Belfield, ND to Wahpeton, ND is 360.4 miles and takes about 5h 53m via I 94, I 29, and State Highway 13, with a fuel budget near $55 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Great Plains region of North Dakota, offering a straightforward travel experience. The majority of your time will be spent on well-maintained interstates, making it an efficient way to cover ground. Consider this route if you need to get from western North Dakota to the southeastern part of the state without a lot of fuss.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
180.2 miles from Belfield, ND
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 55m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 94
306.6 mi
4h 55m
I 29
40.4 mi
38m
State Highway 13
10.6 mi
12m
Dakota Avenue
0.4 mi
1m
Highway 10 East
0.4 mi
1m
Main Street North
0.4 mi
<1m
Theodore Roosevelt Expressway
0.3 mi
<1m
2nd Avenue North
0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 94
— 306.6 mi, about 4h 55m
Traffic on I-94
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 22 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
5 PM
~525 veh/hr typical
· worst 743
Quietest
3 AM
~64 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
8.2×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 49 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Belfield, ND and Wahpeton, ND.
1
Start on 1st Avenue Northwest
33 ft·7 sec·1st Avenue Northwest
2
Turn left onto Main Street North
0.4 mi·58 sec·Main Street North
3
Turn right onto Highway 10 East
0.4 mi·1 min·Highway 10 East
4
Turn left onto US 85
0.3 mi·23 sec·Theodore Roosevelt Expressway
5
Take the exit
0.3 mi·32 sec
6
Merge onto I 94
307 mi·4 hr 55 min·I 94
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.4 mi·57 sec
Toward I 29 South, US 81 South: Sioux Falls
8
Merge onto I 29; US 81
40 mi·38 min·I 29; US 81
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi·36 sec
Exit 23AToward ND 13 East: Wahpeton
10
Continue on ND 13
11 mi·12 min·State Highway 13
Use the straight lane.
11
Continue on ND 13
0.4 mi·1 min·Dakota Avenue
12
Turn left onto 6th Street North
387 ft·19 sec·6th Street North
Use the left lane.
13
Turn right onto 2nd Avenue North
0.1 mi·26 sec·2nd Avenue North
14
Arrive at destination
2nd Avenue North
Trip Plan
Given the 5h 53m estimated drive time, leaving Belfield in the morning should allow you to reach Wahpeton well before dark. With a total distance of 360.4 miles, this is comfortably a one-day trip, so you have flexibility in your departure time. Keep an eye on your fuel; the estimated cost is around $55. The longest stretch without significant breaks is over 300 miles on I 94, so plan your fuel and rest stops accordingly before you embark on that portion.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 180.2 miles from Belfield, ND, or about 2h 55m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 306.6 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 79 miles or 1h 17m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 180.2 miles or 2h 55m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 51m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Wahpeton, ND than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Belfield, ND so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Belfield, ND
This is one driving day of about 360.4 miles and 5h 53m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 79 miles from Belfield, ND.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on I 94 for about 306.6 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 10
5 decision points cluster between mile 1.4 and 360.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
1.4 mi into trip|~3m in|I 94
Merge onto I 94
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
308 mi into trip|~4h 58m in
Take the exit toward I 29 South, US 81 South: Sioux Falls
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 29 South, US 81 South: Sioux Falls
5
348.9 mi into trip|~5h 38m in
Take the exit toward ND 13 East: Wahpeton
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 23A
Toward ND 13 East: Wahpeton
6
360.2 mi into trip|~5h 53m in|6th Street North
Turn left onto 6th Street North
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
360.3 mi into trip|~5h 53m in|2nd Avenue North
Turn right onto 2nd Avenue North
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$53.22 one way
$106.45 round trip
$3.75/gal25.4 MPG avg126 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.14
$58.76
$117.51
premium
$4.72
$66.92
$133.83
diesel
$4.80
$68.05
$136.10
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$53
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$78–$103
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 126.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $38 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
108.1
1
$37.84
$17.30
Efficient EV
90.1
1
$31.54
$14.42
EV Truck/SUV
144.2
1
$50.46
$23.07
Gas CO2
126 kg
EV CO2
42 kg (67% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Forecast as of Jul 17, 2026
Origin
Belfield, ND
Evening
in Belfield on Saturday
Local time
8:50 PM
MDT
Current temp
61°F
Patchy Fog
NE 7 mph12% chanceLive forecast
Dense Fog Advisory
Dense Fog Advisory issued July 17 at 2:36AM CDT until July 17 at 10:00AM CDT by NWS Bismarck ND
Destination
Wahpeton, ND
Night
in Wahpeton on Saturday
Local time
9:50 PM
CDT
Current temp
70°F
Partly Cloudy
S 9 mph4% chanceLive forecast
Dense Fog Advisory
Dense Fog Advisory issued July 17 at 2:36AM CDT until July 17 at 10:00AM CDT by NWS Bismarck ND
65°F
Medina, ND
180 mi in
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
Time zone
1 hour later
The destination clock does not match departure time, so double-check hotel check-in windows and late arrival plans.
Temperature spread
9 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
5h 53m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Theodore Roosevelt National Park
National Park
When Theodore Roosevelt came to Dakota Territory to hunt bison in 1883, he was a skinny, young, spectacled dude from New York. He could not have imagined how his adventure in this remote and unfamilia...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
You'll be on highway for 99% of this 360.4-mile drive. The longest uninterrupted stretch is 306.6 miles on I 94. Expect a mostly highway profile with very few transitions to surface roads as you approach Wahpeton on State Highway 13. The abundance of highway miles means you'll encounter frequent exit ramps and relatively consistent cruising speeds for most of the trip.
99% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 306.6 mi on I 94.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 94 and I 29. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 1.4 miles in near I 94.
Driving Effort5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 360.4 miles you will encounter 10 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.4 miles (I 94): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 308 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 348.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Wahpeton is a town in the Red River Valley of North Dakota. It has a population of about 8,000 people (2020). It is the home of North Dakota State College of Science.
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 53m. Total distance: 360.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 53m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (99%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 306.6 miles on I 94. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 22 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. There are 22 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
Mostly yes along the main roads, but rural stretches through ND can have sparse or no coverage. Before you leave, download offline Google Maps or Apple Maps for the route, and consider downloading music or podcasts instead of streaming. If you depend on data for navigation, keep a paper backup of the turn-by-turn directions.
The main spots that need attention: at 1.4 miles (I 94): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 308 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 348.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Yes — Theodore Roosevelt National Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 5.9 hours each way, a round trip means 11.8 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Wahpeton, ND before the return drive.
