Origin
Mason City, IA
Evening in Mason City on Friday
Local time
6:01 PM
CDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Mason City, IA to Le Mars, IA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
4h 6m
Distance
176.3 mi
284 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$28
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
3h 53m
★
6 AM
4h 6m
8 AM
4h 33m
10 AM
4h 16m
12 PM
4h 13m
3 PM
4h 17m
5 PM
4h 31m
8 PM
3h 59m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Mason City, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Le Mars, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Mason City, IA to Le Mars, IA covers 176.3 miles and takes about 4h 6m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on 4th Street Southwest, IA 60, 320th Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 67.6 miles on 4th Street Southwest. At current regular gas prices, budget about $27.56 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
88.2 miles from Mason City, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 7m into the drive .
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 6m. Total distance: 176.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 6m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (20%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 4h 6m drive with frequent turns across 176.3 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 28 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
4th Street Southwest is the longest continuous segment at about 67.6 miles.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
1,500 ft
1,132 ft
Total Climb
509 ft
Total Descent
412 ft
Highest Point
1,500 ft
~125.9 mi in
Elevation Range
368 ft
How Hard Is This Drive?
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. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near North Federal Avenue.
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 6m drive. You will face about 12 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (North Federal Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (1st Street Northwest): Navigation decision point; at 139.7 miles: Navigation decision point.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 12 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
North Federal Avenue
Turn left onto North Federal Avenue
Navigation decision point
4
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
1st Street Northwest
Turn right onto 1st Street Northwest
Navigation decision point
5
139.7 mi into trip
|
~3h 22m in
Take the ramp toward IA 60
Navigation decision point
Toward IA 60
5
140.1 mi into trip
|
~3h 22m in
|
IA 60
Merge onto IA 60
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
173.8 mi into trip
|
~4h 1m in
Take the exit toward US 75 North, US 75 Business: 5th Avenue Northwest, Sioux Center
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 75 North, US 75 Business: 5th Avenue...
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| 4th Street Southwest | 67.6 mi | 1h 35m |
| IA 60 | 33.7 mi | 38m |
| 320th Street | 28.9 mi | 40m |
| 360th Street | 22.4 mi | 32m |
| 370th Street | 5.9 mi | 8m |
| 180th Avenue | 2.8 mi | 4m |
| 11th Street Southeast | 2.5 mi | 3m |
| US 75 Business | 1.8 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
4th Street Southwest
— 67.6 mi, about 1h 35m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Mason City, IA and Le Mars, IA.
1
Start on 2nd Street Northeast
24 ft
·
6 sec
·
2nd Street Northeast
2
Turn left onto North Federal Avenue
328 ft
·
16 sec
·
North Federal Avenue
3
Turn right onto 1st Street Northwest
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
1st Street Northwest
4
Continue on Winnebago Way
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Winnebago Way
5
Turn right onto US 18 Business; IA 122
68 mi
·
1 hr 35 min
·
4th Street Southwest
6
Turn slight right onto US 18
57 ft
·
1 sec
·
Main Street
7
Turn slight right onto US 18
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
525th Avenue
8
Keep slight left at fork onto US 18
0.1 mi
·
10 sec
·
525th Avenue
9
Continue on US 18
5.9 mi
·
8 min
·
370th Street
10
Continue on US 18
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Main Street
11
Continue on US 18; IA 4
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
450th Avenue
12
Continue on US 18; IA 4
21 mi
·
30 min
·
360th Street
13
Continue on US 18
2.5 mi
·
3 min
·
11th Street Southeast
14
Continue on 360th Street
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
360th Street
15
Turn right onto 200th Avenue
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
200th Avenue
16
Continue on 32nd Avenue West
0.3 mi
·
32 sec
·
32nd Avenue West
17
Turn left onto West 4th Street
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
West 4th Street
18
Continue on B24
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
County Road B24
19
Turn right onto 180th Avenue
2.8 mi
·
4 min
·
180th Avenue
20
Turn left onto US 18
21 mi
·
29 min
·
320th Street
21
Continue on US 18
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
US-18
22
Continue on US 18
7.6 mi
·
10 min
·
320th Street
23
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
23 sec
Toward IA 60
24
Merge onto IA 60
34 mi
·
38 min
·
IA 60
Use the straight / right lanes.
25
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
Toward US 75 North, US 75 Business: 5th Avenue Northwest, Sioux Center
26
Turn left onto US 75 Business
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
US 75 Business
27
Turn left onto 1st Street Northwest
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
1st Street Northwest
28
Arrive at destination
1st Street Northeast
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 88.2 miles from Mason City, IA, or about 2h 7m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 67.6 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 39 miles or 56m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 88.2 miles or 2h 7m 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 27m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Le Mars, IA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Mason City, 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 Mason City, IA
This is one driving day of about 176.3 miles and 4h 6m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 39 miles from Mason City, 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 4th Street Southwest for about 67.6 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 88.2 mi from Mason City, IA · 2h 7m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
88 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 39 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 88.2 miles from Mason City, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before 4th Street Southwest if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 67.6 miles.
Arriving in Le Mars, IA
The final approach into Le Mars, 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 Le Mars, IA.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$27.56 one way
$55.12 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
62 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $30.26 | $60.53 |
| premium | $4.89 | $33.93 | $67.85 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $38.92 | $77.85 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$28
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$53–$78
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 61.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $19 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 52.9 | 0 | $18.51 | $8.46 |
| Efficient EV | 44.1 | 0 | $15.43 | $7.05 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 70.5 | 0 | $24.68 | $11.28 |
Gas CO2
62 kg
EV CO2
21 kg (66% 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
Le Mars, IA
Evening in Le Mars on Friday
Local time
6:01 PM
CDT
Current temp
50°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
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
4h 6m 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 Mason City, IA to Le Mars, IA covers 176.3 miles and takes about 4h 6m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are 4th Street Southwest, IA 60, 320th Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 88.2 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 $27.56 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 straightforward 4h 6m drive. You will face about 12 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (North Federal Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (1st Street Northwest): Navigation decision point; at 139.7 miles: Navigation decision point.
The route from Mason City, IA to Le Mars, IA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Mostly flat terrain. The route ranges from 1,132 ft to 1,500 ft elevation with about 509 ft of total climbing.
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, EIA for fuel prices, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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