Origin
Waukee, IA
Afternoon in Waukee on Saturday
Local time
12:58 PM
CDT
Current temp
70°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Waukee, IA to Ames, IA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h
Distance
47.9 mi
77 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 55m
★
6 AM
1h 0m
8 AM
1h 10m
10 AM
1h 3m
12 PM
1h 2m
3 PM
1h 4m
5 PM
1h 9m
8 PM
0h 57m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Waukee, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Ames, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Waukee, IA to Ames, IA is 47.9 miles and takes about 1 hour via I 35 and I 80, with a fuel budget near $7 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a short trip primarily within the Midwest region of Iowa. Expect a highway-focused drive that’s straightforward and efficient for getting from point A to point B. It's ideal for a quick hop between these two Iowa cities without much fuss. Consider this route for a simple, no-frills journey.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 35 | 27.7 mi | 30m |
| I 80 | 11 mi | 12m |
| Hickman Road | 5.7 mi | 9m |
| East 13th Street | 2.7 mi | 5m |
| 6th Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Ashworth Drive | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| 13th Street | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
I 35
— 27.7 mi, about 30m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Waukee, IA and Ames, IA.
1
Start on Ashworth Drive
139 ft
·
7 sec
·
Ashworth Drive
2
Turn right onto CR R22
0.2 mi
·
33 sec
·
6th Street
3
Turn right onto US 6
5.7 mi
·
9 min
·
Hickman Road
Use the left lane.
4
Turn left
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
Toward I-35 north, I-80 east
Use the left lane.
5
Merge onto I 80; I 35
10 mi
·
11 min
·
I 80; I 35
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Continue on I 35; I 80
0.7 mi
·
50 sec
·
I 35; I 80
7
Continue on I 80; I 35
0.6 mi
·
40 sec
·
I 80; I 35
8
Keep slight right at fork onto I 35
27 mi
·
29 min
·
I 35
Toward I 35 North, I 235 South: Minneapolis, Des Moines
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
Toward USDA Veterinary Labs
10
Turn left onto East 13th Street
2.7 mi
·
5 min
·
East 13th Street
11
Arrive at destination
I 35 Business
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
24 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 23.9 miles from Waukee, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 65 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 17.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
CR R22 / 6th Street
Turn right onto CR R22 / 6th Street
Navigation decision point
6
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 6 / Hickman Road
Turn right onto US 6 / Hickman Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
8
5.9 mi into trip
|
~10m in
Turn left toward I-35 north, I-80 east
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the left lane.
Toward I-35 north, I-80 east
5
6.2 mi into trip
|
~10m in
|
I 80; I 35
Merge onto I 80; I 35
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
17.9 mi into trip
|
~24m in
|
I 35
Keep slight right at fork onto I 35 toward I 35 North, I 235 South: Minneapolis, Des Moines
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 35 North, I 235 South: Minneapolis, De...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.49 one way
$14.98 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
17 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $8.22 | $16.44 |
| premium | $4.89 | $9.22 | $18.44 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.58 | $21.15 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 16.8 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 | 14.4 | 0 | $5.03 | $2.30 |
| Efficient EV | 12 | 0 | $4.19 | $1.92 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 19.2 | 0 | $6.71 | $3.07 |
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
Ames, IA
Afternoon in Ames on Saturday
Local time
12:58 PM
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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
1h 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 is predominantly a highway-focused drive, with 81% of the journey on interstates. You'll spend a good portion of your time on I 35, including the longest stretch of 27.7 miles on that highway. The character is largely that of efficient, high-speed travel, connecting you quickly between Waukee and Ames. While the highway dominates, you'll also navigate through segments on Hickman Road, offering a slight change of pace before rejoining the main thoroughfares. Expect a consistent driving experience without many complex turns.
81% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
11 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 27.7 mi on I 35.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 35 and I 80. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near CR R22 / 6th 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 1h drive. You will face about 6 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 (CR R22 / 6th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (US 6 / Hickman Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 5.9 miles: Lane positioning matters here. 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 Waukee, IA and Ames, IA, road signs point toward Des Moines and Usda Veterinary Labs.
Des Moines
17.9 mi in
|
~24m
|
via I 35
Usda Veterinary Labs
44.9 mi in
|
~53m
About the Cities
Arriving in Ames, IA
Full guide →Ames is a pleasant college town in Central Iowa, sitting astride the Skunk River roughly 30 miles north of Des Moines. Life in Ames follows the ebb and flow of the academic year at Iowa State University, which is the city's primary draw.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h. Total distance: 47.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (81%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 27.7 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 (CR R22 / 6th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (US 6 / Hickman Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 5.9 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Ames, 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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