Origin
Rock Valley, IA
Afternoon in Rock Valley on Monday
Local time
12:26 PM
CDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Rock Valley, IA to West Des Moines, IA
Drive Time
4h 7m
Distance
239.3 mi
385 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$36
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
3h 55m
★
6 AM
4h 8m
8 AM
4h 34m
10 AM
4h 17m
12 PM
4h 14m
3 PM
4h 18m
5 PM
4h 33m
8 PM
4h 0m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
West Des Moines, IA
Daniel Dorfer
Trip Overview
The drive from Rock Valley, IA to West Des Moines, IA covers 239.3 miles and takes about 4h 7m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on 16th Avenue, Elmwood Avenue, 390th Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $36.35 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
119.6 miles from Rock Valley, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 3m into the drive .
Drive Character
Expect a 4h 7m drive with frequent turns across 239.3 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 28 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
16th Avenue 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. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way.
Route Complexity
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
This is a straightforward 4h 7m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Rock Valley, IA to West Des Moines, IA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| 16th Avenue | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Elmwood Avenue | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| 390th Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Eagle Avenue | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Maple Avenue | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Impala Avenue | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| County Road K30 | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| 110th Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.
Longest stretch:
16th Avenue
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Rock Valley, IA and West Des Moines, IA.
1
Start on 15th Street
30 ft
·
3 sec
·
15th Street
2
Turn right onto 16th Avenue
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
16th Avenue
3
Continue on Elmwood Avenue
7.8 mi
·
11 min
·
Elmwood Avenue
4
Turn right onto 390th Street
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
390th Street
5
Turn left onto Eagle Avenue
7.5 mi
·
10 min
·
Eagle Avenue
6
Continue on Maple Avenue
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Maple Avenue
7
Continue on Eagle Avenue
4.0 mi
·
5 min
·
Eagle Avenue
8
Continue on Impala Avenue
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Impala Avenue
9
Continue on County Road K30
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
·
County Road K30
10
Turn left onto 110th Street
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
110th Street
11
Turn right onto County Road K42
10.0 mi
·
13 min
·
County Road K42
12
At the end of the road, turn left onto County Road C38
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
County Road C38
13
Turn right onto County Road K42
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
County Road K42
14
Continue on 5th Street
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
5th Street
15
Turn left onto Main Street
0.1 mi
·
26 sec
·
Main Street
16
Turn right onto 3rd Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
3rd Street
17
Merge slight left
21 mi
·
25 min
18
Take the exit slight right toward I 29: Sioux City, Council Bluffs
0.3 mi
·
23 sec
·
I 29: Sioux City, Council Bluffs
19
Keep slight left to continue on I 29 South: Council Bluffs, Sioux Gateway Airport
73 mi
·
1 hr 19 min
·
I 29 South: Council Bluffs, Sioux Gateway Airport
20
Take the exit slight right toward I 880 East: Des Moines
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
I 880 East: Des Moines
21
Continue straight
16 mi
·
17 min
22
Keep slight left to continue on I 80 East: Des Moines
0.7 mi
·
44 sec
·
I 80 East: Des Moines
23
Merge slight right
95 mi
·
1 hr 41 min
24
Keep slight left to continue on John MacVicar Freeway
3.3 mi
·
4 min
·
John MacVicar Freeway
25
Take the exit slight right toward Windsor Heights, West Des Moines
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Windsor Heights, West Des Moines
26
Turn right onto 8th Street
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
8th Street
27
Turn left onto Vine Street
469 ft
·
13 sec
·
Vine Street
28
Arrive at your destination
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 119.6 miles from Rock Valley, IA, or about 2h 3m 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 80 miles or 1h 22m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 119.6 miles or 2h 3m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 23m
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 Rock Valley, 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 Rock Valley, IA
This is one driving day of about 239.3 miles and 4h 7m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Rock Valley, 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.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 119.6 mi from Rock Valley, IA · 2h 3m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
120 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 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 119.6 miles from Rock Valley, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in West Des Moines, IA
The final approach into West Des Moines, 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 West Des Moines, IA.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$36.35 one way
$72.69 round trip
$3.86/gal
25.4 MPG avg
84 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.25 | $40.07 | $80.14 |
| premium | $4.80 | $45.17 | $90.35 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $53.16 | $106.33 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$36
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$61–$86
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 83.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $25 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 71.8 | 0 | $25.13 | $11.49 |
| Efficient EV | 59.8 | 0 | $20.94 | $9.57 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 95.7 | 1 | $33.50 | $15.32 |
Gas CO2
84 kg
EV CO2
28 kg (67% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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 Monday
Local time
12:26 PM
CDT
Current temp
43°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
3 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
4h 7m 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 Rock Valley, IA to West Des Moines, IA covers 239.3 miles and takes about 4h 7m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are 16th Avenue, Elmwood Avenue, 390th Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 119.6 miles from Rock Valley, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $36.35 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 straightforward 4h 7m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Rock Valley, IA to West Des Moines, IA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Rock Valley, IA to West Des Moines, IA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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