Beresford, SD to Pierre, SD is 256 miles and takes about 4h 12m via I 90, I 29, and US Highway 83, with a fuel budget near $45 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Great Plains region, offering a straightforward drive across South Dakota. With 98% of the route on major highways, expect a smooth and efficient transit. It's a practical choice for a single-day trip, especially if you're looking to cover ground quickly between these two points.
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
128 miles from Beresford, SD
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 4m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 90
183.2 mi
2h 52m
I 29
36.5 mi
36m
US Highway 83
30.7 mi
34m
West Cedar Street
1 mi
1m
South 1st Street
1 mi
1m
West Sioux Avenue
0.9 mi
1m
North Deadwood Street
0.7 mi
<1m
North Highway 83
0.5 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 90
— 183.2 mi, about 2h 52m
Traffic on I-90
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 17 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
2 PM
~350 veh/hr typical
· worst 593
Quietest
2 AM
~23 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
15.2×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 52 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 Beresford, SD and Pierre, SD.
1
Start on East Main Street
89 ft·5 sec·East Main Street
2
Turn right onto North 3rd Street
0.2 mi·37 sec·North 3rd Street
3
Turn left onto SD 46
1.0 mi·1 min·West Cedar Street
4
Take the ramp
0.4 mi·45 sec
5
Merge onto I 29
36 mi·36 min·I 29
6
Take the exit
0.2 mi·29 sec
Toward I 90 West: Rapid City
7
Merge onto I 90
183 mi·2 hr 52 min·I 90
8
Take the exit
0.4 mi·48 sec
Toward US 83 North, SD 53: Pierre State Capitol, Fort Pierre
9
Keep slight left at fork
322 ft·8 sec
10
Turn right onto US 83
31 mi·34 min·US Highway 83
11
Continue on US 83; SD 1806
1.0 mi·1 min·South 1st Street
12
Continue on US 83; SD 1806
0.7 mi·47 sec·North Deadwood Street
13
Continue on US 14; US 83; SD 34
0.5 mi·33 sec·North Highway 83
14
Continue on US 14; US 83; SD 34
0.9 mi·1 min·West Sioux Avenue
15
Turn left onto SD 1889
0.2 mi·24 sec·South Pierre Street
16
Arrive at destination
SD 1889
Trip Plan
For this 4-hour drive, leaving Beresford, SD in the morning allows ample time to reach Pierre, SD before evening. The recommended single day for this route means you can be flexible with your departure time. Since the longest stretch is over 180 miles on I 90, plan your fuel stops accordingly, though with a $45 estimated fuel cost, you likely won't need many. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge as you approach the final leg on US Highway 83, as service availability can vary in more rural areas.
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 128 miles from Beresford, SD, or about 2h 4m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 183.2 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 56 miles or 56m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 128 miles or 2h 4m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 21m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Pierre, SD than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Beresford, SD 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 Beresford, SD
This is one driving day of about 256 miles and 4h 12m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 56 miles from Beresford, SD.
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 90 for about 183.2 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 0 and 222 — 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|North 3rd Street
Turn right onto North 3rd Street
Navigation decision point
4
0.2 mi into trip|~0m in|SD 46 / West Cedar Street
Turn left onto SD 46 / West Cedar Street
Navigation decision point
4
38.1 mi into trip|~39m in
Take the exit toward I 90 West: Rapid City
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward I 90 West: Rapid City
5
221.6 mi into trip|~3h 32m in
Take the exit toward US 83 North, SD 53: Pierre State Capitol, Fort Pierre
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 83 North, SD 53: Pierre State Capitol...
4
222 mi into trip|~3h 33m in
Keep slight left at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$37.81 one way
$75.61 round trip
$3.75/gal25.4 MPG avg90 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.14
$41.74
$83.47
premium
$4.72
$47.53
$95.06
diesel
$4.80
$48.34
$96.68
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$38
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$63–$88
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 89.6 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $27 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
76.8
0
$26.88
$12.29
Efficient EV
64
0
$22.40
$10.24
EV Truck/SUV
102.4
1
$35.84
$16.38
Gas CO2
90 kg
EV CO2
30 kg (67% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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 18, 2026
Origin
Beresford, SD
Late night
in Beresford on Sunday
Local time
5:16 AM
CDT
Current temp
72°F
Mostly Clear
ENE 5 mph2% chanceLive forecast
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued July 18 at 3:23AM MDT by NWS Rapid City SD
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 18 at 1:23AM MDT until July 19 at 9:00PM MDT by NWS Rapid City SD
Destination
Pierre, SD
Late night
in Pierre on Sunday
Local time
5:16 AM
CDT
Current temp
69°F
Partly Cloudy
ENE 7 mph3% chanceLive forecast
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued July 18 at 3:23AM MDT by NWS Rapid City SD
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 18 at 1:23AM MDT until July 19 at 9:00PM MDT by NWS Rapid City SD
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
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
3 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
4h 12m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is almost entirely highway, with 98% of the 256 miles on major roads like I 90 and I 29. You'll experience a longest stretch of 183.2 miles on I 90, meaning extended periods of steady cruising. The highway portion concludes as you transition to US Highway 83, where you might notice a change in the number of exits and the surrounding rural landscape. Expect minimal time on surface roads throughout this trip.
98% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 183.2 mi on I 90.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 90 and I 29. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near North 3rd Street.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 4h 12m drive. You will face about 10 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (North 3rd Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (SD 46 / West Cedar Street): Navigation decision point; at 38.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
2,152 ft1,348 ft
Total Climb
1,217 ft
Total Descent
1,239 ft
Highest Point
2,152 ft
~238.9 mi in
Elevation Range
804 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Beresford, SD to Pierre, SD, road signs begin pointing toward Fort Pierre along the way.
The longest stretch is about 183.2 miles on I 90. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 11 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.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
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 (North 3rd Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (SD 46 / West Cedar Street): Navigation decision point; at 38.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Possible but tiring. At 4.2 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 8.4 hours — manageable with a long break at Pierre, SD, but most travelers stay overnight.
