point
Toward Webb
3
11.4 mi into trip
|
~16m in
|
I 35
Merge onto I 35
Merge point - match speed before joining
8
57.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 6m in
Take the exit toward Grand Avenue, DMACC West Campus
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.
Exit 69
Toward Grand Avenue, DMACC West Campus
6
58 mi into trip
|
~1h 7m in
|
Grand Avenue
Turn right onto Grand Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Leon, IA and West Des Moines, IA, road signs point toward Webb and Dmacc West Campus.
Webb
11.1 mi in
|
~16m
Dmacc West Campus
57.6 mi in
|
~1h 6m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 35 | 46.2 mi | 49m |
| Northwest Church Street | 9.4 mi | 13m |
| Grand Avenue | 3.9 mi | 7m |
| 120th Street | 1 mi | 1m |
| Vine Street | 0.8 mi | 2m |
| Line Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
I 35
— 46.2 mi, about 49m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Leon, IA and West Des Moines, IA.
1
Start on US 69
9.4 mi
·
13 min
·
Northwest Church Street
2
Turn left onto 120th Street
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
120th Street
3
Continue on CR J14
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Line Street
4
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
Toward Webb
5
Merge onto I 35
46 mi
·
49 min
·
I 35
6
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
51 sec
Exit 69
Toward Grand Avenue, DMACC West Campus
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Turn right onto Grand Avenue
3.9 mi
·
7 min
·
Grand Avenue
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
8
Turn right onto Vine Street
0.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Vine Street
9
Arrive at destination
Vine Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 31.4 mi from Leon, IA · 38m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
31 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 14 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 31.4 miles from Leon, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in West Des Moines, IA
The final approach into West Des Moines, IA usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.82 one way
$19.64 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
22 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $10.78 | $21.56 |
| premium | $4.89 | $12.09 | $24.17 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $13.87 | $27.73 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 22 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 18.8 | 0 | $6.59 | $3.01 |
| Efficient EV | 15.7 | 0 | $5.49 | $2.51 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 25.1 | 0 | $8.79 | $4.02 |
Gas CO2
22 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (68% 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
West Des Moines, IA
Morning in West Des Moines on Saturday
Local time
9:08 AM
CDT
Current temp
34°F
Clear
NW 13 mph
0% chance
Live forecast
Red Flag Warning
Red Flag Warning issued April 18 at 2:33AM CDT until April 18 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Omaha/Valley NE
Flood Watch
Flood Watch issued April 17 at 10:38PM CDT until April 24 at 7:00AM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL
73°F
Osceola, IA
31 mi in
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
17 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 16m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Leon, IA to West Des Moines, IA covers 62.8 miles and takes about 1h 16m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 35, Northwest Church Street, Grand Avenue. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 31.4 miles from Leon, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $9.82 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
The drive from Leon, IA to West Des Moines, IA is easy. At 1h 16m with 74% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
The main spots that need attention: at 9.4 miles (120th Street): Navigation decision point; at 11.1 miles: Navigation decision point; at 11.4 miles (I 35): Merge point - match speed before joining.
Between Leon, IA and West Des Moines, IA, road signs point toward Webb and Dmacc West Campus.
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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