Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
27m
Distance
18 mi
29 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Good
6 stations
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Bigfork, MT
Wikimedia Commons
Kalispell, MT
Wikimedia Commons
Connecting Bigfork to Kalispell is a quick, straightforward 18-mile journey that typically takes about 27 minutes. You will spend the vast majority of your time on major roads, specifically utilizing MT 35, MT 82, and US 93 South. Because of the short distance, this is easily accomplished as a simple day trip, requiring no overnight stays or complex logistics. Budgeting around $3 for fuel should be more than sufficient for this efficient drive across the Mountain West. It is an ideal route for travelers looking to move between these two Montana towns with minimal fuss and maximum reliability.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 93 South | 7.1 mi | 9m |
| MT 82 | 6.9 mi | 8m |
| MT 35 | 2.6 mi | 4m |
| 1st Avenue East | 0.8 mi | 2m |
| Grand Drive | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| 3rd Street East | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Cascade Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Holt Drive | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Bigfork, MT and Kalispell, MT.
Start on Cascade Avenue
Turn right onto Grand Drive
Keep slight left at fork onto Holt Drive
Keep slight right at fork
Turn right onto MT 35
Turn left onto MT 82
Turn right onto US 93
Turn right onto 1st Avenue East
Turn left onto 3rd Street East
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.5 and 17.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Keep slight right at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Turn right onto MT 35
Lane positioning matters here
Turn left onto MT 82
Lane positioning matters here
Turn right onto 1st Avenue East
Lane positioning matters here
Turn left onto 3rd Street East
Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$2.85 one way
$5.70 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.22 | $2.99 | $5.98 |
| premium | $4.53 | $3.21 | $6.42 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.97 | $7.95 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.4 | 0 | $1.89 | $0.86 |
| Efficient EV | 4.5 | 0 | $1.58 | $0.72 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 7.2 | 0 | $2.52 | $1.15 |
Gas CO2
6 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (67% 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Night in Bigfork on Saturday
Local time
10:34 PM
MDT
Current temp
43°F
Partly Cloudy
Destination
Night in Kalispell on Saturday
Local time
10:34 PM
MDT
Current temp
40°F
Patchy Fog
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
This trip is a highway-focused drive, with 92% of your time spent on main thoroughfares. You should expect a consistent pace throughout the 18-mile stretch, as there are no mandated stops required to complete the route. The longest uninterrupted section you will encounter is a 7.1-mile segment along US 93 South, which allows for steady progress. While you will transition between different state highways, the road surface and general driving conditions remain predictable and well-maintained. Behind the wheel, you will find a direct experience that prioritizes efficiency over technical, winding backroads.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 93 South and MT 82. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.5 miles in.
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 8 decision points packed into just 18 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 27m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 0.6 miles (MT 35): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.1 miles (MT 82): Lane positioning matters here.
Kalispell is a town in Montana, near Glacier National Park. The name of the town means "flat land above the lake" in Salish, a Native American language. The population is about 23,000 (2016).
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 27m. Total distance: 18 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
27m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (92%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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