
U.S. 65 travels 222 miles across Iowa from South Lineville, Missouri to Gordonsville, Minnesota. The bulk of the highway is rural, with the majority of long distance traffic utilizing parallel Interstate 35 to the west. Through southern Iowa, U.S. 65 joins the small cities of Lineville, Humeston and Lucas. U.S. 65 combines with U.S. 69 south of Indianola along a 15.4 mile overlap to the Iowa 5 freeway in southeast Des Moines.
U.S. 65 Iowa Guides
Iowa 5 comprises the southern leg of an outer beltway for the Des Moines metropolitan area. U.S. 65 follows the eastern leg north from Carlisle to Pleasant Hill and Altoona. Exits numbers along the freeway loop reset at the cloverleaf joining U.S. 65/69 with Iowa 5, utilizing the U.S. 65 mileposts from that exchange northward to Interstate 80.
Following a short overlap with I-80 east to U.S. 6 in Altoona, U.S. 65 angles northeast from the Des Moines area alongside the Iowa 330 expressway 15 miles to Iowa 117 in northwestern Jasper County. The US highway resumes a northerly heading along a two lane roadway to Collins, Zearing and Hubbard.
Shifting eastward along a stair stepped course to Iowa Falls, U.S. 65 aims north for Mason City via Hampton, Sheffield and Rockwell. Following Federal Avenue into Mason City, U.S. 65 continues toward Downtown where it separates into a couplet around Southbridge Mall along Delaware Avenue north and Washington Avenue south.
Exiting Mason City, U.S. 65 reduces back to two lanes en route to Kensett and Northwood in Worth County. U.S. 65 crosses into Minnesota and converges with Interstate 35 at Albert Lea, 9.5 miles beyond the Iowa line.
Connect with:
Interstate 80
U.S. 6
U.S. 20
U.S. 30
U.S. 34
Highway 5
Highway 92
Page Updated 02-21-2024.