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Trip from Ogden, IA to Ames, IA

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

34m

Distance

24.6 mi

40 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$4

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 9 min
4 AM
0h 31m ★
6 AM
0h 34m
8 AM
0h 40m
10 AM
0h 36m
12 PM
0h 35m
3 PM
0h 36m
5 PM
0h 40m
8 PM
0h 32m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Downtown Ogden, IA, IA

Ogden, IA

Quang Nguyen Vinh

city in Story County, Iowa, United States

Ames, IA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Ogden, IA to Ames, IA is 24.6 miles and takes about 34 minutes via 220th Street, 230th Street, and University Boulevard, with a fuel budget near $4 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short hop stays within Iowa, taking you from the Midwest plains to another part of the same region. Expect a local driving experience, characterized by frequent turns rather than long stretches of highway. Given its brevity, this trip is ideal for a quick transition or as part of a larger journey through the area, offering a straightforward connection between two points.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 34m. Total distance: 24.6 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

34m 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

This route is a turn-heavy local drive, with a 0% highway share, meaning you'll navigate through smaller roads for the entire 24.6 miles. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 12.8 miles along 220th Street, offering a brief period of steady progress before more turns. As you travel, expect a changing landscape typical of rural Iowa, with the roads guiding you through communities and agricultural areas. The frequent turns are a defining characteristic, requiring your attention and making it feel like a true local exploration rather than a high-speed transit.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 13 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
220th Street is the longest continuous segment at about 12.8 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 near South 1st Street.

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 34m drive. You will face about 6 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 (South 1st Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 1 miles (US 30 / 220th Street): Merge point - match speed before joining.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 6 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

4
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | South 1st Street

Turn left onto South 1st Street

Navigation decision point

6
0.8 mi into trip | ~2m in

Take the exit

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early

3
1 mi into trip | ~2m in | US 30 / 220th Street

Merge onto US 30 / 220th Street

Merge point - match speed before joining

4
21.4 mi into trip | ~26m in

Take the exit toward Iowa State University

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early

Toward Iowa State University
4
24.6 mi into trip | ~33m in | I 35 Business / 13th Street

Turn right onto I 35 Business / 13th Street

Navigation decision point

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

On the drive from Ogden, IA to Ames, IA, road signs begin pointing toward Iowa State University along the way.

Iowa State University

21.4 mi in | ~26m

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
220th Street 12.8 mi 15m
230th Street 7.6 mi 8m
University Boulevard 1.2 mi 2m
Grand Avenue 0.8 mi 2m
South 4th Street 0.7 mi 1m
South 1st Street 0.5 mi 1m
South Grand Avenue 0.3 mi <1m
H Avenue 0.2 mi <1m
Longest stretch: 220th Street — 12.8 mi, about 15m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Ogden, IA and Ames, IA.

1

Start on CR E41

87 ft · 7 sec · East Walnut Street
2

Turn left onto South 1st Street

0.5 mi · 1 min · South 1st Street
3

Continue on US 169

0.2 mi · 27 sec · H Avenue
4

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 37 sec
5

Merge onto US 30

13 mi · 15 min · 220th Street
6

Continue on US 30

7.6 mi · 8 min · 230th Street
7

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 39 sec
Toward Iowa State University
8

Turn left onto University Boulevard

1.2 mi · 2 min · University Boulevard
9

Turn right onto South 4th Street

0.7 mi · 1 min · South 4th Street
10

Turn left onto South Grand Avenue

0.3 mi · 39 sec · South Grand Avenue
11

Continue on I 35 Business; US 69

0.8 mi · 2 min · Grand Avenue
12

Turn right onto I 35 Business

117 ft · 3 sec · 13th Street
13

Arrive at destination

I 35 Business

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$3.85 one way

$7.69 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 9 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $4.22 $8.45
premium $4.89 $4.73 $9.47
diesel $5.61 $5.43 $10.86

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$4

Estimated CO2 emission: 8.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 7.4 0 $2.58 $1.18
Efficient EV 6.2 0 $2.15 $0.98
EV Truck/SUV 9.8 0 $3.44 $1.57

Gas CO2

9 kg

EV CO2

3 kg (67% 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.

Forecast as of Apr 16, 2026

Origin

Ogden, IA

Late night in Ogden on Saturday

Local time

3:30 AM

CDT

Current temp

51°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Ames, IA

Late night in Ames on Saturday

Local time

3:30 AM

CDT

Current temp

70°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

19 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

34m 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 Ogden, IA to Ames, IA covers 24.6 miles and takes about 34m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are 220th Street, 230th Street, University Boulevard. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 12.3 miles from Ogden, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $3.85 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 34m drive. You will face about 6 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

The main spots that need attention: near the start (South 1st Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 1 miles (US 30 / 220th Street): Merge point - match speed before joining.

On the drive from Ogden, IA to Ames, IA, road signs begin pointing toward Iowa State University along the way.

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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