24/7 Winch-Outs from Ditches and Snow Around Des Moines
Des Moines Roadside Rescue pulls cars, pickups and SUVs out of ditches, snowbanks and mud from $129 across the Des Moines area: call (515) 585-8351. Make the call from inside the car with your belt on.
Answered day and night, 24/7. Hear the price and the timing, say yes, and help is dispatched.
Tell us the road, the nearest exit or mile marker, or the cross street where you stopped.
Each price is a starting price. Availability, late hours, the distance, the weather and the vehicle can raise it. You get the final number on the call, before anything is set in motion.
Prices updated November 2026.
Key takeaways
- A winch-out near Des Moines starts at $129 when we can reach the car from the road.
- Iowa DOT says to stay inside, belted in, if you cannot get back on the road safely.
- Call 911 first if anyone is hurt, the car rolled or it sits in a lane.
- Tell us the road, your direction and which side of the road you went off.
What is included
Car or pickup in a ditch, mud, snow or on a soft shoulder? It is winched out when it can be reached safely from the pavement. Not drivable once it is out? We price the tow on the same call. Rollovers and injury crashes: call 911 first.
What Iowa DOT says to do after a slide-off
Iowa DOT's advice after a slide into the ditch or onto the shoulder is short. If you cannot get back on the road safely, stay inside the vehicle with your seat belt fastened and call 911. A car in the ditch can still be hit by the next driver who loses it on the same curve.
Is the emergency kit in the trunk? Iowa DOT suggests bringing the whole kit into the car in one trip, so your time outside stays short. If you run the engine for heat, keep the tailpipe clear of snow.
How to get a car pulled out of a ditch near Des Moines
Keep the hazard lights flashing so the next driver sees you. Leave the belt on until the truck parks beside you. Dial 911 before anything else if anyone is hurt, the car has rolled or any part of it sits in a lane.
Then call us at (515) 585-8351. Tell us which road you were on, which way you were heading and which side you went off. On that call we quote the pull and tell you the timing. The roads page lists the metro exits if you need a reference point.
Winch-outs during blizzards and road closures
Before the March 15, 2026 blizzard closures, Iowa DOT warned that rain on freezing pavement, heavy snow and whiteouts would make many roads impassable. On a day like that, the pull may have to wait until plows clear the road and police reopen it. Once you are safe and warm, we can price the winch-out and book it for when the road opens.
When a winch-out turns into a tow
A winch-out ends with the car back on firm ground and driving away. Did it hit something on the way down, leak fluid, bend a wheel or stop starting? Then it needs a tow as well, priced on the same call from $124.
Tell us what you see: how deep the ditch is, whether the car is upright and how far it sits from the pavement. Say whether it still runs. On the highways toward Adel, Indianola and Winterset, a mile marker or the nearest crossroad pins down where you are.
Winch-out questions
What does a ditch pull-out cost near Des Moines?
Around Des Moines, pulling a car out of a ditch starts at $129 if we can reach it safely from the road. The price rises if the car sits far off the road, in deep mud or snow, or needs a second pull. We tell you the final price on the call. Nothing is charged until you agree to it.
My car slid into the median on I-35. Who do I call?
Call 911 first if anyone is hurt, the car rolled or it sits in a lane of traffic on I-35. For any slide-off, Iowa DOT says to stay inside with the belt fastened. When it is time to winch the car out near Des Moines, call us at (515) 585-8351. Say which way you were driving and read us the closest mile marker.
Can you winch out a full-size pickup or a big SUV?
Yes, we winch out full-size pickups and large SUVs around Des Moines as well as cars. Tell us what you drive and how it sits when you call. A winch-out starts at $129. A heavier vehicle or a deeper pull is priced on that same call, before you say yes.
Can I get a winch-out during a snowstorm in Des Moines?
Yes, but a winch-out in a Des Moines snowstorm may have to wait if the road is closed. Iowa DOT warned before the March 15, 2026 closures that whiteouts and freezing rain would make many roads impassable. Stay belted in and call 911 if you are stuck in danger. We can price the pull and book it for when plows and police reopen the road.
Do I need a tow after a winch-out?
You need a tow after a Des Moines winch-out only if the car cannot be driven. A bent wheel, a fluid leak, damage from the slide or an engine that will not start all call for a tow. We price the tow on the same call, from $124, so you hear both prices at once.