The drive from New Hampton, IA to Council Bluffs, IA covers 292.8 miles and takes about 5h 34m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 35, I 80, Avenue of the Saints for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is highway-focused drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 117 miles on I 35.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $43.47 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
146.4 miles from New Hampton, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 51m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 34m. Total distance: 292.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 34m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (79%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 5h 34m highway drive covering 292.8 miles, with most of the trip on I 35 and I 80. The longest continuous stretch is about 117 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 27 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 117 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 35 and I 80. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 18.9 miles in near Clark Street.
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 14 significant decision points across 292.8 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 18.9 miles (Clark Street): Navigation decision point; at 56.6 miles (I 35): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 159.3 miles (I 35): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 14 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
18.9 mi into trip|~28m in|Clark Street
Turn right onto Clark Street
Navigation decision point
5
56.6 mi into trip|~1h 14m in|I 35
Merge onto I 35
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
159.3 mi into trip|~3h 5m in|I 35
Keep slight right at fork onto I 35 toward I 35 South, I 80: Kansas City, Council Bluffs, Davenport
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 35 South, I 80: Kansas City, Council B...
7
173.6 mi into trip|~3h 22m in|I 80
Keep slight right at fork onto I 80 toward I 80 West: Omaha
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 80 West: Omaha
6
269.1 mi into trip|~5h 5m in|I 80
Keep slight left at fork onto I 80 toward I 80 West: Council Bluffs, Omaha Nebraska
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 80 West: Council Bluffs, Omaha Nebrask...
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between New Hampton, IA and Council Bluffs, IA, road signs point toward Davenport and Omaha Nebraska.
Davenport
159.3 mi in|~3h 5m|via I 35
Omaha Nebraska
269.1 mi in|~5h 5m|via I 80
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 35
117 mi
2h 7m
I 80
114.6 mi
2h 3m
Avenue of the Saints
32.9 mi
37m
200th Street
11 mi
15m
200th Avenue
5 mi
6m
East Kanesville Boulevard
3.7 mi
6m
Gilbert Street
2.5 mi
4m
West Main Street
0.7 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
I 35
— 117 mi, about 2h 7m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between New Hampton, IA and Council Bluffs, IA.
1
Start on US 63 Business
52 ft·8 sec·South Linn Avenue
2
Turn left onto West Main Street
0.7 mi·1 min·West Main Street
3
Continue on 210th Street
0.3 mi·39 sec·210th Street
4
Turn right onto Kenwood Avenue
0.7 mi·1 min·Kenwood Avenue
5
Turn left onto US 18
11 mi·15 min·200th Street
6
Continue on US 18
5.0 mi·6 min·200th Avenue
7
Continue on US 18
0.3 mi·49 sec·5th Avenue
8
Turn straight onto US 18
0.7 mi·1 min·4th Avenue
9
Continue on US 18
0.1 mi·25 sec·Brantingham Street
10
Turn right onto Clark Street
0.2 mi·33 sec·Clark Street
11
Turn left onto North Main Street
0.2 mi·38 sec·North Main Street
12
Turn right onto US 218 Business
2.5 mi·4 min·Gilbert Street
13
Turn straight onto US 218 Business
0.2 mi·13 sec·185th Street
14
Take the ramp onto US 218 Business
0.3 mi·41 sec·US 218 Business
15
Merge onto US 18; US 218; IA 27
33 mi·37 min·Avenue of the Saints
16
Take the exit
0.9 mi·1 min
Toward I 35 South: Des Moines
17
Continue on this road
0.5 mi·32 sec·this road
Toward I 35 South: Des Moines
18
Merge onto I 35
103 mi·1 hr 50 min·I 35
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Keep slight right at fork onto I 35
14 mi·16 min·I 35
Toward I 35 South, I 80: Kansas City, Council Bluffs, DavenportUse the straight / slight right lanes.
20
Keep slight right at fork onto I 80
96 mi·1 hr 42 min·I 80
Toward I 80 West: OmahaUse the straight / slight right lanes.
21
Keep slight left at fork onto I 80
19 mi·20 min·I 80
Toward I 80 West: Council Bluffs, Omaha Nebraska
22
Take the exit
0.3 mi·31 sec
Toward US 6: Council Bluffs, Oakland
23
Turn straight onto IA 906
2.8 mi·4 min·East Kanesville Boulevard
24
Continue on IA 906
0.1 mi·20 sec·East Broadway
25
Continue on IA 906
0.9 mi·2 min·East Kanesville Boulevard
26
Continue on West Broadway
0.4 mi·50 sec·West Broadway
27
Arrive at destination
West Broadway
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 146.4 miles from New Hampton, IA, or about 2h 51m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 117 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 64 miles or 1h 22m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 146.4 miles or 2h 51m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 33m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Council Bluffs, IA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving New Hampton, 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 New Hampton, IA
This is one driving day of about 292.8 miles and 5h 34m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 64 miles from New Hampton, 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 35 for about 117 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 146.4 mi from New Hampton, IA
· 2h 51m into the drive
The midpoint is around 146.4 miles from New Hampton, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel check
Top up before I 35 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 117 miles.
Arriving in Council Bluffs, IA
The final approach into Council Bluffs, 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 Council Bluffs, IA.
After long uninterrupted mileage, take five minutes before the last urban segment to reset and refocus on exits, merges, and city traffic.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Nearby Places
Restaurants, cafes, gas stations and more along your route.
Top Restaurant
The Backfield Bar & Grill
4.6
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Walnut, Iowa
Near the end, right off the route
0.4 mi from route
~1 min detour
$10 to $20
mile 250.9
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $31 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
87.8
1
$30.74
$14.05
Efficient EV
73.2
0
$25.62
$11.71
EV Truck/SUV
117.1
1
$40.99
$18.74
Gas CO2
102 kg
EV CO2
34 kg (67% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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 13, 2026
Origin
New Hampton, IA
Morning
in New Hampton on Saturday
Local time
11:01 AM
CDT
Current temp
69°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Council Bluffs, IA
Morning
in Council Bluffs on Saturday
Local time
11:01 AM
CDT
Current temp
89°F
Mostly Sunny
SSW 18 mph1% chanceLive forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 13 at 11:22AM CDT until April 18 at 1:00PM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 13 at 11:22AM CDT until April 18 at 1:00PM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL
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
5h 34m 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 New Hampton, IA to Council Bluffs, IA covers 292.8 miles and takes about 5h 34m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 35, I 80, Avenue of the Saints. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 146.4 miles from New Hampton, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $43.47 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 14 significant decision points across 292.8 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 18.9 miles (Clark Street): Navigation decision point; at 56.6 miles (I 35): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 159.3 miles (I 35): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between New Hampton, IA and Council Bluffs, IA, road signs point toward Davenport and Omaha Nebraska.
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, NREL for EV charging, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
