Origin
Stuart, IA
Late night in Stuart on Friday
Local time
2:01 AM
CDT
Current temp
73°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Stuart, IA to Ankeny, IA
Compiled by the Trip.ovh editorial team · Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026 · Methodology
Drive Time
53m
Distance
49.5 mi
80 km
Drive Score
6/10
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 54m
8 AM
1h 2m
10 AM
0h 57m
12 PM
0h 56m
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.
Stuart, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Ankeny, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Stuart, IA to Ankeny, IA covers 49.5 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 I 35, IA 415, Northwest 2nd Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $7.74 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 53m. Total distance: 49.5 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 49.5 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 11 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 35 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 Stuart, IA to Ankeny, 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 Stuart, IA to Ankeny, IA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 35 | — | — |
| IA 415 | — | — |
| Northwest 2nd Street | — | — |
| Southwest State Street | — | — |
| Southwest Ordnance Road | — | — |
| Southwest Walnut Street | — | — |
| Southwest 3rd Street | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
I 35
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Stuart, IA and Ankeny, IA.
1
Start on South Division Street
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
South Division Street
2
Take the ramp left
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
3
Merge slight left
29 mi
·
31 min
4
Keep slight right to continue on I 35, I 80 East: Chicago, Minneapolis, Kansas City
12 mi
·
14 min
·
I 35, I 80 East: Chicago, Minneapolis, Kansas City
5
Take the exit slight right toward IA 415: Polk City
0.4 mi
·
49 sec
·
IA 415: Polk City
6
Turn left onto Northwest 2nd Street
2.8 mi
·
4 min
·
Northwest 2nd Street
7
Continue on Southwest State Street
2.5 mi
·
4 min
·
Southwest State Street
8
Turn right onto Southwest Ordnance Road
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Southwest Ordnance Road
9
Turn left onto Southwest Walnut Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Southwest Walnut Street
10
Turn right onto Southwest 3rd Street
49 ft
·
2 sec
·
Southwest 3rd Street
11
Arrive at your destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 24.8 mi from Stuart, IA · 26m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
25 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 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 24.8 miles from Stuart, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Ankeny, IA
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Ankeny, 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
$7.74 one way
$15.48 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
17 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $8.50 | $16.99 |
| premium | $4.89 | $9.53 | $19.05 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.93 | $21.86 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 17.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.9 | 0 | $5.20 | $2.38 |
| Efficient EV | 12.4 | 0 | $4.33 | $1.98 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 19.8 | 0 | $6.93 | $3.17 |
Gas CO2
17 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (65% 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
Ankeny, IA
Late night in Ankeny on Friday
Local time
2:01 AM
CDT
Current temp
70°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
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
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 Stuart, IA to Ankeny, IA covers 49.5 miles and takes about 53m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 35, IA 415, Northwest 2nd Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 24.8 miles from Stuart, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $7.74 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 Stuart, IA to Ankeny, 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 Stuart, IA to Ankeny, IA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Stuart, IA to Ankeny, IA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Data sources
The figures on this page are computed from open government and mapping datasets, not crowdsourced reviews. Distances and geometry come from OSRM over OpenStreetMap. Fuel cost uses EIA weekly regional averages. Full methodology, refresh cadence, and limitations are documented on the methodology page.
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