Origin
Washington, IA
Morning in Washington on Saturday
Local time
7:23 AM
CDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Washington, IA to Mason City, IA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
47m
Distance
32.3 mi
52 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 44m
★
6 AM
0h 48m
8 AM
0h 55m
10 AM
0h 50m
12 PM
0h 50m
3 PM
0h 51m
5 PM
0h 55m
8 PM
0h 45m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Washington, IA
Paula Nardini
Mason City, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 32.2-mile drive from Washington, IA to Mason City, IA is a quick trip, taking about 41 minutes. It's entirely within the Midwest and the state of Iowa, making it an easy day trip. With a fuel cost estimated at $5, it's a budget-friendly option for a short journey. The route primarily uses local roads like Highway 3 and Olive Avenue, suggesting a more intimate, turn-heavy local drive rather than a high-speed highway experience. Given its short distance, it's best suited for a single day of travel without needing an overnight stay.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 47m. Total distance: 32.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
47m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (8%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a turn-heavy local drive on this route, covering 32.2 miles with a 0% highway share. The 41-minute duration means you'll be navigating through towns and local roadways for the entire trip. While there isn't a 'longest stretch' noted, the local road nature implies frequent turns and changes in speed limits. This drive is about experiencing the local Iowa landscape directly, without the monotony of interstate travel. You'll be engaging with the road more actively as you transition between Highway 3 and Olive Avenue, and then 12th Avenue Northwest.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 12 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Partridge Avenue is the longest continuous segment at about 14.6 miles.
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. The trickiest moment comes around 2.6 miles in near Olive Avenue.
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 47m drive. You will face about 8 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2.6 miles (Olive Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 4.3 miles (US 65 / 4th Street Northeast): Navigation decision point; at 31.3 miles (8th Street Southeast): Navigation decision point.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 8 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
2.6 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
Olive Avenue
Turn left onto Olive Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
4.3 mi into trip
|
~6m in
|
US 65 / 4th Street Northeast
At end of road, turn left onto US 65 / 4th Street Northeast
Navigation decision point
4
31.3 mi into trip
|
~45m in
|
8th Street Southeast
Turn right onto 8th Street Southeast
Navigation decision point
5
32.3 mi into trip
|
~47m in
|
North Federal Avenue
Turn right onto North Federal Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
32.3 mi into trip
|
~47m in
|
2nd Street Northeast
Turn right onto 2nd Street Northeast
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Partridge Avenue | 14.6 mi | 19m |
| 4th Street Northeast | 10.7 mi | 14m |
| State Highway 3 | 2.6 mi | 3m |
| South Federal Avenue | 1.7 mi | 3m |
| 12th Avenue Northwest | 1 mi | 1m |
| Olive Avenue | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| South Pennsylvania Avenue | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| 1st Street Northeast | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Partridge Avenue
— 14.6 mi, about 19m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Washington, IA and Mason City, IA.
1
Start on IA 3
2.6 mi
·
3 min
·
State Highway 3
2
Turn left onto Olive Avenue
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Olive Avenue
3
Turn right onto 12th Avenue Northwest
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
12th Avenue Northwest
4
At end of road, turn left onto US 65
11 mi
·
14 min
·
4th Street Northeast
5
Continue on US 65
15 mi
·
19 min
·
Partridge Avenue
6
Continue on US 18 Business; US 65
1.7 mi
·
3 min
·
South Federal Avenue
7
Turn right onto 8th Street Southeast
0.1 mi
·
24 sec
·
8th Street Southeast
8
Turn left onto South Pennsylvania Avenue
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
South Pennsylvania Avenue
9
Turn left onto 1st Street Northeast
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
·
1st Street Northeast
10
Turn right onto North Federal Avenue
328 ft
·
16 sec
·
North Federal Avenue
11
Turn right onto 2nd Street Northeast
24 ft
·
1 sec
·
2nd Street Northeast
12
Arrive at destination
2nd Street Northeast
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 16.2 mi from Washington, IA · 23m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
16 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 32 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 16.2 miles from Washington, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Mason City, IA
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Mason City, 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
$5.05 one way
$10.10 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $5.54 | $11.09 |
| premium | $4.89 | $6.22 | $12.43 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.13 | $14.26 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.7 | 0 | $3.39 | $1.55 |
| Efficient EV | 8.1 | 0 | $2.83 | $1.29 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.9 | 0 | $4.52 | $2.07 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (64% 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
Mason City, IA
Morning in Mason City on Saturday
Local time
7:23 AM
CDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
48°F
Sheffield, IA
16 mi in
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 warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
47m 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 Washington, IA to Mason City, IA covers 32.3 miles and takes about 47m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Partridge Avenue, 4th Street Northeast, State Highway 3. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 16.2 miles from Washington, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $5.05 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 47m drive. You will face about 8 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 2.6 miles (Olive Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 4.3 miles (US 65 / 4th Street Northeast): Navigation decision point; at 31.3 miles (8th Street Southeast): Navigation decision point.
The route from Washington, IA to Mason City, IA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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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