Origin
Waukee, IA
Morning in Waukee on Saturday
Local time
8:42 AM
CDT
Current temp
70°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Waukee, IA to Norwalk, IA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
29m
Distance
19.9 mi
32 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 27m
★
6 AM
0h 29m
8 AM
0h 34m
10 AM
0h 31m
12 PM
0h 31m
3 PM
0h 31m
5 PM
0h 34m
8 PM
0h 28m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Waukee, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Norwalk, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Waukee, IA to Norwalk, IA covers 19.9 miles and takes about 29m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Hickman Road, I 35, Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 5.6 miles on Hickman Road. At current regular gas prices, budget about $3.11 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 29m. Total distance: 19.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
29m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (40%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
The drive from Waukee, IA to Norwalk, IA covers 19.9 miles and takes about 29m, using a mix of highways and local roads.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 12 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Hickman Road is the longest continuous segment at about 5.6 miles.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
1,036 ft
831 ft
Total Climb
346 ft
Total Descent
427 ft
Highest Point
1,036 ft
~1.4 mi in
Elevation Range
205 ft
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near US 6 / Hickman Road.
Driving Effort
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 9 decision points packed into just 19.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 29m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (US 6 / Hickman Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 5.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 7 miles (I 35): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 9 key pointsThese 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
5.8 mi into trip
|
~9m in
Take the exit toward I-35 south, I-80 west
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Toward I-35 south, I-80 west
6
7 mi into trip
|
~11m in
|
I 35
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
11.6 mi into trip
|
~16m in
Take the exit toward IA 5: Des Moines International Airport, West Des Moines, Norwalk
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 68
Toward IA 5: Des Moines International Airport,...
8
16.6 mi into trip
|
~23m in
Take the exit toward IA 28: Norwalk, Martensdale
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 99
Toward IA 28: Norwalk, Martensdale
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 Norwalk, IA, road signs point toward Des Moines and Martensdale.
Des Moines
11.6 mi in
|
~16m
Martensdale
16.6 mi in
|
~23m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Hickman Road | 5.6 mi | 9m |
| I 35 | 4.6 mi | 5m |
| Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway | 4.3 mi | 4m |
| IA 28 | 2.5 mi | 4m |
| I 80 | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Main Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| 6th Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Ashworth Drive | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Hickman Road
— 5.6 mi, about 9m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Waukee, IA and Norwalk, 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
5.6 mi
·
9 min
·
Hickman Road
Use the left lane.
4
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
Toward I-35 south, I-80 west
Use the right lane.
5
Merge onto I 80; I 35
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
I 80; I 35
6
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35
4.6 mi
·
5 min
·
I 35
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.8 mi
·
1 min
Exit 68
Toward IA 5: Des Moines International Airport, West Des Moines, Norwalk
Use the slight right lane.
8
Continue on IA 5
4.3 mi
·
4 min
·
Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway
9
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Exit 99
Toward IA 28: Norwalk, Martensdale
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Turn right onto IA 28
2.5 mi
·
4 min
·
IA 28
11
Turn left onto Main Street
0.2 mi
·
54 sec
·
Main Street
12
Arrive at destination
Main Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.11 one way
$6.22 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
7 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $3.42 | $6.83 |
| premium | $4.89 | $3.83 | $7.66 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.39 | $8.79 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 71% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6 | 0 | $2.09 | $0.96 |
| Efficient EV | 5 | 0 | $1.74 | $0.80 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 8 | 0 | $2.79 | $1.27 |
Gas CO2
7 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (71% 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
Norwalk, IA
Morning in Norwalk on Saturday
Local time
8:42 AM
CDT
Current temp
74°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
4 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
29m 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 Norwalk, IA covers 19.9 miles and takes about 29m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Hickman Road, I 35, Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 10 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 $3.11 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 short but busy drive. With 9 decision points packed into just 19.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 29m.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (US 6 / Hickman Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 5.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 7 miles (I 35): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Between Waukee, IA and Norwalk, IA, road signs point toward Des Moines and Martensdale.
Mostly flat terrain. The route ranges from 831 ft to 1,036 ft elevation with about 346 ft of total climbing.
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, EIA for fuel prices, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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