Origin
Red Oak, IA
Afternoon in Red Oak on Saturday
Local time
2:25 PM
CDT
Current temp
76°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Red Oak, IA to West 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
1h 57m
Distance
110.5 mi
178 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$17
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 49m
★
6 AM
1h 58m
8 AM
2h 15m
10 AM
2h 4m
12 PM
2h 2m
3 PM
2h 5m
5 PM
2h 14m
8 PM
1h 53m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Red Oak, IA
Wikimedia Commons
West Des Moines, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Red Oak, IA to West Des Moines, IA covers 110.5 miles and takes about 1h 57m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on North Broadway Street, M Avenue, 550th Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly surface roads. At current regular gas prices, budget about $17.28 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
55.2 miles from Red Oak, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 58m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| North Broadway Street | — | — |
| M Avenue | — | — |
| 550th Street | — | — |
| Adair Street | — | — |
| White Pole Road | — | — |
| Southwest 7th Street | — | — |
| West 7th Street | — | — |
| East 7th Street | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
North Broadway Street
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Red Oak, IA and West Des Moines, IA.
1
Start on East Reed Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
East Reed Street
2
Turn right onto North Broadway Street
14 mi
·
20 min
·
North Broadway Street
3
Continue on M Avenue
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
M Avenue
4
Continue on 550th Street
4.8 mi
·
7 min
·
550th Street
5
Continue on Adair Street
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Adair Street
6
Continue on 550th Street
5.3 mi
·
7 min
·
550th Street
7
Turn right onto White Pole Road
8.9 mi
·
13 min
·
White Pole Road
8
Continue on Southwest 7th Street
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Southwest 7th Street
9
Continue on West 7th Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
West 7th Street
10
Continue on White Pole Road
0.1 mi
·
22 sec
·
White Pole Road
11
Continue on East 7th Street
3.5 mi
·
6 min
·
East 7th Street
12
Turn left onto 650th Street
6.4 mi
·
8 min
·
650th Street
13
Take the exit right
62 mi
·
1 hr 7 min
14
Keep slight left to continue on John MacVicar Freeway
3.3 mi
·
4 min
·
John MacVicar Freeway
15
Take the exit slight right toward Windsor Heights, West Des Moines
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Windsor Heights, West Des Moines
16
Turn right onto 8th Street
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
8th Street
17
Turn left onto Vine Street
469 ft
·
13 sec
·
Vine Street
18
Arrive at your destination
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 55.2 miles from Red Oak, IA, or about 58m into the drive.
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 24 miles or 25m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 55.2 miles or 58m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 36m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near West Des Moines, IA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Red Oak, IA so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Red Oak, IA
This is one driving day of about 110.5 miles and 1h 57m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 24 miles from Red Oak, IA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
55 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 24 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 55.2 miles from Red Oak, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$17.28 one way
$34.55 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
39 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $18.97 | $37.94 |
| premium | $4.89 | $21.26 | $42.53 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $24.40 | $48.79 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$17
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$42–$67
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 38.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $12 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 33.2 | 0 | $11.60 | $5.30 |
| Efficient EV | 27.6 | 0 | $9.67 | $4.42 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 44.2 | 0 | $15.47 | $7.07 |
Gas CO2
39 kg
EV CO2
13 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.
Destination
West Des Moines, IA
Afternoon in West Des Moines on Saturday
Local time
2:25 PM
CDT
Current temp
52°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
24 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 57m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
110.5 mi in 1h 57m across surface roads — expect steady turns and local traffic rather than long highway runs.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Main road: North Broadway Street.
How Hard Is This Drive?
1/10
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 Red Oak, IA to West Des Moines, IA is easy. At 1h 57m 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 Red Oak, IA to West Des Moines, IA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 57m. Total distance: 110.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 57m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Red Oak, IA to West Des Moines, IA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at West Des Moines, IA before heading back.
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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