Origin
Mount Vernon, IA
Afternoon in Mount Vernon on Friday
Local time
1:31 PM
CDT
Current temp
72°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Mount Vernon, IA to Waterloo, IA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 24m
Distance
71.8 mi
115 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$11
one way
EV Charging
Good
7 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 18m
★
6 AM
1h 25m
8 AM
1h 38m
10 AM
1h 29m
12 PM
1h 28m
3 PM
1h 30m
5 PM
1h 37m
8 PM
1h 21m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Mount Vernon, IA
Tom Fisk
Waterloo, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Mount Vernon, IA to Waterloo, IA covers 71.8 miles and takes about 1h 24m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Avenue of the Saints, US 30 Bus, I 380 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 54.5 miles on Avenue of the Saints. At current regular gas prices, budget about $11.23 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 24m. Total distance: 71.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 24m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (22%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 1h 24m drive with frequent turns across 71.8 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.
Avenue of the Saints is the longest continuous segment at about 54.5 miles.
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.
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 1h 24m drive. You will face about 9 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: Navigation decision point; near the start (1st Street East): Navigation decision point; at 0.6 miles (US 30 Bus; IA 1 / State Highway 1): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 9 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
Turn left
Navigation decision point
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
1st Street East
Turn left onto 1st Street East
Navigation decision point
5
0.6 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
US 30 Bus; IA 1 / State Highway 1
Enter roundabout onto US 30 Bus; IA 1 / State Highway 1
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
5
13.1 mi into trip
|
~16m in
Take the exit toward I 380 North, IA 27 North: Cedar Rapids
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 380 North, IA 27 North: Cedar Rapids
6
68.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 18m in
|
I 380
Keep slight right at fork onto I 380 toward I-380 north, US 218 north: Waterloo
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I-380 north, US 218 north: Waterloo
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Avenue of the Saints | 54.5 mi | 1h |
| US 30 Bus | 12.2 mi | 14m |
| I 380 | 2.9 mi | 4m |
| State Highway 1 | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Washington Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| 1st Avenue South | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| West 4th Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| 1st Street East | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Avenue of the Saints
— 54.5 mi, about 1h
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Mount Vernon, IA and Waterloo, IA.
1
Start on this road
75 ft
·
9 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left
65 ft
·
10 sec
3
Turn left onto 1st Street East
230 ft
·
13 sec
·
1st Street East
4
Turn left onto IA 1
0.4 mi
·
34 sec
·
1st Avenue South
5
Continue on IA 1
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
·
State Highway 1
6
Enter roundabout onto US 30 Bus; IA 1
121 ft
·
5 sec
·
State Highway 1
7
Continue on US 30 Bus; IA 1
0.3 mi
·
30 sec
·
State Highway 1
8
Take the ramp onto US 30 Bus
12 mi
·
14 min
·
US 30 Bus
Toward US 30 west: Cedar Rapids
9
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 380 North, IA 27 North: Cedar Rapids
10
Merge onto I 380; IA 27
54 mi
·
1 hr
·
Avenue of the Saints
11
Keep slight right at fork onto I 380
2.9 mi
·
4 min
·
I 380
Toward I-380 north, US 218 north: Waterloo
12
Continue on Washington Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Washington Street
Toward Downtown Riverfront, Sullivan Brothers Convention Center
13
Turn left onto West 4th Street
398 ft
·
13 sec
·
West 4th Street
14
Arrive at destination
West 4th Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 35.9 mi from Mount Vernon, IA · 42m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
36 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 16 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 35.9 miles from Mount Vernon, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Waterloo, IA
The final approach into Waterloo, 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
$11.23 one way
$22.45 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
25 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $12.32 | $24.65 |
| premium | $4.89 | $13.82 | $27.63 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $15.85 | $31.71 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 25.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 21.5 | 0 | $7.54 | $3.45 |
| Efficient EV | 18 | 0 | $6.28 | $2.87 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 28.7 | 0 | $10.05 | $4.60 |
Gas CO2
25 kg
EV CO2
8 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
Waterloo, IA
Afternoon in Waterloo on Friday
Local time
1:31 PM
CDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
4 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 24m 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 Mount Vernon, IA to Waterloo, IA covers 71.8 miles and takes about 1h 24m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Avenue of the Saints, US 30 Bus, I 380. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 35.9 miles from Mount Vernon, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $11.23 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.
This is a straightforward 1h 24m drive. You will face about 9 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: near the start: Navigation decision point; near the start (1st Street East): Navigation decision point; at 0.6 miles (US 30 Bus; IA 1 / State Highway 1): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
The route from Mount Vernon, IA to Waterloo, IA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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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