How far is Sioux City, IA from Carter Lake, IA?

The driving distance from Sioux City, IA to Carter Lake, IA is about 96.6 miles (155.5 km), with a travel time of about 01h 55m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 87.2 miles (140.3 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 03h 51m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM CDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This route works well as a day trip with time at the destination. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
96.63 mi
01h 55m
Flight
87.17 mi
140.28 km direct

This route works well as a day trip with time at the destination.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Sioux City.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
87.17 mi
Kilometers
140.28 km
Flight Time
00h 10m

Driving Distance

Road route
96.63 mi
Kilometers
155.51 km
Drive Time
01h 55m

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 01h 55m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Carter Lake
Sun, Apr 12, 9:25 AM CDT
Return by in Sioux City
Sun, Apr 12, 11:21 AM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Sioux City
2026-04-12T07:29
Arrive Carter Lake
Sun, Apr 12, 9:25 AM CDT
Route Timing
01h 55m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
8:00 AM to 10:00 AM CDT
Aim for a morning departure
Arrive between
9:56 AM to 11:56 AM CDT

A morning start gives you useful time at the destination and keeps the return out of the late evening.

Leave by
2:38 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 03h 00m at the destination.
Back in Sioux City
9:30 PM CDT
Morning start is best

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
Blencoe
IA

Human settlement in United States of America

From Sioux City
48.3 mi
00h 57m
To Carter Lake
48.3 mi
00h 57m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
81°F
Sunday

Chance Rain Showers

Starts
Sun, Apr 12 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
15 to 20 mph SSW
Destination
76°F
Sunday

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Sun, Apr 12 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
14 to 17 mph SSW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Sioux City and Carter Lake.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Sioux City and Carter Lake.

  1. 1

    Start on the route

    35 m · 14 sec

  2. 2

    Turn left onto 9th Street

    990 ft · 46 sec · 9th Street

  3. 3

    Turn right onto Court Street

    1594 ft · 55 sec · Court Street

  4. 4

    Turn left onto 5th Street

    794 ft · 29 sec · 5th Street

  5. 5

    Turn right onto Floyd Boulevard

    1 km · 2 min · Floyd Boulevard

  6. 6

    Take the ramp left toward I 29 South

    1588 ft · 39 sec

  7. 7

    Merge slight left

    84.9 mi · 1 hr 32 min

  8. 8

    Take the exit slight right toward I 680 West: North Omaha

    1 km · 1 min

  9. 9

    Merge slight left

    2.8 mi · 3 min

  10. 10

    Take the exit slight right toward 30th Street, Eppley Airfield

    1154 ft · 27 sec

  11. 11

    Turn left onto North 31st Street

    816 ft · 26 sec · North 31st Street

  12. 12

    Turn left onto Dick Collins Road

    1640 ft · 39 sec · Dick Collins Road

  13. 13

    At the end of the road, turn right onto John J Pershing Drive

    2.4 mi · 5 min · John J Pershing Drive

  14. 14

    Turn right onto North 16th Street

    2.2 mi · 5 min · North 16th Street

  15. 15

    Turn left onto Locust Street

    1 mi · 2 min · Locust Street

  16. 16

    Turn left onto North 9th Street

    2043 ft · 1 min · North 9th Street

  17. 17

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · North 9th Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Sioux City and Carter Lake.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Highway-focused drive

Most of the mileage stays on named highways, so the important moments are ramps, exits, merges, and the final local approach.

Directions
17 steps
10 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
5
2 merges, 3 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
17.6 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
I 29 South
85.2 mi · 88%
I 680 West
3.46 mi · 4%
John J Pershing Drive
2.35 mi · 2%
North 16th Street
2.23 mi · 2%
Locust Street
1.01 mi · 1%
Floyd Boulevard
0.65 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

I 29 South

Merge slight left

84.9 mi · 01h 32m

Route Summary

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

Trip Read

A comfortable day-trip route

This route works well as a day trip. You can leave in the morning, spend meaningful time at the destination, and still return the same day.

Drive Time
01h 55m
Day trip friendly
Same-Day Return
03h 52m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+9.4 mi
87.2 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Blencoe
00h 57m from Sioux City
Leave By
2:38 PM CDT
Morning start is best
Weather Watch

Chance Rain Showers leaving Sioux City and Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near Carter Lake.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Sioux City to Carter Lake?

The road trip is about 96.6 miles (155.5 km) and usually takes 01h 55m in normal driving conditions.

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

This route works well as a day trip. You can leave in the morning, spend meaningful time at the destination, and still return the same day.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Blencoe is a useful midpoint, sitting about 48.3 miles from Sioux City and 48.3 miles from Carter Lake.

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

The direct path is about 87.2 miles (140.3 km), while the road route adds roughly 9.4 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 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM CDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 2:38 PM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $12.86 one way or $25.72 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 30.3 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Chance Rain Showers around Sioux City and Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near Carter Lake.

Stop Ideas Near Blencoe

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

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Blencoe, 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 Blencoe.

RAIL

Omaha

77 mi away
1003 S. 9th Street

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Sioux City and Carter Lake. Straight-line distance: 87.17 mi (140.28 km).

Sioux City

#1 Sioux City

The second most populous city in Iowa.

Population82,651
Coordinates42.4999900, -96.4003100
Altitude366
CountryUnited States
Carter Lake

#2 Carter Lake

City in Pottawattamie County, Iowa, United States

Population3,793
Coordinates41.2905500, -95.9180700
Altitude299
CountryUnited States
Start: Sioux City (-96.40031, 42.49999)
End: Carter Lake (-95.91807, 41.29055)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 156 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)03h 13m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)02h 24m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)01h 55m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)01h 36m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)01h 22m
80 mph (129 km/h)01h 12m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
3.41 gal
12.91 L · about $12.86
Round trip
$25.72
6.82 gal · 25.82 L
Estimated CO2
30.3 kg one way
Round trip: 60.6 kg / 134 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $12.86 $25.72
Mid-grade $4.25 $14.50 $29.01
Premium $4.65 $15.87 $31.74
Diesel $5.30 $18.09 $36.17

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 12, 2026

There is no time difference between Sioux City and Carter Lake. The current time is 07:29:35.

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.