Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 2, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
4h 32m
Distance
209.5 mi
337 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$32
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Box Elder, SD
Wikimedia Commons
Lemmon, SD
Wikimedia Commons
Box Elder, SD to Lemmon, SD is 209.5 miles and takes about 4h 32m via State Highway 73, SD Highway 34, and I 90, with a fuel budget near $33 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Great Plains region of South Dakota, offering a straightforward drive across the state. It's a practical route, primarily on highways, making it a good option if you need to cover ground efficiently. With only one recommended stop and a manageable duration, it's well-suited for a single day of travel.
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
104.8 miles from Box Elder, SD
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 59m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| State Highway 73 | 85.5 mi | 2h 6m |
| SD Highway 34 | 76.2 mi | 1h 26m |
| I 90 | 30.8 mi | 32m |
| State Highway 20 | 6 mi | 8m |
| 1st Street West | 3.2 mi | 4m |
| Highway 1416 | 2 mi | 2m |
| I 90 Business | 1.8 mi | 3m |
| Lazelle Street | 1.1 mi | 1m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 32 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
5 PM
~1,360 veh/hr typical · worst 1,992
Quietest
2 AM
~39 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
34.9×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 75 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Box Elder, SD and Lemmon, SD.
Start on Front Street
At end of road, turn right onto South Ellsworth Road
Turn left onto Highway 1416
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 90; US 14
Take the exit onto I 90 Business
Keep slight right at fork onto I 90 Business
Turn right onto SD 34; SD 79
Continue on SD 34; SD 79
Turn left onto SD 73
Continue on SD 73
Turn left onto US 212; SD 73
Turn right onto SD 73
Continue on SD 20; SD 73
Turn straight onto SD 73
Turn right onto US 12; SD 73
Turn left onto Main Avenue
Arrive at destination
Since this trip is just under 4.5 hours and can be completed in a single day, you have flexibility with your departure time. Leaving Box Elder mid-morning should allow you to reach Lemmon with plenty of daylight. The main roads are well-suited for consistent travel, but keep an eye on your fuel, especially during the 85.5-mile segment on State Highway 73, as services might be spaced out. Plan for one stop to break up the drive and stretch your legs before reaching your destination.
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.
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 46 miles or 52m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 104.8 miles or 1h 59m 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 36m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Lemmon, SD than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Box Elder, 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 Box Elder, SD
This is one driving day of about 209.5 miles and 4h 32m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
105 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.
A short stop after about 46 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 104.8 miles from Box Elder, SD, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before State Highway 73 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 85.5 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 35.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
At end of road, turn right onto South Ellsworth Road
Navigation decision point
Turn left onto Highway 1416
Navigation decision point
Take the exit onto I 90 Business toward I 90 Business
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Keep slight right at fork onto I 90 Business
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Turn right onto SD 34; SD 79 / Lazelle Street
Navigation decision point
Regular Gas
$32.48 one way
$64.96 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.32 | $35.62 | $71.23 |
| premium | $4.93 | $40.65 | $81.29 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $46.18 | $92.36 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$32
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$57–$82
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 73.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $22 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 62.9 | 0 | $22.00 | $10.06 |
| Efficient EV | 52.4 | 0 | $18.33 | $8.38 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 83.8 | 1 | $29.33 | $13.41 |
Gas CO2
73 kg
EV CO2
25 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Night in Box Elder on Tuesday
Local time
9:43 PM
MDT
Current temp
61°F
Mostly Cloudy
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued August 25 at 1:43AM CDT until August 25 at 1:45AM CDT by NWS Aberdeen SD
Destination
Night in Lemmon on Tuesday
Local time
9:43 PM
MDT
Current temp
57°F
Mostly Clear
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued August 25 at 1:43AM CDT until August 25 at 1:45AM CDT by NWS Aberdeen 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
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
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.
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
National Memorial
Majestic figures of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln, surrounded by the beauty of the Black Hills of South Dakota, tell the story of the birth, growth, devel...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
This route is 97% highway, meaning you'll spend most of your time on high-speed roads. Expect an 85.5-mile stretch on State Highway 73 without many interruptions. The transition to surface roads will occur late in the drive, closer to Lemmon. Given the extensive highway use, anticipate steady cruising with minimal need for slowing down or navigating complex intersections.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on State Highway 73 and SD Highway 34. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near South Ellsworth Road.
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 4h 32m drive. You will face about 11 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (South Ellsworth Road): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (Highway 1416): Navigation decision point; at 33.8 miles (I 90 Business): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Gently rolling terrain
Total Climb
1,414 ft
Total Descent
1,881 ft
Highest Point
3,665 ft
~29.9 mi in
Elevation Range
1,390 ft
Founded 1907
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 32m. Total distance: 209.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 32m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (97%). Straightforward navigation.
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, NPS for national parks, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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