Origin
Swaledale, IA
Afternoon in Swaledale on Saturday
Local time
1:24 PM
CDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Swaledale, IA to Clear Lake, IA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
17m
Distance
13.7 mi
22 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Sparse
1 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 16m
★
6 AM
0h 18m
8 AM
0h 21m
10 AM
0h 19m
12 PM
0h 19m
3 PM
0h 19m
5 PM
0h 21m
8 PM
0h 17m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Swaledale, IA
CB22 Airport Cars
Clear Lake, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Swaledale to Clear Lake is 13.7 miles and takes about 17 minutes via I 35, with a fuel budget near $2 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a quick, highway-focused hop within the Midwest, specifically traversing Iowa. You'll mainly be on I 35 for this short journey. Given its brevity, this route is ideal for a quick transfer between locations or as a segment of a larger trip. Plan for minimal time on the road, making it easy to fit into any schedule.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 35 | 10.1 mi | 10m |
| 4th Avenue South | 1.2 mi | 1m |
| 150th Street | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| South 8th Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| I 35 Business | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Arthur Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| 3rd Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Main Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 35
— 10.1 mi, about 10m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Swaledale, IA and Clear Lake, IA.
1
Start on Main Street
208 ft
·
11 sec
·
Main Street
2
Turn right onto 3rd Street
0.1 mi
·
31 sec
·
3rd Street
3
At end of road, turn left onto Arthur Street
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
·
Arthur Street
4
Continue on CR B60
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
150th Street
5
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
6
Merge onto I 35
10 mi
·
10 min
·
I 35
7
Take the exit onto I 35 Business
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
·
I 35 Business
Toward I 35 Business, CR B35: Clear Lake, Mason City
8
Turn left onto I 35 Business
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
4th Avenue South
9
Turn right onto I 35 Business
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
·
South 8th Street
10
Turn left onto 1st Avenue North
186 ft
·
13 sec
·
1st Avenue North
11
Turn left onto North 6th Street
79 ft
·
3 sec
·
North 6th Street
12
Arrive at destination
North 6th Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 95 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 13.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
3rd Street
Turn right onto 3rd Street
Navigation decision point
6
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Arthur Street
At end of road, turn left onto Arthur Street
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
5
11.8 mi into trip
|
~14m in
|
I 35 Business
Take the exit onto I 35 Business toward I 35 Business, CR B35: Clear Lake, Mason City
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 35 Business, CR B35: Clear Lake, Mason...
4
12.1 mi into trip
|
~15m in
|
I 35 Business / 4th Avenue South
Turn left onto I 35 Business / 4th Avenue South
Navigation decision point
5
13.7 mi into trip
|
~17m in
|
North 6th Street
Turn left onto North 6th Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.14 one way
$4.28 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
5 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $2.35 | $4.70 |
| premium | $4.89 | $2.64 | $5.27 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.02 | $6.05 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 4.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 4.1 | 0 | $1.44 | $0.66 |
| Efficient EV | 3.4 | 0 | $1.20 | $0.55 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 5.5 | 0 | $1.92 | $0.88 |
Gas CO2
5 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (60% 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
Clear Lake, IA
Afternoon in Clear Lake on Saturday
Local time
1:24 PM
CDT
Current temp
48°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
23 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
17m 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?
This route offers a straightforward, highway-focused drive, with 75% of the journey utilizing major highways like I 35. You'll experience a consistent pace for the majority of the trip, including a stretch of 10.1 miles on I 35 without interruption. The road is primarily characterized by its efficient, high-speed nature, making for a predictable and swift transit between Swaledale and Clear Lake. Expect minimal changes in road type, ensuring a smooth and direct experience.
75% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 10.1 mi on I 35.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 35 and 4th Avenue South. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near 3rd Street.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 17m drive. You will face about 9 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (3rd Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (Arthur Street): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 11.8 miles (I 35 Business): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Swaledale, IA and Clear Lake, IA, road signs point toward Cr B35: Clear Lake and Mason City.
Cr B35: Clear Lake
11.8 mi in
|
~14m
|
via I 35 Business
Mason City
11.8 mi in
|
~14m
|
via I 35 Business
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 17m. Total distance: 13.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
17m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (75%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 10.1 miles on I 35. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (3rd Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (Arthur Street): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 11.8 miles (I 35 Business): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Clear Lake, 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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