Connecting Billings to Havre requires a 248.4-mile journey across the Montana landscape. Expect to spend approximately 4 hours and 27 minutes behind the wheel for this trek. Because the route is categorized as a turn-heavy local drive, it is best suited for a single-day trip rather than an overnight excursion. You should budget about $34 for fuel to cover the distance. Navigating through the Mountain West, you will transition between local streets like North 18th Street, 1st Avenue North, and Main Street. This path offers a direct, functional connection between the two cities for travelers who prefer local roads over high-speed interstates.
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
124.2 miles from Billings, MT
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 45m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
MT 66
50 mi
1h 14m
US 2
46.4 mi
52m
Roundup Road
44.4 mi
48m
US 87
44.4 mi
1h 2m
US 191
35.8 mi
53m
MT 19
21.5 mi
31m
Main Street
4.2 mi
6m
1st Avenue North
0.7 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
MT 66
— 50 mi, about 1h 14m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Billings, MT and Havre, MT.
1
Start on I 90 Business
0.5 mi·1 min·Montana Avenue
2
Turn left onto I 90 Business
420 ft·8 sec·North 18th Street
3
At end of road, turn right onto I 90 Business
0.7 mi·1 min·1st Avenue North
4
Continue on 1st Avenue North
403 ft·9 sec·1st Avenue North
5
Continue on US 87
3.5 mi·5 min·Main Street
6
Turn slight left onto US 87
44 mi·48 min·Roundup Road
7
Turn left onto US 12; US 87
0.7 mi·1 min·Main Street
8
Turn slight left onto US 87
44 mi·1 hr 2 min·US 87
9
Continue on MT 19
21 mi·31 min·MT 19
10
Continue on US 191
36 mi·53 min·US 191
11
Turn left onto MT 66
50 mi·1 hr 14 min·MT 66
12
Turn left onto US 2
46 mi·52 min·US 2
13
Turn left onto 1st Avenue
0.3 mi·1 min·1st Avenue
14
Turn right onto 5th Street
421 ft·20 sec·5th Street
15
Turn right onto Montana Avenue
161 ft·7 sec·Montana Avenue
16
Arrive at destination
Montana Avenue
Trip Plan
Given the 4-hour and 27-minute duration, you have plenty of flexibility to plan your departure time to avoid local congestion. While the route is compact enough for a single day, budget for at least one stop to break up the turns and keep your focus sharp. Since you are relying on local roads, keep a close watch on your fuel gauge; even with a $34 estimate, local driving can sometimes burn fuel differently than steady highway cruising. Plan to depart early in the morning to maximize daylight, as navigating turn-heavy local streets is significantly easier with full visibility. Use the stop to stretch your legs and reset, as the constant steering on these specific roads can be more taxing than a standard highway drive.
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 124.2 miles from Billings, MT, or about 2h 45m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 50 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 55 miles or 1h 5m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 124.2 miles or 2h 45m 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 43m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Havre, MT than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Billings, MT 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 Billings, MT
This is one driving day of about 248.3 miles and 5h 35m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 55 miles from Billings, MT.
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 MT 66 for about 50 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
4.7 mi from route
~12 min detour
$10 to $20
mile 88.7
Grass Range, Montana
Hours: 6 am–2 pm
+14064282242
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 7
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.5 and 248.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.5 mi into trip|~1m in|I 90 Business / 1st Avenue North
At end of road, turn right onto I 90 Business / 1st Avenue North
Navigation decision point
3
49.2 mi into trip|~57m in|US 12; US 87 / Main Street
Turn left onto US 12; US 87 / Main Street
Navigation decision point
4
247.9 mi into trip|~5h 33m in|1st Avenue
Turn left onto 1st Avenue
Navigation decision point
4
248.2 mi into trip|~5h 34m in|5th Street
Turn right onto 5th Street
Navigation decision point
4
248.3 mi into trip|~5h 35m in|Montana Avenue
Turn right onto Montana Avenue
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$39.35 one way
$78.69 round trip
$4.03/gal25.4 MPG avg87 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.22
$41.24
$82.49
premium
$4.53
$44.29
$88.59
diesel
$5.61
$54.82
$109.64
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$39
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$64–$89
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 86.9 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $26 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
74.5
0
$26.07
$11.92
Efficient EV
62.1
0
$21.73
$9.93
EV Truck/SUV
99.3
1
$34.76
$15.89
Gas CO2
87 kg
EV CO2
29 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 Apr 15, 2026
Origin
Billings, MT
Night
in Billings on Saturday
Local time
10:37 PM
MDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Havre, MT
Night
in Havre on Saturday
Local time
10:37 PM
MDT
Current temp
67°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
7 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
5h 35m 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?
Forget the monotony of the interstate; this route is defined by its turn-heavy, local profile. With 0% of the drive on major highways, you will be navigating local arteries like North 18th Street and Main Street for the duration of the trip. Because there is no extended highway cruising, your longest uninterrupted stretch is 0 miles, requiring your full attention on the road ahead. The experience is intimate and demanding, as the path relies entirely on local infrastructure. You can expect a hands-on driving experience that changes frequently as you transition between urban and rural local road segments.
80% 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: 50 mi on MT 66.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on MT 66 and US 2. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.5 miles in near I 90 Business / 1st Avenue North.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 5h 35m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.5 miles (I 90 Business / 1st Avenue North): Navigation decision point; at 49.2 miles (US 12; US 87 / Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 247.9 miles (1st Avenue): Navigation decision point.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 35m. Total distance: 248.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
The longest stretch is about 50 miles on MT 66. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
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. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
Mostly yes along the main roads, but rural stretches through MT 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 0.5 miles (I 90 Business / 1st Avenue North): Navigation decision point; at 49.2 miles (US 12; US 87 / Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 247.9 miles (1st Avenue): Navigation decision point.
Not recommended in a single day. At 5.6 hours each way, a round trip means 11.2 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Havre, MT before the return drive.
