Origin
Ogden, IA
Late night in Ogden on Saturday
Local time
12:23 AM
CDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Ogden, IA to Des Moines, IA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
53m
Distance
54.3 mi
87 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 49m
★
6 AM
0h 53m
8 AM
1h 2m
10 AM
0h 56m
12 PM
0h 55m
3 PM
0h 57m
5 PM
1h 2m
8 PM
0h 51m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Ogden, IA
Quang Nguyen Vinh
Des Moines, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Ogden, IA to Des Moines, IA covers 54.3 miles and takes about 53m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on South 1st Street, H Avenue, 220th Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $8.49 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 53m. Total distance: 54.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
53m 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 53m drive with frequent turns across 54.3 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 14 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
South 1st Street 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 Ogden, IA to Des Moines, IA is easy. At 53m 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 Ogden, IA to Des Moines, IA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| South 1st Street | — | — |
| H Avenue | — | — |
| 220th Street | — | — |
| 230th Street | — | — |
| I 35 | — | — |
| I 235 West | — | — |
| John MacVicar Freeway | — | — |
| East 6th Street | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
South 1st Street
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Ogden, IA and Des Moines, IA.
1
Start on East Walnut Street
85 ft
·
8 sec
·
East Walnut Street
2
Turn left onto South 1st Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
South 1st Street
3
Continue on H Avenue
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
·
H Avenue
4
Take the exit right
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
5
Merge slight left onto 220th Street
13 mi
·
15 min
·
220th Street
6
Continue on 230th Street
11 mi
·
12 min
·
230th Street
7
Take the exit slight right toward I 35 Business South, I 35 South: Des Moines
24 mi
·
27 min
·
I 35 Business South, I 35 South: Des Moines
8
Keep slight left to continue on I 235 West: Des Moines
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
I 235 West: Des Moines
9
Continue on John MacVicar Freeway
4.0 mi
·
5 min
·
John MacVicar Freeway
10
Take the exit slight right toward East 6th Street, Pennsylvania Avenue, East Village
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
·
East 6th Street, Pennsylvania Avenue, East Village
11
Keep slight right to continue on East Village, East 6th Street, Penn Avenue
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
·
East Village, East 6th Street, Penn Avenue
12
Turn right onto Pennsylvania Avenue
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
·
Pennsylvania Avenue
13
Turn left onto East University Avenue
98 ft
·
9 sec
·
East University Avenue
14
Arrive at your destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 27.2 mi from Ogden, IA · 26m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
27 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
Arriving in Des Moines, IA
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Des Moines, IA if you are unfamiliar with the area.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.49 one way
$16.98 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $9.32 | $18.64 |
| premium | $4.89 | $10.45 | $20.90 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.99 | $23.98 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 19 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16.3 | 0 | $5.70 | $2.61 |
| Efficient EV | 13.6 | 0 | $4.75 | $2.17 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 21.7 | 0 | $7.60 | $3.48 |
Gas CO2
19 kg
EV CO2
6 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
Des Moines, IA
Late night in Des Moines on Saturday
Local time
12:23 AM
CDT
Current temp
52°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
1 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
53m 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 Des Moines, IA covers 54.3 miles and takes about 53m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are South 1st Street, H Avenue, 220th Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 27.2 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 $8.49 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 Ogden, IA to Des Moines, IA is easy. At 53m 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 Ogden, IA to Des Moines, IA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Ogden, IA to Des Moines, 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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