Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
2h 27m
Distance
120.9 mi
195 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$19
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
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
Wellman, IA
Quang Nguyen Vinh
The drive from West Des Moines, IA to Wellman, IA covers 120.9 miles and takes about 2h 27m 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 22, M Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 78.4 miles on I 80. At current regular gas prices, budget about $18.90 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
60.5 miles from West Des Moines, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 10m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 80 | 78.4 mi | 1h 24m |
| State Highway 22 | 12.8 mi | 18m |
| M Avenue | 11.7 mi | 16m |
| John MacVicar Freeway | 8.8 mi | 11m |
| State Highway 149 | 5.2 mi | 7m |
| Grand Avenue | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| 56th Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Main Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between West Des Moines, IA and Wellman, IA.
Start on Vine Street
Turn left onto 4th Street
Turn right onto Grand Avenue
Turn left onto 56th Street
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 235
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork
Merge onto I 80
Take the exit
Turn right onto CR V66
Continue on IA 149
Turn left onto IA 22
Continue on IA 22
Continue on IA 22
Turn right onto 9th Avenue
Turn left
At end of road, turn right
Arrive at destination
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.
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 27 miles or 34m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 60.5 miles or 1h 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 1h 55m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Wellman, IA than in the middle of the route.
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 120.9 miles and 2h 27m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
60 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.
A short stop after about 27 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 60.5 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 78.4 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.6 and 120.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn right onto Grand Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Merge onto I 235 / John MacVicar Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward I 35 South, I 80: Kansas City, Council Bluffs, Davenport
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork toward I 80 East: Davenport
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
At end of road, turn right
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
Regular Gas
$18.90 one way
$37.80 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $20.75 | $41.51 |
| premium | $4.89 | $23.27 | $46.53 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $26.69 | $53.39 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$19
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$44–$69
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 42.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $13 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 36.3 | 0 | $12.69 | $5.80 |
| Efficient EV | 30.2 | 0 | $10.58 | $4.84 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 48.4 | 0 | $16.93 | $7.74 |
Gas CO2
42 kg
EV CO2
14 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Afternoon in West Des Moines on Saturday
Local time
3:07 PM
CDT
Current temp
34°F
Clear
Destination
Afternoon in Wellman on Saturday
Local time
3:07 PM
CDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
50°F
Brooklyn, IA
60 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
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
120.9 mi in 2h 27m, mostly highway — 78.4 mi of that is on I 80.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 80 and State Highway 22. You will hit about 14 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.6 miles in near Grand Avenue.
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 120.9 miles you will encounter 14 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.6 miles (Grand Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.2 miles (I 235 / John MacVicar Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 11 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between West Des Moines, IA and Wellman, IA, road signs point toward Council Bluffs, Davenport, Merango and English.
Council Bluffs
Davenport
Merango
English
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 27m. Total distance: 120.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 27m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (87%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
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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