Origin
West Des Moines, IA
Morning in West Des Moines on Saturday
Local time
6:40 AM
CDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from West Des Moines, IA to Melcher-Dallas, IA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
58m
Distance
42.2 mi
68 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 53m
★
6 AM
0h 58m
8 AM
1h 8m
10 AM
1h 2m
12 PM
1h 1m
3 PM
1h 2m
5 PM
1h 7m
8 PM
0h 55m
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
Melcher-Dallas, IA
Talena Reese
Trip Overview
The drive from West Des Moines, IA to Melcher-Dallas, IA covers 42.2 miles and takes about 58m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Southwest 63rd Street, Highway 28, Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $6.60 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 58m. Total distance: 42.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
58m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 58m drive with frequent turns across 42.2 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 12 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Southwest 63rd 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.
Driving Effort
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from West Des Moines, IA to Melcher-Dallas, IA is easy. At 58m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from West Des Moines, IA to Melcher-Dallas, IA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Southwest 63rd Street | — | — |
| Highway 28 | — | — |
| Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway | — | — |
| IA 5 South | — | — |
| County Road S45 | — | — |
| 1st Street Northwest | — | — |
| B Street Northwest | — | — |
| Northeast Main Street | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
Southwest 63rd Street
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between West Des Moines, IA and Melcher-Dallas, IA.
1
Start on Vine Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Vine Street
2
Turn right onto Southwest 63rd Street;1st Street
2.5 mi
·
4 min
·
Southwest 63rd Street;1st Street
3
Continue on State Highway 28
2.2 mi
·
3 min
·
State Highway 28
4
Take the ramp slight right
0.5 mi
·
1 min
5
Merge slight left onto Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway
8.1 mi
·
9 min
·
Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway
6
Take the exit slight right toward IA 5 South: Carlisle
19 mi
·
22 min
·
IA 5 South: Carlisle
7
Continue on County Road S45
3.7 mi
·
6 min
·
County Road S45
8
Keep slight left to continue on County Road S45
5.5 mi
·
9 min
·
County Road S45
9
Continue on 1st Street Northwest
463 ft
·
15 sec
·
1st Street Northwest
10
Turn left onto B Street Northwest
367 ft
·
10 sec
·
B Street Northwest
11
Turn right onto Northeast Main Street
463 ft
·
9 sec
·
Northeast Main Street
12
Arrive at your destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 21.1 mi from West Des Moines, IA · 29m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
21 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 42 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 21.1 miles from West Des Moines, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Melcher-Dallas, IA
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Melcher-Dallas, IA if you are unfamiliar with the area.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.60 one way
$13.19 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $7.24 | $14.49 |
| premium | $4.89 | $8.12 | $16.24 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.32 | $18.63 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.7 | 0 | $4.43 | $2.03 |
| Efficient EV | 10.6 | 0 | $3.69 | $1.69 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 16.9 | 0 | $5.91 | $2.70 |
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 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
Melcher-Dallas, IA
Morning in Melcher-Dallas on Saturday
Local time
6:40 AM
CDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
69°F
Altoona, IA
21 mi in
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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
58m 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 Melcher-Dallas, IA covers 42.2 miles and takes about 58m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Southwest 63rd Street, Highway 28, Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 21.1 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 $6.60 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
The drive from West Des Moines, IA to Melcher-Dallas, IA is easy. At 58m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from West Des Moines, IA to Melcher-Dallas, IA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from West Des Moines, IA to Melcher-Dallas, IA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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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