Sioux City to Bellevue is 321.3 miles and takes about 6h 28m via US 20 and Highway 20, with a fuel budget near $50 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Iowa, traversing the Midwest region. Expect a mixed drive that offers a good balance of highway speeds and more local road experiences. It's a straightforward, single-day journey that doesn't require overnighting, making it ideal for a quick getaway or a direct trip.
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
160.7 miles from Sioux City, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 3h 13m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 6h 28m. Total distance: 321.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
This route features a 38% highway share, meaning you'll experience a blend of faster travel and slower, more local roads. The longest uninterrupted stretch is a significant 165.9 miles on 220nd Street, so be prepared for extended periods of driving before needing to navigate through towns or change roads. The drive generally offers a mixed profile, transitioning from what might feel like more open highway to sections that require more attention as you pass through various parts of the state.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 23 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 165.9 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near 9th Street.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The route itself is not hard, but at 6h 28m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 12 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (9th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (Court Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (7th Street): Navigation decision point.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 12 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0 mi into trip|~0m in|9th Street
Turn left onto 9th Street
Navigation decision point
5
0.2 mi into trip|~1m in|Court Street
Turn right onto Court Street
Navigation decision point
4
0.4 mi into trip|~1m in|7th Street
Turn left onto 7th Street
Navigation decision point
4
0.4 mi into trip|~1m in|Iowa Street
Turn right onto Iowa Street
Navigation decision point
5
294.6 mi into trip|~5h 48m in|US 52
Take the exit onto US 52 toward US 52 South: Asbury, Bellevue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 52 South: Asbury, Bellevue
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
220th Street
165.9 mi
3h 11m
US 20
75.6 mi
1h 27m
Highway 20
39.4 mi
47m
Great River Road
13.5 mi
18m
United States Highway 20
8.3 mi
10m
Southwest Arterial
5.2 mi
7m
Gordon Drive
3.4 mi
6m
North Riverview Street
2.5 mi
4m
Longest stretch:
220th Street
— 165.9 mi, about 3h 11m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Sioux City, IA and Bellevue, IA.
1
Start on this road
115 ft·13 sec·this road
2
Turn left onto 9th Street
0.2 mi·45 sec·9th Street
3
Turn right onto Court Street
0.1 mi·26 sec·Court Street
4
Turn left onto 7th Street
399 ft·19 sec·7th Street
5
Turn right onto Iowa Street
423 ft·23 sec·Iowa Street
6
Turn left onto 6th Street
0.8 mi·1 min·6th Street
7
Continue on Fairmount Street
0.6 mi·1 min·Fairmount Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
8
Turn left onto US 20 Business
3.4 mi·6 min·Gordon Drive
Use the left lane.
9
Continue on US 20
39 mi·47 min·Highway 20
Use the right lane.
10
Continue on US 20
8.3 mi·10 min·United States Highway 20
11
Continue on US 20
166 mi·3 hr 11 min·220th Street
12
Keep slight left at fork onto US 20
76 mi·1 hr 27 min·US 20
13
Take the exit onto US 52
0.3 mi·42 sec·US 52
Toward US 52 South: Asbury, Bellevue
14
Enter roundabout onto US 52
106 ft·6 sec·Southwest Arterial
15
Continue on US 52
5.2 mi·7 min·Southwest Arterial
16
Continue on O'Rourke Lane
0.4 mi·46 sec·O'Rourke Lane
Use the straight / right lanes.
17
Turn right onto Olde Davenport Road
2.3 mi·4 min·Olde Davenport Road
18
Turn left onto Schueller Heights Road
2.0 mi·3 min·Schueller Heights Road
19
At end of road, turn right onto US 52
5.9 mi·8 min·Great River Road
20
Continue on US 52
0.5 mi·54 sec·Main Street
21
Continue on US 52
7.6 mi·10 min·Great River Road
22
Continue on US 52
2.5 mi·4 min·North Riverview Street
23
Arrive at destination
US 52
Trip Plan
Given the 6h 28m duration, starting your drive in the morning will allow ample time to reach Bellevue comfortably. With only one recommended stop and a fuel cost around $50, this is a manageable one-day trip. Plan your longest stretch on 220th Street, covering 165.9 miles, to coincide with when you feel most alert. Keep an eye on your fuel levels, as the drive is mostly within the Midwest and Iowa, where services can sometimes be spread out between towns.
Morning Departure
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Evening Departure
This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 160.7 miles from Sioux City, IA, or about 3h 13m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 165.9 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 71 miles or 1h 29m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 160.7 miles or 3h 13m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 5h 12m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Bellevue, IA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Sioux City, 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 Sioux City, IA
This is one driving day of about 321.3 miles and 6h 28m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 71 miles from Sioux City, 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 220th Street for about 165.9 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 160.7 mi from Sioux City, IA
· 3h 13m into the drive
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $34 in charging
· 1 stop
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
96.4
1
$33.74
$15.42
Efficient EV
80.3
0
$28.11
$12.85
EV Truck/SUV
128.5
1
$44.98
$20.56
Gas CO2
112 kg
EV CO2
38 kg (66% 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 15, 2026
Origin
Sioux City, IA
Afternoon
in Sioux City on Saturday
Local time
12:09 PM
CDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Bellevue, IA
Afternoon
in Bellevue on Saturday
Local time
12:09 PM
CDT
Current temp
49°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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
6h 28m on the road
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Sioux City, IA to Bellevue, IA covers 321.3 miles and takes about 6h 28m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are 220th Street, US 20, Highway 20. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 160.7 miles from Sioux City, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $50.23 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour. This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
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.
The route itself is not hard, but at 6h 28m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 12 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (9th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (Court Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (7th Street): Navigation decision point.
The route from Sioux City, IA to Bellevue, 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, EIA for fuel prices, NREL for EV charging, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
