Origin
West Des Moines, IA
Morning in West Des Moines on Monday
Local time
9:30 AM
CDT
Current temp
43°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from West Des Moines, IA to Mapleton, IA
Drive Time
3h 6m
Distance
150.7 mi
242 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$23
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
2h 54m
★
6 AM
3h 6m
8 AM
3h 29m
10 AM
3h 14m
12 PM
3h 12m
3 PM
3h 15m
5 PM
3h 28m
8 PM
2h 59m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
West Des Moines, IA
Daniel Dorfer
Trip Overview
The drive from West Des Moines, IA to Mapleton, IA covers 150.7 miles and takes about 3h 6m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 80, State Highway 37, County Highway L32 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 82 miles on I 80. At current regular gas prices, budget about $22.89 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
75.3 miles from West Des Moines, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 23m into the drive .
Drive Character
This is a 3h 6m highway drive covering 150.7 miles, with most of the trip on I 80 and State Highway 37. The longest continuous stretch is about 82 miles on I 80.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 23 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 80 is the longest continuous segment at about 82 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 80 and State Highway 37. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 1.4 miles in.
Route Complexity
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
This is a straightforward 3h 6m drive. You will face about 14 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 87 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 14 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
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
87 mi into trip
|
~1h 35m in
Take the exit toward US 59: Avoca, Harlan
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 59: Avoca, Harlan
5
87.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 36m in
|
US 59
Turn right onto US 59
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
97.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 50m in
|
IA 44 / Chatburn Avenue
Turn left onto IA 44 / Chatburn Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Towns Along This Route
On the drive from West Des Moines, IA to Mapleton, IA, road signs begin pointing toward Harlan along the way.
Harlan
87 mi in
|
~1h 35m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 80 | 82 mi | 1h 27m |
| State Highway 37 | 25.8 mi | 35m |
| County Highway L32 | 11.2 mi | 15m |
| US 59 | 10.2 mi | 14m |
| M16 Road | 8.8 mi | 12m |
| 1000th Street | 4 mi | 5m |
| John MacVicar Freeway | 3.3 mi | 4m |
| 8th Street | 1 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
I 80
— 82 mi, about 1h 27m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between West Des Moines, IA and Mapleton, 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
82 mi
·
1 hr 27 min
·
I 80
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
32 sec
Toward US 59: Avoca, Harlan
8
Turn right onto US 59
10 mi
·
14 min
·
US 59
Use the left lane.
9
Turn left onto IA 44
0.3 mi
·
26 sec
·
Chatburn Avenue
Use the left lane.
10
Continue on IA 44
4.0 mi
·
5 min
·
1000th Street
11
Turn right onto CR M16
8.8 mi
·
12 min
·
M16 Road
12
At end of road, turn left onto IA 37
450 ft
·
8 sec
·
Railway Street
13
Continue on IA 37
12 mi
·
16 min
·
State Highway 37
14
Continue on IA 37
0.1 mi
·
10 sec
·
IA 37
15
Continue on IA 37
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Iowa Avenue
16
Turn right onto US 30
0.2 mi
·
41 sec
·
North 6th Street
17
Turn left onto IA 37
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
IA 37
18
Continue on IA 37
14 mi
·
19 min
·
State Highway 37
19
Turn right onto County Highway L32
11 mi
·
15 min
·
County Highway L32
20
At end of road, turn left onto IA 141
0.5 mi
·
41 sec
·
George P. Soumas Memorial Highway
21
Continue on IA 141
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
South 4th Street
22
Turn right onto Main Street
46 ft
·
2 sec
·
Main Street
23
Arrive at destination
Main Street
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 75.3 miles from West Des Moines, IA, or about 1h 23m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 82 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 80 miles or 1h 28m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 75.3 miles or 1h 23m 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 27m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Mapleton, 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 150.7 miles and 3h 6m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 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.
The longest stretch is on I 80 for about 82 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 75.3 mi from West Des Moines, IA · 1h 23m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
75 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 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 75.3 miles from West Des Moines, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before I 80 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 82 miles.
Arriving in Mapleton, IA
The final approach into Mapleton, 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 Mapleton, 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
$22.89 one way
$45.78 round trip
$3.86/gal
25.4 MPG avg
53 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.25 | $25.23 | $50.47 |
| premium | $4.80 | $28.45 | $56.90 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $33.48 | $66.96 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$23
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$48–$73
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 52.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $16 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 45.2 | 0 | $15.82 | $7.23 |
| Efficient EV | 37.7 | 0 | $13.19 | $6.03 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 60.3 | 0 | $21.10 | $9.64 |
Gas CO2
53 kg
EV CO2
18 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
Mapleton, IA
Morning in Mapleton on Monday
Local time
9:30 AM
CDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Along the Route
47°F
Denison, IA
75 mi in
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
3 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
3h 6m 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 West Des Moines, IA to Mapleton, IA covers 150.7 miles and takes about 3h 6m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 80, State Highway 37, County Highway L32. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 75.3 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 $22.89 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. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
This is a straightforward 3h 6m drive. You will face about 14 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
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 87 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
On the drive from West Des Moines, IA to Mapleton, IA, road signs begin pointing toward Harlan along the way.
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