Origin
Belle Fourche, SD
Evening in Belle Fourche on Saturday
Local time
8:49 PM
MDT
Current temp
76°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Belle Fourche, SD to Rapid City, SD
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 3m
Distance
55.1 mi
89 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 59m
★
6 AM
1h 4m
8 AM
1h 14m
10 AM
1h 7m
12 PM
1h 6m
3 PM
1h 8m
5 PM
1h 13m
8 PM
1h 1m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Belle Fourche, SD
Wikimedia Commons
Rapid City, SD
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are traveling between Belle Fourche and Rapid City, you are looking at a straightforward 55.2-mile trek across the Great Plains. This drive typically takes about 54 minutes, making it an easy day trip that does not require an overnight stay. You will primarily navigate via State Street, 5th Avenue, and Highway 34 to reach your destination. With a fuel budget of approximately $8, this is an incredibly economical route to manage. Since both cities are located within the Great Plains, you can expect a consistent landscape throughout the journey. It is a practical connection that serves well for those looking to reach Rapid City quickly without the need for extensive travel planning.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 90 | 23.3 mi | 23m |
| SD Highway 34 | 17.5 mi | 21m |
| SD 34 | 10.7 mi | 10m |
| 5th Avenue | 1.7 mi | 3m |
| I 190 | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| Mount Rushmore Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Omaha Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| State Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 90
— 23.3 mi, about 23m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Belle Fourche, SD and Rapid City, SD.
1
Start on 6th Avenue
27 ft
·
6 sec
·
6th Avenue
2
Turn left onto US 212 Business
384 ft
·
20 sec
·
State Street
3
Turn left onto US 85
1.7 mi
·
3 min
·
5th Avenue
4
Turn left onto SD 34
18 mi
·
21 min
·
SD Highway 34
5
Take the ramp onto SD 34
11 mi
·
10 min
·
SD 34
6
Continue on I 90; US 14; SD 79
23 mi
·
23 min
·
I 90; US 14; SD 79
7
Take the exit onto I 190
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
I 190
Toward I 190: Mount Rushmore, Downtown
8
Turn left onto US 16; SD 44
0.2 mi
·
39 sec
·
Omaha Street
Use the right lane.
9
Turn right onto US 16
0.2 mi
·
45 sec
·
Mount Rushmore Road
Use the right lane.
10
Arrive at destination
US 16
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
28 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 27.6 miles from Belle Fourche, SD, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 75 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 54.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 212 Business / State Street
Turn left onto US 212 Business / State Street
Navigation decision point
4
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 85 / 5th Avenue
Turn left onto US 85 / 5th Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
53.2 mi into trip
|
~1h in
|
I 190
Take the exit onto I 190 toward I 190: Mount Rushmore, Downtown
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 190: Mount Rushmore, Downtown
4
54.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 2m in
|
US 16; SD 44 / Omaha Street
Turn left onto US 16; SD 44 / Omaha Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
7
54.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 2m in
|
US 16 / Mount Rushmore Road
Turn right onto US 16 / Mount Rushmore Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.61 one way
$17.23 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $9.46 | $18.92 |
| premium | $4.89 | $10.60 | $21.21 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.17 | $24.33 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 19.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16.5 | 0 | $5.79 | $2.64 |
| Efficient EV | 13.8 | 0 | $4.82 | $2.20 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 22 | 0 | $7.71 | $3.53 |
Gas CO2
19 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (68% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
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.
Destination
Rapid City, SD
Evening in Rapid City on Saturday
Local time
8:49 PM
MDT
Current temp
78°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
74°F
Sturgis, SD
28 mi in
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
2 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
1h 3m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive rather than a high-speed interstate cruise, as this route features 0% highway share. Because you are sticking to local roads and state highways, you will encounter more frequent changes in direction compared to a standard freeway trek. There is no single long, uninterrupted stretch to settle into, meaning you will need to stay attentive to the road ahead. Navigating these local thoroughfares requires a bit more focus than a typical highway drive. It is a functional, boots-on-the-ground experience that keeps you engaged with the local road network for the entire 54-minute duration.
96% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
10 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 23.3 mi on I 90.
How Hard Is This Drive?
2/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 90 and SD Highway 34. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 212 Business / State Street.
Driving Effort
2/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Belle Fourche, SD to Rapid City, SD is easy. At 1h 3m with 96% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 212 Business / State Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (US 85 / 5th Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 53.2 miles (I 190): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
3,689 ft
3,021 ft
Total Climb
762 ft
Total Descent
540 ft
Highest Point
3,689 ft
~31.5 mi in
Elevation Range
668 ft
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 3m. Total distance: 55.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 3m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (96%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 23.3 miles on I 90. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
Mostly yes along the main roads, but rural stretches through SD 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: near the start (US 212 Business / State Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (US 85 / 5th Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 53.2 miles (I 190): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Mount Rushmore National Memorial. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Rapid City, SD before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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