Origin
Mason City, IA
Late night in Mason City on Friday
Local time
2:35 AM
CDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Mason City, IA to Iowa Falls, IA
Compiled by the Trip.ovh editorial team · Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026 · Methodology
Drive Time
1h 9m
Distance
47.5 mi
76 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 4m
★
6 AM
1h 10m
8 AM
1h 21m
10 AM
1h 14m
12 PM
1h 13m
3 PM
1h 14m
5 PM
1h 20m
8 PM
1h 7m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Mason City, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Iowa Falls, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Mason City, IA to Iowa Falls, IA covers 47.5 miles and takes about 1h 9m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on North Federal Avenue, 1st Street Northeast, North Pennsylvania Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $7.43 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 9m. Total distance: 47.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 9m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 1h 9m drive with frequent turns across 47.5 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 14 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
North Federal Avenue is one of the defining roads on this drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive.
Driving Effort
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Mason City, IA to Iowa Falls, IA is easy. At 1h 9m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Mason City, IA to Iowa Falls, IA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| North Federal Avenue | — | — |
| 1st Street Northeast | — | — |
| North Pennsylvania Avenue | — | — |
| 8th Street Southeast | — | — |
| South Federal Avenue | — | — |
| Partridge Avenue | — | — |
| County Highway C13 | — | — |
| 4th Street Southeast | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
North Federal Avenue
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Mason City, IA and Iowa Falls, IA.
1
Start on 2nd Street Northeast
23 ft
·
6 sec
·
2nd Street Northeast
2
Turn left onto North Federal Avenue
328 ft
·
20 sec
·
North Federal Avenue
3
Turn left onto 1st Street Northeast
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
·
1st Street Northeast
4
Turn right onto North Pennsylvania Avenue
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
North Pennsylvania Avenue
5
Turn right onto 8th Street Southeast
0.1 mi
·
27 sec
·
8th Street Southeast
6
Turn left onto South Federal Avenue
1.7 mi
·
3 min
·
South Federal Avenue
7
Continue on Partridge Avenue
15 mi
·
19 min
·
Partridge Avenue
8
Continue on County Highway C13
11 mi
·
16 min
·
County Highway C13
9
Continue on 4th Street Southeast
13 mi
·
17 min
·
4th Street Southeast
10
Turn right onto Hardin Street
2.8 mi
·
3 min
·
Hardin Street
11
Keep slight left
2.6 mi
·
4 min
12
Turn left onto Rocksylvania Avenue
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Rocksylvania Avenue
13
Turn left onto Commercial Street
331 ft
·
9 sec
·
Commercial Street
14
Arrive at your destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 23.8 mi from Mason City, IA · 34m into the drive
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 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 23.8 miles from Mason City, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Iowa Falls, IA
The final approach into Iowa Falls, 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
$7.43 one way
$14.85 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
17 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $8.15 | $16.31 |
| premium | $4.89 | $9.14 | $18.28 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.49 | $20.97 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 16.6 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 | 14.3 | 0 | $4.99 | $2.28 |
| Efficient EV | 11.9 | 0 | $4.16 | $1.90 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 19 | 0 | $6.65 | $3.04 |
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
Iowa Falls, IA
Late night in Iowa Falls on Friday
Local time
2:35 AM
CDT
Current temp
50°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
47°F
Hampton, IA
24 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
21 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 9m 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Mason City, IA to Iowa Falls, IA covers 47.5 miles and takes about 1h 9m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are North Federal Avenue, 1st Street Northeast, North Pennsylvania Avenue. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 23.8 miles from Mason City, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $7.43 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 Mason City, IA to Iowa Falls, IA is easy. At 1h 9m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Mason City, IA to Iowa Falls, IA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Mason City, IA to Iowa Falls, IA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Data sources
The figures on this page are computed from open government and mapping datasets, not crowdsourced reviews. Distances and geometry come from OSRM over OpenStreetMap. Fuel cost uses EIA weekly regional averages. Full methodology, refresh cadence, and limitations are documented on the methodology page.
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