The drive from Waukee, IA to Cedar Falls, IA covers 120.2 miles and takes about 2h 38m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Northeast Hubbell Road, Sanford Avenue, I 80 for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 35.2 miles on Northeast Hubbell Road.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $18.79 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
60.1 miles from Waukee, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 15m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 38m. Total distance: 120.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 38m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a 2h 38m drive with frequent turns across 120.2 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 33 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Northeast Hubbell Road is the longest continuous segment at about 35.2 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 20 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near US 6 / Hickman Road.
Driving Effort6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 120.2 miles you will encounter 20 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: 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; at 17.9 miles (I 80): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 20 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
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
6
17.9 mi into trip|~24m in|I 80
Keep slight left at fork onto I 80
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
8
22.4 mi into trip|~29m in|US 65
Take the exit onto US 65 toward US 6 West, US 65 North, IA 330 North: Marshalltown, Bondurant
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 142
Toward US 6 West, US 65 North, IA 330 North: Ma...
6
119.4 mi into trip|~2h 37m in|Main Street
Enter roundabout onto Main Street
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
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 Cedar Falls, IA, road signs point toward Bondurant and Cr D18: Cedar Falls.
Bondurant
22.4 mi in|~29m|via US 65
Cr D18: Cedar Falls
112.5 mi in|~2h 26m
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Northeast Hubbell Road
35.2 mi
41m
Sanford Avenue
15.9 mi
21m
I 80
15.5 mi
17m
US 20
11.2 mi
12m
240th Street
6.3 mi
9m
Marsh Avenue
5.9 mi
8m
Hickman Road
5.7 mi
9m
University Avenue
5.3 mi
8m
Longest stretch:
Northeast Hubbell Road
— 35.2 mi, about 41m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Waukee, IA and Cedar Falls, 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 eastUse 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 left at fork onto I 80
4.5 mi·5 min·I 80
Use the slight left lane.
9
Take the exit onto US 65
0.5 mi·1 min·US 65
Exit 142Toward US 6 West, US 65 North, IA 330 North: Marshalltown, BondurantUse the slight right lane.
10
Turn left onto US 65; IA 330
1.2 mi·1 min·Northeast Hubbell Avenue
11
Continue on US 65; IA 330
35 mi·41 min·Northeast Hubbell Road
12
Turn left onto IA 330
5.9 mi·8 min·Marsh Avenue
13
Continue on IA 330
1.2 mi·1 min·South Main Street
14
Continue on IA 330
4.3 mi·5 min·160th Street
15
Turn left onto IA 14
16 mi·21 min·Sanford Avenue
16
Turn right onto IA 14; IA 175
6.3 mi·9 min·240th Street
17
Turn left onto M Avenue
1.5 mi·2 min·M Avenue
18
Continue on County Road T37
1.0 mi·1 min·County Road T37
19
Turn sharp right onto 210th Street
1.0 mi·1 min·210th Street
20
Turn left onto IA 14
4.4 mi·6 min·N Avenue
21
Take the ramp
0.5 mi·58 sec
Toward US 20 East: Waterloo
22
Merge onto US 20
11 mi·12 min·US 20
23
Take the exit
0.4 mi·1 min
Toward CR D18: Cedar Falls
24
Turn left onto Grundy Road
1.0 mi·1 min·Grundy Road
25
Continue on University Avenue
3.5 mi·4 min·University Avenue
26
Enter roundabout onto University Avenue
88 ft·1 sec·University Avenue
27
Continue on University Avenue
1.7 mi·3 min·University Avenue
28
Turn left onto Main Street
0.2 mi·20 sec·Main Street
29
Enter roundabout onto Main Street
77 ft·1 sec·Main Street
30
Continue on Main Street
0.8 mi·1 min·Main Street
31
Enter roundabout onto Main Street
74 ft·1 sec·Main Street
32
Continue on Main Street
21 ft·0 sec·Main Street
33
Arrive at destination
Main Street
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 60.1 miles from Waukee, IA, or about 1h 15m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 35.2 miles.
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 26 miles or 34m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 60.1 miles or 1h 15m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 8m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Cedar Falls, IA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Waukee, 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 Waukee, IA
This is one driving day of about 120.2 miles and 2h 38m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 26 miles from Waukee, 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.
The longest stretch is on Northeast Hubbell Road for about 35.2 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 60.1 mi from Waukee, IA
· 1h 15m into the drive
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$18.79 one way
$37.58 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg42 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$20.63
$41.27
premium
$4.89
$23.13
$46.26
diesel
$5.61
$26.54
$53.08
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$19
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$44–$69
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 42.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $13 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
36.1
0
$12.62
$5.77
Efficient EV
30.1
0
$10.52
$4.81
EV Truck/SUV
48.1
0
$16.83
$7.69
Gas CO2
42 kg
EV CO2
14 kg (67% 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.
Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026
Origin
Waukee, IA
Morning
in Waukee on Friday
Local time
6:34 AM
CDT
Current temp
70°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Cedar Falls, IA
Morning
in Cedar Falls on Friday
Local time
6:34 AM
CDT
Current temp
50°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
20 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
2h 38m 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 Waukee, IA to Cedar Falls, IA covers 120.2 miles and takes about 2h 38m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Northeast Hubbell Road, Sanford Avenue, I 80. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 60.1 miles from Waukee, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $18.79 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.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 120.2 miles you will encounter 20 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: 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; at 17.9 miles (I 80): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Between Waukee, IA and Cedar Falls, IA, road signs point toward Bondurant and Cr D18: Cedar Falls.
How this page is built
Compiled and maintained by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy (Helsinki). Each route is built from authoritative open government and mapping datasets rather than crowdsourced reviews. Distances and geometry come from
OSRM
over
OpenStreetMap.
Fuel cost uses
EIA
weekly regional averages.
National park proximity is from the
NPS API.
Pages are published only after passing our data-quality checks; our
methodology page
documents refresh cadence, editorial standards, and known limitations.
