How far is Waukee, IA from Pleasant Hill, IA?

The driving distance from Waukee, IA to Pleasant Hill, IA is about 22.3 miles (35.9 km), with a travel time of about 00h 36m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 19 miles (30.5 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 12m 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
22.34 mi
00h 36m
Flight
18.97 mi
30.53 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Waukee.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
18.97 mi
Kilometers
30.53 km
Flight Time
00h 02m

Driving Distance

Road route
22.34 mi
Kilometers
35.95 km
Drive Time
00h 36m

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 36m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Pleasant Hill
Sun, Apr 19, 12:42 AM CDT
Return by in Waukee
Sun, Apr 19, 1:18 AM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Waukee
2026-04-19T00:06
Arrive Pleasant Hill
Sun, Apr 19, 12:42 AM CDT
Route Timing
00h 36m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM CDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:36 AM to 7:36 PM CDT

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

Leave by
7:18 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Waukee
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
Windsor Heights
IA

City in Polk County, Iowa, United States

From Waukee
11.1 mi
00h 18m
To Pleasant Hill
11.2 mi
00h 18m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
57°F
Sunday

Sunny

Starts
Sun, Apr 19 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
12 mph WNW
Destination
61°F
Sunday

Sunny

Starts
Sun, Apr 19 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
5 to 10 mph WNW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Waukee and Pleasant Hill.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Waukee and Pleasant Hill.

  1. 1

    Start on Ashworth Drive

    43 m · 7 sec · Ashworth Drive

  2. 2

    Turn right onto 6th Street

    1076 ft · 34 sec · 6th Street

  3. 3

    Turn right onto Hickman Road

    5.6 mi · 9 min · Hickman Road

  4. 4

    Take the exit right toward I-35 south, I-80 west

    1374 ft · 34 sec

  5. 5

    Merge slight left

    1.5 km · 1 min

  6. 6

    Keep slight left

    2012 ft · 26 sec

  7. 7

    Take the exit slight right toward I 235 East: West Des Moines, Des Moines

    2327 ft · 57 sec · Ramp 72 I

  8. 8

    Merge slight left onto John MacVicar Freeway

    9.6 mi · 12 min · John MacVicar Freeway

  9. 9

    Take the exit slight right toward IA 163 East: East University Avenue, State Fairgrounds

    2795 ft · 43 sec

  10. 10

    Turn straight onto East University Avenue

    1.3 mi · 3 min · East University Avenue

  11. 11

    Turn right onto East 30th Street

    1 km · 2 min · East 30th Street

  12. 12

    Turn left onto Dean Avenue

    1.5 mi · 3 min · Dean Avenue

  13. 13

    Continue on Fairview Drive

    2694 ft · 1 min · Fairview Drive

  14. 14

    Turn right onto North Pleasant Hill Boulevard

    2253 ft · 1 min · North Pleasant Hill Boulevard

  15. 15

    Turn left onto Doanes Park Road

    19 m · 5 sec · Doanes Park Road

  16. 16

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Doanes Park Road

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Waukee and Pleasant Hill.

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
16 steps
7 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
5
2 merges, 3 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
71.7 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
John MacVicar Freeway
9.61 mi · 43%
Hickman Road
5.56 mi · 25%
I-35 south
1.58 mi · 7%
Dean Avenue
1.48 mi · 7%
East University Avenue
1.31 mi · 6%
East 30th Street
0.64 mi · 3%
Longest Stretch

John MacVicar Freeway

Merge slight left onto John MacVicar Freeway

9.61 mi · 00h 12m

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 36m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
01h 12m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+3.3 mi
19 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Windsor Heights
00h 18m from Waukee
Leave By
7:18 PM CDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving Waukee and Sunny near Pleasant Hill.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Waukee to Pleasant Hill?

The road trip is about 22.3 miles (35.9 km) and usually takes 00h 36m 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?

Windsor Heights is a useful midpoint, sitting about 11.1 miles from Waukee and 11.2 miles from Pleasant Hill.

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

The direct path is about 19 miles (30.5 km), while the road route adds roughly 3.3 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 7:18 PM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $2.98 one way or $5.96 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 7 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Sunny around Waukee and Sunny near Pleasant Hill.

Stop Ideas Near Windsor Heights

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

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

RAIL

Osceola

62 mi away
Main & East Clay Streets
RAIL

Creston

81 mi away
Pine and Adams Avenue

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Waukee and Pleasant Hill. Straight-line distance: 18.97 mi (30.53 km).

Waukee

#1 Waukee

City in Dallas County, Iowa, United States of America

Population26,166
Coordinates41.6116600, -93.8852300
Altitude314
CountryUnited States
Pleasant Hill

#2 Pleasant Hill

American city in Iowa

Population10,025
Coordinates41.5838800, -93.5199400
Altitude267
CountryUnited States
Start: Waukee (-93.88523, 41.61166)
End: Pleasant Hill (-93.51994, 41.58388)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 36 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 44m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 33m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 26m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 22m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 19m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 16m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.79 gal
2.98 L · about $2.98
Round trip
$5.96
1.58 gal · 5.96 L
Estimated CO2
7 kg one way
Round trip: 14 kg / 31 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $2.98 $5.96
Mid-grade $4.25 $3.36 $6.72
Premium $4.65 $3.68 $7.35
Diesel $5.30 $4.19 $8.38

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 19, 2026

There is no time difference between Waukee and Pleasant Hill. The current time is 00:06:36.

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.