Bismarck, ND to Horace, ND is 195 miles and takes about 3 hours 13 minutes via I 94 and US 83, with a fuel budget near $31 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This route stays within the Great Plains region, offering a straightforward drive across North Dakota. It's a highway-focused journey, suitable for a single day of travel without needing an overnight stop. Expect a consistent pace for most of the drive, making it a practical option for reaching your destination efficiently.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
97.6 miles from Bismarck, ND
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 34m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 94
137 mi
2h 10m
US 83
49.7 mi
47m
CR 17
3.2 mi
5m
Sheyenne Street
3.1 mi
5m
State Street
1 mi
1m
North 9th Street
0.6 mi
<1m
East Rosser Avenue
0.2 mi
<1m
East Boulevard Avenue
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 94
— 137 mi, about 2h 10m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Bismarck, ND and Horace, ND.
1
Start on East Rosser Avenue
0.2 mi·47 sec·East Rosser Avenue
2
Turn left onto ND 1804
0.6 mi·53 sec·North 9th Street
3
Turn right onto ND 1804
227 ft·3 sec·East Boulevard Avenue
4
Continue on ND 1804
1.0 mi·1 min·State Street
5
Take the ramp onto US 83
50 mi·47 min·US 83
Toward FargoUse the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Continue on I 94
137 mi·2 hr 10 min·I 94
7
Take the exit
0.3 mi·32 sec
Toward Sheyenne Street
8
Keep slight right at fork
316 ft·8 sec
Toward Sheyenne Street
9
Turn right onto Sheyenne Street
3.1 mi·5 min·Sheyenne Street
10
Enter roundabout onto CR 17; CR 6
137 ft·3 sec·CR 17; CR 6
11
Continue on CR 17; CR 6
1.0 mi·1 min·CR 17; CR 6
12
Enter roundabout onto CR 17; CR 6
141 ft·3 sec·CR 17; CR 6
13
Continue on CR 17; CR 6
1.0 mi·1 min·CR 17; CR 6
14
Enter roundabout onto CR 17
144 ft·3 sec·CR 17
15
Continue on CR 17
1.1 mi·2 min·CR 17
16
Turn left onto Center Avenue
40 ft·1 sec·Center Avenue
17
Arrive at destination
Center Avenue
Trip Plan
Given the 3-hour 13-minute duration, departing Bismarck in the morning allows ample time to reach Horace comfortably within daylight hours. With only one recommended stop, you can plan your break strategically, perhaps around the halfway point, to refuel and stretch. Pay attention to the longest stretch of 137 miles on I 94; ensure you have sufficient fuel before embarking on this segment. This relatively short drive offers flexibility, so you can adjust your departure time as needed.
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 97.6 miles from Bismarck, ND, or about 1h 34m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 137 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 43 miles or 42m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 97.6 miles or 1h 34m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 34m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Horace, ND than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Bismarck, 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 Bismarck, ND
This is one driving day of about 195.2 miles and 3h 13m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 43 miles from Bismarck, 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 137 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 0.2 and 188.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.2 mi into trip|~0m in|ND 1804 / North 9th Street
Turn left onto ND 1804 / North 9th Street
Navigation decision point
4
0.8 mi into trip|~1m in|ND 1804 / East Boulevard Avenue
Turn right onto ND 1804 / East Boulevard Avenue
Navigation decision point
7
1.9 mi into trip|~3m in|US 83
Take the ramp onto US 83 toward Fargo
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward Fargo
4
188.6 mi into trip|~3h 1m in
Take the exit toward Sheyenne Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward Sheyenne Street
6
188.8 mi into trip|~3h 1m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Sheyenne Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward Sheyenne Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$30.52 one way
$61.03 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg68 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$33.51
$67.01
premium
$4.89
$37.56
$75.13
diesel
$5.61
$43.10
$86.20
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$31
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$56–$81
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 68.3 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $21 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
58.6
0
$20.50
$9.37
Efficient EV
48.8
0
$17.08
$7.81
EV Truck/SUV
78.1
0
$27.33
$12.49
Gas CO2
68 kg
EV CO2
23 kg (66% 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.
Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026
Origin
Bismarck, ND
Evening
in Bismarck on Saturday
Local time
8:26 PM
CDT
Current temp
70°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Horace, ND
Evening
in Horace on Saturday
Local time
8:26 PM
CDT
Current temp
43°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
65°F
Jamestown, ND
98 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
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
27 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
3h 13m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This is primarily a highway-focused drive, with 97% of the route utilizing major highways like I 94 and US 83. You'll experience long stretches of consistent speed, including one uninterrupted segment of 137 miles on I 94. The character of the road remains largely the same throughout, emphasizing efficient travel over varied scenery. Expect straightforward driving conditions typical of the Great Plains.
97% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 137 mi on I 94.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 94 and US 83. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near ND 1804 / North 9th Street.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 3h 13m 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: at 0.2 miles (ND 1804 / North 9th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.8 miles (ND 1804 / East Boulevard Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1.9 miles (US 83): Lane positioning matters here.
Bismarck (Hidasta: mirahacii arumaaguash; Arikara: ituhtaáwe) is the capital of North Dakota and the county seat of Burleigh County. Bismarck is North Dakota's second most populous city, after Fargo.
The longest stretch is about 137 miles on I 94. 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.
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 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 0.2 miles (ND 1804 / North 9th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.8 miles (ND 1804 / East Boulevard Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1.9 miles (US 83): Lane positioning matters here.
Possible but tiring. At 3.2 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 6.5 hours — manageable with a long break at Horace, ND, but most travelers stay overnight.
