Origin
Sioux City, IA
Afternoon in Sioux City on Monday
Local time
1:04 PM
CDT
Current temp
41°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Sioux City, IA to Decorah, IA
Drive Time
6h 1m
Distance
288.4 mi
464 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$44
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
5h 48m
★
6 AM
6h 1m
8 AM
6h 27m
10 AM
6h 10m
12 PM
6h 8m
3 PM
6h 11m
5 PM
6h 26m
8 PM
5h 53m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Sioux City, IA
Castorly Stock
Decorah, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Sioux City, IA to Decorah, IA covers 288.4 miles and takes about 6h 1m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on 9th Street, Court Street, 7th Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $43.81 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
144.2 miles from Sioux City, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 3h into the drive .
Drive Character
Expect a 6h 1m drive with frequent turns across 288.4 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 44 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
9th 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. 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
The route itself is not hard, but at 6h 1m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 0 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Sioux City, IA to Decorah, IA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| 9th Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Court Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| 7th Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Iowa Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| 6th Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Fairmount Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Gordon Drive | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Highway 20 | Unavailable | Refreshing |
Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.
Longest stretch:
9th Street
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Sioux City, IA and Decorah, IA.
1
Start on the route
115 ft
·
14 sec
·
the route
2
Turn left onto 9th Street
0.2 mi
·
46 sec
·
9th Street
3
Turn right onto Court Street
0.1 mi
·
27 sec
·
Court Street
4
Turn left onto 7th Street
400 ft
·
19 sec
·
7th Street
5
Turn right onto Iowa Street
423 ft
·
24 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
8
Turn left onto Gordon Drive
3.4 mi
·
6 min
·
Gordon Drive
9
Continue on Highway 20
39 mi
·
47 min
·
Highway 20
10
Continue on United States Highway 20
8.3 mi
·
10 min
·
United States Highway 20
11
Continue on 220th Street
94 mi
·
1 hr 48 min
·
220th Street
12
Take the exit slight right toward I 35 North: Mason City
0.3 mi
·
56 sec
·
I 35 North: Mason City
13
Merge slight left
47 mi
·
50 min
14
Take the exit slight right toward US 18 East, IA 27 South: Mason City, Charles City
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
US 18 East, IA 27 South: Mason City, Charles City
15
Merge slight left
33 mi
·
38 min
16
Take the exit slight right toward US 218 Business, CR B35: Charles City
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
·
US 218 Business, CR B35: Charles City
17
Turn left onto 185th Street
0.3 mi
·
24 sec
·
185th Street
18
Turn straight onto Gilbert Street
2.5 mi
·
4 min
·
Gilbert Street
19
Turn left onto Main Street
0.2 mi
·
39 sec
·
Main Street
20
Turn right onto Clark Street
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
·
Clark Street
21
Turn left onto Brantingham Street
0.1 mi
·
24 sec
·
Brantingham Street
22
Continue on 4th Avenue
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
4th Avenue
23
Continue on 5th Avenue
0.3 mi
·
50 sec
·
5th Avenue
24
Continue on 200th Avenue
5.0 mi
·
6 min
·
200th Avenue
25
Continue on 200th Street
11 mi
·
15 min
·
200th Street
26
Turn right onto Kenwood Avenue
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Kenwood Avenue
27
At the end of the road, turn left onto 210th Street
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
·
210th Street
28
Continue on West Main Street
1.7 mi
·
4 min
·
West Main Street
29
Continue on State Highway 24
20 mi
·
28 min
·
State Highway 24
30
Continue on 1st Street Southeast
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
·
1st Street Southeast
31
Continue on State Highway 24
2.7 mi
·
3 min
·
State Highway 24
32
Continue on Highway 24
0.6 mi
·
50 sec
·
Highway 24
33
Continue on State Highway 24
0.6 mi
·
52 sec
·
State Highway 24
34
Continue on Charles Street
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
·
Charles Street
35
Turn right onto South Street
0.2 mi
·
51 sec
·
South Street
36
Turn left onto Maryville Street
1.8 mi
·
3 min
·
Maryville Street
37
Continue straight
7.8 mi
·
10 min
38
Turn right onto State Highway 9
0.4 mi
·
39 sec
·
State Highway 9
39
Turn left onto Short Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Short Street
40
Continue on South Mechanic Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
South Mechanic Street
41
Turn right onto West Broadway Street
0.3 mi
·
32 sec
·
West Broadway Street
42
Turn left onto Washington Street
341 ft
·
17 sec
·
Washington Street
43
Turn right onto East Main Street
59 ft
·
3 sec
·
East Main Street
44
Arrive at your destination
Trip Plan
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 144.2 miles from Sioux City, IA, or about 3h 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 40m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 144.2 miles or 3h in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 56m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Decorah, 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 288.4 miles and 6h 1m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 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.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 144.2 mi from Sioux City, IA · 3h into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
144 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 144.2 miles from Sioux City, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Decorah, IA
The final approach into Decorah, 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 Decorah, 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
$43.81 one way
$87.61 round trip
$3.86/gal
25.4 MPG avg
101 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.25 | $48.29 | $96.58 |
| premium | $4.80 | $54.44 | $108.89 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $64.07 | $128.14 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$44
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$69–$94
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 100.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $30 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 86.5 | 1 | $30.28 | $13.84 |
| Efficient EV | 72.1 | 0 | $25.23 | $11.54 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 115.4 | 1 | $40.38 | $18.46 |
Gas CO2
101 kg
EV CO2
34 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.
Destination
Decorah, IA
Afternoon in Decorah on Monday
Local time
1:04 PM
CDT
Current temp
46°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
5 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
6h 1m 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 Decorah, IA covers 288.4 miles and takes about 6h 1m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are 9th Street, Court Street, 7th Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 144.2 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 $43.81 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 1m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 0 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Sioux City, IA to Decorah, IA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Sioux City, IA to Decorah, IA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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