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Trip from West Des Moines, IA to Greenfield, IA

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 7m

Distance

55.3 mi

89 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$9

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 16 min
4 AM
1h 2m ★
6 AM
1h 7m
8 AM
1h 18m
10 AM
1h 11m
12 PM
1h 10m
3 PM
1h 11m
5 PM
1h 17m
8 PM
1h 4m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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city in Polk, Dallas, Warren, and Madison counties, Iowa, United States

West Des Moines, IA

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Greenfield, IA, IA

Greenfield, IA

Sam McCool

Trip Overview

West Des Moines to Greenfield is 55.3 miles and takes about 1 hour 7 minutes via I 80 and State Highway 25, with a fuel budget near $9 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a straightforward, highway-focused journey within the Midwest region of Iowa. You'll primarily be on interstate for this short trip, making it a quick and convenient option. Given its brevity, it's ideal for a same-day excursion, allowing plenty of time for your destination or return. Plan for a simple, direct drive with minimal complexity.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 80 36.1 mi 38m
State Highway 25 12.4 mi 16m
John MacVicar Freeway 3.3 mi 4m
8th Street 1 mi 2m
Northeast 6th Street 0.9 mi 1m
Southeast Kent Street 0.4 mi <1m
73rd Street 0.3 mi <1m
Public Square 0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 80 — 36.1 mi, about 38m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between West Des Moines, IA and Greenfield, IA.

1

Start on Vine Street

468 ft · 14 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

0.3 mi · 41 sec
Toward I-235 west Use the left lane.
5

Merge onto I 235

3.3 mi · 4 min · John MacVicar Freeway
6

Merge onto I 80

36 mi · 38 min · I 80
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 31 sec
Toward IA 25: Guthrie Center, Greenfield
8

Turn left onto IA 25

12 mi · 16 min · State Highway 25
9

Continue on IA 25

0.9 mi · 1 min · Northeast 6th Street
10

Turn right onto IA 92

0.4 mi · 37 sec · Southeast Kent Street
11

Turn right onto South 1st Street

0.1 mi · 25 sec · South 1st Street
12

At end of road, turn right onto Public Square

117 ft · 5 sec · Public Square
13

Continue on Public Square

0.1 mi · 25 sec · Public Square
14

Arrive at destination

Public Square

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Downtown Earlham, IA, IA

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Earlham, IA

28 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

Van Meter, IA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Earlham, IA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 27.7 miles from West Des Moines, 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 9

5 decision points cluster between mile 1.4 and 55.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

6
1.4 mi into trip | ~3m in

Take the ramp toward I-235 west

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane. Toward I-235 west
5
5 mi into trip | ~7m in | I 80

Merge onto I 80

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
41.1 mi into trip | ~46m in

Take the exit toward IA 25: Guthrie Center, Greenfield

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward IA 25: Guthrie Center, Greenfield
4
41.4 mi into trip | ~47m in | IA 25 / State Highway 25

Turn left onto IA 25 / State Highway 25

Navigation decision point

6
55.2 mi into trip | ~1h 6m in | Public Square

At end of road, turn right onto Public Square

Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$8.65 one way

$17.29 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 19 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $9.49 $18.98
premium $4.89 $10.64 $21.28
diesel $5.61 $12.21 $24.42

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$9

Estimated CO2 emission: 19.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 16.6 0 $5.81 $2.65
Efficient EV 13.8 0 $4.84 $2.21
EV Truck/SUV 22.1 0 $7.74 $3.54

Gas CO2

19 kg

EV CO2

6 kg (68% 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

Afternoon in West Des Moines on Saturday

Local time

2:54 PM

CDT

Current temp

34°F

Clear

NW 13 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Red Flag Warning

Red Flag Warning issued April 18 at 2:33AM 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

Greenfield, IA

Afternoon in Greenfield on Saturday

Local time

2:54 PM

CDT

Current temp

50°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

16 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

1h 7m 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.

What kind of drive is this?

This route is predominantly a highway-focused drive, with 94% of it utilizing major roadways like I 80 and John MacVicar Freeway. You'll experience a long, uninterrupted stretch of 36.1 miles on I 80, offering a consistent pace. While the interstate dominates, the transition to State Highway 25 will introduce a slight change in scenery and road type as you approach your destination. Expect a straightforward driving experience with minimal technicality, suitable for those who prefer efficient travel.

94% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 36.1 mi on I 80.

How Hard Is This Drive?

4/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 80 and State Highway 25. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 1.4 miles in.

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 7m drive. You will face about 9 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 1.4 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 5 miles (I 80): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 41.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 7m. Total distance: 55.3 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 7m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (94%). Straightforward navigation.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 36.1 miles on I 80. 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: at 1.4 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 5 miles (I 80): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 41.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Greenfield, 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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Explore More

Return Trip

Greenfield, IA to West Des Moines, IA

Plan the drive back the other way.

55 mi 1h 6m

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