The drive from West Des Moines, IA to Ackley, IA covers 102.1 miles and takes about 2h 4m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 35, US 20, John MacVicar Freeway for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is highway-focused drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 54 miles on I 35.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $15.96 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.
Midpoint
51.1 miles from West Des Moines, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 59m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 4m. Total distance: 102.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
This is a 2h 4m highway drive covering 102.1 miles, with most of the trip on I 35 and US 20. The longest continuous stretch is about 54 miles on I 35.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 15 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 35 is the longest continuous segment at about 54 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 35 and US 20. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.6 miles in near Grand Avenue.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 2h 4m drive. You will face about 10 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.6 miles (Grand Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.3 miles (56th Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.9 miles: Navigation decision point.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 10 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
0.6 mi into trip|~1m in|Grand Avenue
Turn right onto Grand Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
4
1.3 mi into trip|~2m in|56th Street
Turn left onto 56th Street
Navigation decision point
4
1.9 mi into trip|~4m in
Take the ramp toward I-235 east
Navigation decision point
Toward I-235 east
5
2.2 mi into trip|~4m in|I 235 / John MacVicar Freeway
Merge onto I 235 / John MacVicar Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
94.2 mi into trip|~1h 49m in
Take the exit toward CR S56: Ackley, Eldora
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward CR S56: Ackley, Eldora
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between West Des Moines, IA and Ackley, IA, road signs point toward Cr S56: Ackley and Eldora.
Cr S56: Ackley
94.2 mi in|~1h 49m
Eldora
94.2 mi in|~1h 49m
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 35
54 mi
58m
US 20
27.2 mi
31m
John MacVicar Freeway
10.3 mi
13m
County Highway S56
6.3 mi
11m
Butler Street
0.8 mi
1m
Grand Avenue
0.7 mi
1m
56th Street
0.6 mi
1m
4th Street
0.4 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 35
— 54 mi, about 58m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between West Des Moines, IA and Ackley, IA.
1
Start on Vine Street
0.2 mi·32 sec·Vine Street
2
Turn left onto 4th Street
0.4 mi·55 sec·4th Street
3
Turn right onto Grand Avenue
0.7 mi·1 min·Grand Avenue
Use the left lane.
4
Turn left onto 56th Street
0.6 mi·1 min·56th Street
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·40 sec
Toward I-235 east
6
Merge onto I 235
10 mi·13 min·John MacVicar Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Continue on I 35
54 mi·58 min·I 35
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.6 mi·1 min
Toward US 20 East: Waterloo
9
Merge onto US 20
27 mi·31 min·US 20
10
Take the exit
0.4 mi·59 sec
Toward CR S56: Ackley, Eldora
11
Turn left onto County Highway S56
6.3 mi·11 min·County Highway S56
12
Continue on Butler Street
0.8 mi·1 min·Butler Street
13
Turn left onto Park Avenue
0.3 mi·1 min·Park Avenue
14
Turn slight right onto Main Street
115 ft·5 sec·Main Street
15
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.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 51.1 miles from West Des Moines, IA, or about 59m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 54 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 22 miles or 28m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 51.1 miles or 59m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 37m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Ackley, IA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving West Des Moines, 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 West Des Moines, IA
This is one driving day of about 102.1 miles and 2h 4m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 22 miles from West Des Moines, IA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 35 for about 54 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 51.1 mi from West Des Moines, IA
· 59m into the drive
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $11 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
30.6
0
$10.72
$4.90
Efficient EV
25.5
0
$8.93
$4.08
EV Truck/SUV
40.8
0
$14.29
$6.53
Gas CO2
36 kg
EV CO2
12 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 18, 2026
Origin
West Des Moines, IA
Late night
in West Des Moines on Saturday
Local time
2:31 AM
CDT
Current temp
35°F
Partly Cloudy
NW 14 mph1% chanceLive forecast
Red Flag Warning
Red Flag Warning issued April 17 at 11:29PM CDT until April 18 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Omaha/Valley NE
Flood Watch
Flood Watch issued April 17 at 10:38PM CDT until April 24 at 7:00AM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL
Destination
Ackley, IA
Late night
in Ackley on Saturday
Local time
2:31 AM
CDT
Current temp
71°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
36 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
2h 4m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from West Des Moines, IA to Ackley, IA covers 102.1 miles and takes about 2h 4m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 35, US 20, John MacVicar Freeway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 51.1 miles from West Des Moines, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $15.96 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 2h 4m drive. You will face about 10 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.6 miles (Grand Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.3 miles (56th Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.9 miles: Navigation decision point.
Between West Des Moines, IA and Ackley, IA, road signs point toward Cr S56: Ackley and Eldora.
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, NREL for EV charging, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
