Origin
Urbandale, IA
Morning in Urbandale on Monday
Local time
8:56 AM
CDT
Current temp
44°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Urbandale, IA to Rock Valley, IA
Drive Time
4h 52m
Distance
250.7 mi
403 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$38
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
4h 39m
★
6 AM
4h 52m
8 AM
5h 19m
10 AM
5h 2m
12 PM
4h 59m
3 PM
5h 3m
5 PM
5h 18m
8 PM
4h 44m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Urbandale, IA
ZaetaFlow Sec
Trip Overview
The drive from Urbandale, IA to Rock Valley, IA covers 250.7 miles and takes about 4h 52m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on 70th Street, Roseland Drive, 72nd Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $38.08 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
125.3 miles from Urbandale, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 26m into the drive .
Drive Character
Expect a 4h 52m drive with frequent turns across 250.7 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 31 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
70th 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
This is a straightforward 4h 52m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Urbandale, IA to Rock Valley, IA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| 70th Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Roseland Drive | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| 72nd Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| 73rd Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| I-235 west | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| John MacVicar Freeway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| I 880 West | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| I 29 North | Unavailable | Refreshing |
Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.
Longest stretch:
70th Street
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Urbandale, IA and Rock Valley, IA.
1
Start on Maryland Drive
13 ft
·
6 sec
·
Maryland Drive
2
Turn left onto 70th Street
348 ft
·
10 sec
·
70th Street
3
Turn right onto Roseland Drive
0.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Roseland Drive
4
Turn left onto 72nd Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
72nd Street
5
Turn straight onto 73rd Street
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
73rd Street
6
Take the ramp slight right toward I-235 west
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
·
I-235 west
7
Merge slight left onto John MacVicar Freeway
3.3 mi
·
4 min
·
John MacVicar Freeway
8
Merge slight right
95 mi
·
1 hr 41 min
9
Keep slight right to continue on I 880 West: North Omaha, Sioux City
17 mi
·
17 min
·
I 880 West: North Omaha, Sioux City
10
Keep slight right to continue on I 29 North: Sioux City
0.4 mi
·
39 sec
·
I 29 North: Sioux City
11
Merge slight left
72 mi
·
1 hr 17 min
12
Take the exit slight right toward US 20 East, US 75 North: Fort Dodge, Le Mars
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
US 20 East, US 75 North: Fort Dodge, Le Mars
13
Merge slight left
21 mi
·
25 min
14
Turn slight left
0.3 mi
·
49 sec
15
Continue on 3rd Street
0.2 mi
·
45 sec
·
3rd Street
16
Turn left onto Main Street
0.1 mi
·
26 sec
·
Main Street
17
Turn right onto 5th Street
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
5th Street
18
Continue on County Road K42
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
County Road K42
19
At the end of the road, turn left onto County Road C38
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
County Road C38
20
Turn right onto County Road K42
10.0 mi
·
13 min
·
County Road K42
21
Turn left onto 110th Street
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
110th Street
22
Turn right onto County Road K30
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
·
County Road K30
23
Continue on Impala Avenue
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Impala Avenue
24
Continue on Eagle Avenue
4.0 mi
·
5 min
·
Eagle Avenue
25
Continue on Maple Avenue
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Maple Avenue
26
Continue on Eagle Avenue
7.5 mi
·
10 min
·
Eagle Avenue
27
Turn right onto 390th Street
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
390th Street
28
Turn left onto Elmwood Avenue
7.8 mi
·
10 min
·
Elmwood Avenue
29
Continue on 16th Avenue
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
16th Avenue
30
Turn left onto 15th Street
30 ft
·
1 sec
·
15th Street
31
Arrive at your destination
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 125.3 miles from Urbandale, IA, or about 2h 26m 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 33m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 125.3 miles or 2h 26m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 59m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Rock Valley, IA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Urbandale, 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 Urbandale, IA
This is one driving day of about 250.7 miles and 4h 52m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Urbandale, 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 125.3 mi from Urbandale, IA · 2h 26m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
125 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 125.3 miles from Urbandale, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Rock Valley, IA
The final approach into Rock Valley, 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 Rock Valley, 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
$38.08 one way
$76.16 round trip
$3.86/gal
25.4 MPG avg
88 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.25 | $41.98 | $83.95 |
| premium | $4.80 | $47.33 | $94.65 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $55.70 | $111.39 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$38
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$63–$88
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 87.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $26 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 75.2 | 0 | $26.32 | $12.03 |
| Efficient EV | 62.7 | 0 | $21.94 | $10.03 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 100.3 | 1 | $35.10 | $16.04 |
Gas CO2
88 kg
EV CO2
29 kg (67% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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
Rock Valley, IA
Morning in Rock Valley on Monday
Local time
8:56 AM
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
2 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
4h 52m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Urbandale, IA to Rock Valley, IA covers 250.7 miles and takes about 4h 52m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are 70th Street, Roseland Drive, 72nd Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 125.3 miles from Urbandale, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $38.08 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
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.
This is a straightforward 4h 52m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Urbandale, IA to Rock Valley, IA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Urbandale, IA to Rock Valley, IA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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