Origin
Thornton, IA
Evening in Thornton on Friday
Local time
8:15 PM
CDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Thornton, IA to Ventura, IA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
30m
Distance
22.5 mi
36 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 28m
★
6 AM
0h 30m
8 AM
0h 36m
10 AM
0h 32m
12 PM
0h 32m
3 PM
0h 32m
5 PM
0h 35m
8 PM
0h 29m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Thornton, IA
Quang Nguyen Vinh
Ventura, IA
Arturo Añez.
Trip Overview
Thornton to Ventura is 22.5 miles and takes about 30 minutes via I 35 and US 18, with a fuel budget near $4 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within Iowa's Midwest region, offering a straightforward drive. It's perfect for a quick hop between two points without much fuss. You'll spend most of your time on major highways, making it an efficient journey. Consider this route if you need to get from point A to point B quickly and don't require extensive sightseeing.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 30m. Total distance: 22.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
30m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (81%). Straightforward navigation.
Drive Character
This drive is predominantly highway-focused, with 81% of the route utilizing major roads like I 35 and US 18. You'll experience a consistent pace for much of the 30-minute journey. The longest continuous stretch without a significant change in road type is 12.7 miles on I 35. While it's a highway-centric experience, the transition to roads like 125th Street near your destination will offer a slight change of scenery. Expect a functional and direct driving experience for the majority of this trip.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 13 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 35 is the longest continuous segment at about 12.7 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 35 and US 18. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Larch 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 30m drive. You will face about 10 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 (Larch Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (1st Street South): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.3 miles (Ash Street East): Navigation decision point.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 10 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Larch Street
Turn left onto Larch Street
Navigation decision point
6
0.3 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
1st Street South
At end of road, turn right onto 1st Street South
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
5
0.3 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Ash Street East
Turn left onto Ash Street East
Navigation decision point
4
1.9 mi into trip
|
~4m in
Take the ramp
Navigation decision point
5
15 mi into trip
|
~19m 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...
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Thornton, IA and Ventura, IA, road signs point toward Cr B35: Clear Lake and Mason City.
Cr B35: Clear Lake
15 mi in
|
~19m
|
via I 35 Business
Mason City
15 mi in
|
~19m
|
via I 35 Business
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 35 | 12.7 mi | 13m |
| US 18 | 5.1 mi | 7m |
| 125th Street | 1.5 mi | 3m |
| 4th Avenue South | 1.2 mi | 1m |
| South 8th Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| I 35 Business | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Larch Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| North Main Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 35
— 12.7 mi, about 13m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Thornton, IA and Ventura, IA.
1
Start on 5th Street North
90 ft
·
9 sec
·
5th Street North
2
Turn left onto Larch Street
0.3 mi
·
29 sec
·
Larch Street
3
At end of road, turn right onto 1st Street South
227 ft
·
11 sec
·
1st Street South
4
Turn left onto Ash Street East
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
·
Ash Street East
5
Continue on CR B65
1.5 mi
·
3 min
·
125th Street
6
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
7
Merge onto I 35
13 mi
·
13 min
·
I 35
8
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
9
Turn left onto I 35 Business
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
4th Avenue South
10
Turn right onto I 35 Business
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
South 8th Street
11
Turn left onto US 18
5.1 mi
·
7 min
·
US 18
12
Turn left onto CR S14
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
North Main Street
13
Arrive at destination
South Main Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.52 one way
$7.04 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $3.86 | $7.72 |
| premium | $4.89 | $4.33 | $8.66 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.97 | $9.94 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 7.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6.8 | 0 | $2.36 | $1.08 |
| Efficient EV | 5.6 | 0 | $1.97 | $0.90 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 9 | 0 | $3.15 | $1.44 |
Gas CO2
8 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (63% 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
Ventura, IA
Evening in Ventura on Friday
Local time
8:15 PM
CDT
Current temp
71°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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
30m 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 Thornton, IA to Ventura, IA covers 22.5 miles and takes about 30m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 35, US 18, 125th Street. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 11.2 miles from Thornton, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $3.52 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.
This is a straightforward 30m drive. You will face about 10 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Larch Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (1st Street South): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.3 miles (Ash Street East): Navigation decision point.
Between Thornton, IA and Ventura, IA, road signs point toward Cr B35: Clear Lake and Mason City.
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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