Origin
West Des Moines, IA
Afternoon in West Des Moines on Wednesday
Local time
3:03 PM
CDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from West Des Moines, IA to Arnolds Park, IA
Data updated 0 seconds ago
Drive Time
4h 21m
Distance
194.7 mi
313 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$30
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
4h 9m
★
6 AM
4h 22m
8 AM
4h 48m
10 AM
4h 31m
12 PM
4h 29m
3 PM
4h 33m
5 PM
4h 47m
8 PM
4h 14m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
West Des Moines, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Arnolds Park, IA
Tom Fisk
Trip Overview
The drive from West Des Moines, IA to Arnolds Park, IA covers 194.7 miles and takes about 4h 21m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on 8th Street, 73rd Street, I-235 west for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $30.44 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
97.3 miles from West Des Moines, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 10m into the drive .
Loading map...
Drive Character
Expect a 4h 21m drive with frequent turns across 194.7 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 38 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
8th Street is one of the defining roads on this drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive.
Route Complexity
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Navigation is easy, but the length (4h 21m) means fatigue is the real challenge. The route is 0% highway with very few tricky spots, so this is more about pacing than navigation skill.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from West Des Moines, IA to Arnolds Park, IA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| 8th Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| 73rd Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| I-235 west | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| John MacVicar Freeway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| I 35 North | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| I-35 north | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| IA 141 West | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Southeast Grimes Boulevard | Unavailable | Refreshing |
Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.
Longest stretch:
8th Street
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between West Des Moines, IA and Arnolds Park, IA.
1
Start on Vine Street
469 ft
·
15 sec
·
Vine Street
2
Turn right onto 8th Street
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
8th Street
3
Continue on 73rd Street
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
·
73rd Street
4
Take the ramp left toward I-235 west
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
·
I-235 west
5
Merge slight left onto John MacVicar Freeway
2.3 mi
·
2 min
·
John MacVicar Freeway
6
Take the exit slight right toward I 35 North, I 80 East: Minneapolis, Chicago
0.4 mi
·
57 sec
·
I 35 North, I 80 East: Minneapolis, Chicago
7
Merge slight left onto I-35 north, I-80 east: Chicago, Minneapolis
3.4 mi
·
3 min
·
I-35 north, I-80 east: Chicago, Minneapolis
8
Take the exit slight right toward IA 141 West: Grimes
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
IA 141 West: Grimes
9
Merge slight left onto Southeast Grimes Boulevard
2.3 mi
·
3 min
·
Southeast Grimes Boulevard
10
Continue on Northeast Grimes Boulevard
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Northeast Grimes Boulevard
11
Continue on Northwest 114th Street
2.6 mi
·
3 min
·
Northwest 114th Street
12
Continue on Northwest Granger Drive
16 mi
·
18 min
·
Northwest Granger Drive
13
Take the exit straight toward US 169: Ogden, Adel
0.4 mi
·
55 sec
·
US 169: Ogden, Adel
14
Turn right onto N Avenue
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
N Avenue
15
Continue on H Avenue
12 mi
·
16 min
·
H Avenue
16
Take the exit right
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
17
Merge slight left onto 220th Street
4.1 mi
·
5 min
·
220th Street
18
Turn right onto D Avenue
12 mi
·
16 min
·
D Avenue
19
Continue on Paragon Avenue
4.0 mi
·
5 min
·
Paragon Avenue
20
Turn left onto 360th Street
4.0 mi
·
5 min
·
360th Street
21
Turn right onto Lainson Avenue
12 mi
·
16 min
·
Lainson Avenue
22
Turn left onto US 20 West
0.3 mi
·
50 sec
·
US 20 West
23
Merge slight left
49 mi
·
56 min
24
Take the exit slight right toward IA 471 South, US 71 NORTH: Early, Storm Lake
0.4 mi
·
57 sec
·
IA 471 South, US 71 NORTH: Early, Storm Lake
25
Turn right
45 mi
·
1 hr 2 min
26
Turn right onto 11th Street Southwest
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
11th Street Southwest
27
Turn left onto 4th Avenue Southwest
0.5 mi
·
54 sec
·
4th Avenue Southwest
28
At the end of the road, turn right onto 4th Street Southwest
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
·
4th Street Southwest
29
Turn left onto South Grand Avenue
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
South Grand Avenue
30
Turn left onto West 2nd Street
390 ft
·
10 sec
·
West 2nd Street
31
Turn right onto 1st Avenue West
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
·
1st Avenue West
32
At the end of the road, turn right onto West 8th Street
384 ft
·
15 sec
·
West 8th Street
33
Turn left onto Grand Avenue
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Grand Avenue
34
Continue on Highway Boulevard
15 mi
·
22 min
·
Highway Boulevard
35
Turn right onto Linden Drive
0.1 mi
·
22 sec
·
Linden Drive
36
Turn left onto Iowa Street
0.1 mi
·
37 sec
·
Iowa Street
37
Turn right onto Kruse Beach
125 ft
·
6 sec
·
Kruse Beach
38
Arrive at your destination
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 97.3 miles from West Des Moines, IA, or about 2h 10m into the drive.
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 43 miles or 57m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 97.3 miles or 2h 10m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 34m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Arnolds Park, 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 194.7 miles and 4h 21m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 43 miles from West Des Moines, 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.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 97.3 mi from West Des Moines, IA · 2h 10m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
97 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 43 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 97.3 miles from West Des Moines, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Arnolds Park, IA
The final approach into Arnolds Park, IA usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Arnolds Park, IA.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$30.44 one way
$60.88 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
68 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $33.42 | $66.84 |
| premium | $4.89 | $37.47 | $74.94 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $42.99 | $85.97 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$30
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$55–$80
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 68.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $20 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 58.4 | 0 | $20.44 | $9.35 |
| Efficient EV | 48.7 | 0 | $17.04 | $7.79 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 77.9 | 0 | $27.26 | $12.46 |
Gas CO2
68 kg
EV CO2
23 kg (66% 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
Arnolds Park, IA
Afternoon in Arnolds Park on Wednesday
Local time
3:03 PM
CDT
Current temp
41°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
11 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
4h 21m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
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 Arnolds Park, IA covers 194.7 miles and takes about 4h 21m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are 8th Street, 73rd Street, I-235 west. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 97.3 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 $30.44 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Navigation is easy, but the length (4h 21m) means fatigue is the real challenge. The route is 0% highway with very few tricky spots, so this is more about pacing than navigation skill.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from West Des Moines, IA to Arnolds Park, IA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from West Des Moines, IA to Arnolds Park, IA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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