How far is Granger, IA from Des Moines, IA?

The driving distance from Granger, IA to Des Moines, IA is about 23.4 miles (37.6 km), with a travel time of about 00h 27m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 15.7 miles (25.3 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 00h 55m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM CDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This is an easy same-day return drive. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
23.38 mi
00h 27m
Flight
15.7 mi
25.27 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Granger.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
15.7 mi
Kilometers
25.27 km
Flight Time
00h 01m

Driving Distance

Road route
23.38 mi
Kilometers
37.62 km
Drive Time
00h 27m

Gas Cost Calculator

Leave and Arrive Planner

Pick a departure time to see your estimated arrival and same-day return window.

Drive time stays fixed at 00h 27m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Des Moines
Sat, Apr 18, 4:44 AM CDT
Return by in Granger
Sat, Apr 18, 5:12 AM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Granger
2026-04-18T04:16
Arrive Des Moines
Sat, Apr 18, 4:44 AM CDT
Route Timing
00h 27m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM CDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:28 AM to 7:28 PM CDT

This is a short drive, so your comfort window is wide. Traffic and current weather matter more than the clock.

Leave by
7:34 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Granger
10:00 PM CDT
Flexible departure

You are leaving earlier than the recommended window, which gives you extra margin for breaks and traffic.

Halfway Point

A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.

Mid-route stop
Urbandale
IA

A city in Polk County, Iowa.

From Granger
10.7 mi
00h 13m
To Des Moines
12.7 mi
00h 13m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
49°F
Saturday

Slight Chance Rain And Snow Showers

Starts
Sat, Apr 18 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
17 to 21 mph NW
Destination
50°F
Saturday

Chance Rain Showers

Starts
Sat, Apr 18 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
14 to 17 mph NW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Granger and Des Moines.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Granger and Des Moines.

  1. 1

    Start on Sycamore Street

    1377 ft · 40 sec · Sycamore Street

  2. 2

    Turn left onto Northwest Granger Drive

    2.8 mi · 4 min · Northwest Granger Drive

  3. 3

    Continue on Northwest 114th Street

    2.6 mi · 3 min · Northwest 114th Street

  4. 4

    Continue on Northeast Grimes Boulevard

    1.6 km · 1 min · Northeast Grimes Boulevard

  5. 5

    Continue on Grimes Boulevard

    3087 ft · 50 sec · Grimes Boulevard

  6. 6

    Continue on Southeast Grimes Boulevard

    2 mi · 3 min · Southeast Grimes Boulevard

  7. 7

    Continue on Northwest Urbandale Drive

    1354 ft · 37 sec · Northwest Urbandale Drive

  8. 8

    Turn left onto I-35 north, I-80 east: Minneapolis, Davenport

    1886 ft · 46 sec

  9. 9

    Merge slight left

    7.3 mi · 8 min

  10. 10

    Take the exit slight right toward IA 415: Polk City

    1915 ft · 50 sec

  11. 11

    Turn right onto Northwest 2nd Street

    1.3 km · 2 min · Northwest 2nd Street

  12. 12

    Continue on 2nd Avenue

    2.5 mi · 5 min · 2nd Avenue

  13. 13

    Turn left onto University Avenue

    3040 ft · 1 min · University Avenue

  14. 14

    Continue on East University Avenue

    30 m · 9 sec · East University Avenue

  15. 15

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · East University Avenue

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Granger and Des Moines.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Turn-heavy local drive

The route has frequent decision points for its length, so lane choice and turn timing will matter more than cruising speed.

Directions
15 steps
4 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
2
1 merges, 1 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
64.1 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
I-35 north
7.65 mi · 33%
Northwest Granger Drive
2.8 mi · 12%
Northwest 114th Street
2.59 mi · 11%
2nd Avenue
2.51 mi · 11%
Southeast Grimes Boulevard
2.04 mi · 9%
Northeast Grimes Boulevard
0.98 mi · 4%
Longest Stretch

I-35 north

Merge slight left

7.29 mi · 00h 08m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

A short regional drive

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

Drive Time
00h 27m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
00h 56m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+7.7 mi
15.7 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Urbandale
00h 13m from Granger
Leave By
7:34 PM CDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Slight Chance Rain And Snow Showers leaving Granger and Chance Rain Showers near Des Moines.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Granger to Des Moines?

The road trip is about 23.4 miles (37.6 km) and usually takes 00h 27m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Urbandale is a useful midpoint, sitting about 10.7 miles from Granger and 12.7 miles from Des Moines.

How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?

The direct path is about 15.7 miles (25.3 km), while the road route adds roughly 7.7 extra miles because roads do not follow the straight air line.

When is the best time to leave for this route?

A good departure window is usually 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM CDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 7:34 PM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $3.09 one way or $6.18 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 7.3 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Slight Chance Rain And Snow Showers around Granger and Chance Rain Showers near Des Moines.

Stop Ideas Near Urbandale

Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Urbandale, so nearby transit and meeting points are shown instead.
Reviewed stop coverage is still thin around this midpoint, so practical transit waypoints are shown on the right.

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Urbandale.

RAIL

Osceola

66 mi away
Main & East Clay Streets
RAIL

Creston

83 mi away
Pine and Adams Avenue

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Granger and Des Moines. Straight-line distance: 15.7 mi (25.27 km).

Granger

#1 Granger

City in Iowa, United States

Population1,631
Coordinates41.7611000, -93.8243900
Altitude271
CountryUnited States
Des Moines

#2 Des Moines

The capital of Iowa.

Population212,312
Coordinates41.6005400, -93.6091100
Altitude266
CountryUnited States
Start: State Street (-93.824367, 41.761078)
End: East University Avenue (-93.609114, 41.600425)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 38 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 46m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 35m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 28m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 23m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 20m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 17m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.82 gal
3.12 L · about $3.09
Round trip
$6.18
1.64 gal · 6.24 L
Estimated CO2
7.3 kg one way
Round trip: 14.6 kg / 32 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $3.09 $6.18
Mid-grade $4.25 $3.49 $6.97
Premium $4.65 $3.82 $7.63
Diesel $5.30 $4.35 $8.70

Assumes 8.3 L/100 km (about 28.3 MPG). CO2 is an estimate and varies by vehicle, fuel blend, traffic, and terrain.

Prices in Iowa · Apr 18, 2026

There is no time difference between Granger and Des Moines. The current time is 04:16:52.

Distance to Other Cities

Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.