Origin
West Des Moines, IA
Afternoon in West Des Moines on Saturday
Local time
1:32 PM
CDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from West Des Moines, 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
13m
Distance
8.1 mi
13 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$1
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 13m
★
6 AM
0h 14m
8 AM
0h 16m
10 AM
0h 15m
12 PM
0h 15m
3 PM
0h 15m
5 PM
0h 16m
8 PM
0h 13m
★
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
Norwalk, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from West Des Moines, IA to Norwalk, IA covers 8.1 miles and takes about 13m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on State Highway 28, Southwest 63rd Street, Sunset Drive for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed highway & surface. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 4.5 miles on State Highway 28. At current regular gas prices, budget about $1.27 one way before food or hotel costs.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| State Highway 28 | 4.5 mi | 6m |
| Southwest 63rd Street | 2.5 mi | 4m |
| Sunset Drive | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Vine Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Main Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
State Highway 28
— 4.5 mi, about 6m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between West Des Moines, IA and Norwalk, IA.
1
Start on Vine Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Vine Street
2
Turn right onto IA 28
2.5 mi
·
4 min
·
Southwest 63rd Street;1st Street
3
Continue on IA 28
4.5 mi
·
6 min
·
State Highway 28
4
Continue on IA 28
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Sunset Drive
5
Turn left onto Main Street
0.2 mi
·
54 sec
·
Main Street
6
Arrive at destination
Main Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
2 of 22 decision points cluster between mile 0.4 and 7.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
3
0.4 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
IA 28 / Southwest 63rd Street;1st Street
Turn right onto IA 28 / Southwest 63rd Street;1st Street
Navigation decision point
3
7.8 mi into trip
|
~13m in
|
Main Street
Turn left onto Main Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.27 one way
$2.53 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
3 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $1.39 | $2.78 |
| premium | $4.89 | $1.56 | $3.12 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $1.79 | $3.58 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$1
Estimated CO2 emission: 2.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 2.4 | 0 | $0.85 | $0.39 |
| Efficient EV | 2 | 0 | $0.71 | $0.32 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 3.2 | 0 | $1.13 | $0.52 |
Gas CO2
3 kg
EV CO2
1 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.
Destination
Norwalk, IA
Afternoon in Norwalk on Saturday
Local time
1:32 PM
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
22 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
13m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
8.1 mi in 13m — 56% highway, the rest on surface roads. Biggest road: State Highway 28.
56% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
6 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 4.5 mi on State Highway 28.
How Hard Is This Drive?
2/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes around 0.4 miles in near IA 28 / Southwest 63rd Street;1st Street.
Driving Effort
2/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from West Des Moines, IA to Norwalk, IA is easy. At 13m with 56% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.4 miles (IA 28 / Southwest 63rd Street;1st Street): Navigation decision point; at 7.8 miles (Main Street): Navigation decision point.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 13m. Total distance: 8.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
13m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (56%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 4.5 miles on State Highway 28. 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 0.4 miles (IA 28 / Southwest 63rd Street;1st Street): Navigation decision point; at 7.8 miles (Main Street): Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Norwalk, 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.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Norwalk, IA
More trips to Norwalk, IA
Explore more options from West Des Moines, IA or browse trips ending in Norwalk, IA.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse IA road trips.