Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 2, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
5h 57m
Distance
374.2 mi
602 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$58
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
Medary, SD
Patrick
The drive from Box Elder, SD to Medary, SD covers 374.2 miles and takes about 5h 57m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 90, I 29, 471st Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 329.2 miles on I 90. At current regular gas prices, budget about $58.02 one way before food or hotel costs.
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
187.1 miles from Box Elder, SD
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 57m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 90 | 329.2 mi | 5h 9m |
| I 29 | 37.5 mi | 35m |
| 471st Avenue | 4 mi | 5m |
| 223rd Street | 1.5 mi | 3m |
| Highway 1416 | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Liberty Boulevard | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Oak Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Front Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 50 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
2 PM
~319 veh/hr typical · worst 594
Quietest
2 AM
~22 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
14.5×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 103 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Box Elder, SD and Medary, SD.
Start on Front Street
Turn left onto Oak Street
Turn right onto Highway 1416
Turn left onto Liberty Boulevard
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 90; US 14
Take the exit
Merge onto I 29
Take the exit
Turn left onto CR 4
Turn right onto CR 77
Arrive at 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 82 miles or 1h 18m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 187.1 miles or 2h 57m 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 57m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Medary, 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 374.2 miles and 5h 57m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
187 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 82 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 187.1 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 I 90 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 329.2 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 and 368.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn left onto Oak Street
Navigation decision point
Turn right onto Highway 1416
Navigation decision point
Turn left onto Liberty Boulevard
Navigation decision point
Take the ramp
Navigation decision point
Take the exit toward Nunda, Ward, Rest Area
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$58.02 one way
$116.03 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.32 | $63.61 | $127.23 |
| premium | $4.93 | $72.60 | $145.20 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $82.49 | $164.97 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$58
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$83–$108
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 130.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $39 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 112.3 | 1 | $39.29 | $17.96 |
| Efficient EV | 93.6 | 1 | $32.74 | $14.97 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 149.7 | 1 | $52.39 | $23.95 |
Gas CO2
131 kg
EV CO2
44 kg (66% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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
76°F
Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
Destination
Night in Medary on Tuesday
Local time
10:43 PM
CDT
Current temp
81°F
Mostly Cloudy
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
The destination clock does not match departure time, so double-check hotel check-in windows and late arrival plans.
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 Park
The rugged beauty of the Badlands draws visitors from around the world. These striking geologic deposits contain one of the world’s richest fossil beds. Ancient horses and rhinos once roamed here. The...
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.
374.2 mi in 5h 57m, mostly highway — 329.2 mi of that is on I 90.
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 Oak Street.
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 5h 57m 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 (Oak Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (Highway 1416): Navigation decision point; at 1 miles (Liberty Boulevard): Navigation decision point.
Gently rolling terrain
Total Climb
312 ft
Total Descent
1,767 ft
Highest Point
3,033 ft
Elevation Range
1,720 ft
Founded 1907
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 57m. Total distance: 374.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 57m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (98%). 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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