Box Elder, SD to Tea, SD is 344.3 miles and takes about 5h 30m via I 90, I 29, and East Gateway Boulevard, with a fuel budget near $53 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip primarily stays within the Great Plains region, offering a straightforward drive across South Dakota. With a recommended one-day duration and a high percentage of highway driving, it's a practical option for reaching your destination efficiently. Consider this route if you're looking for minimal fuss and a direct path across the state.
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
172.1 miles from Box Elder, SD
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 43m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 90
328.8 mi
5h 8m
I 29
10.2 mi
11m
East Gateway Boulevard
1.4 mi
2m
North Heritage Parkway
1 mi
1m
Highway 1416
0.9 mi
1m
East 1st Street
0.5 mi
<1m
Liberty Boulevard
0.2 mi
<1m
Oak Street
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 90
— 328.8 mi, about 5h 8m
Traffic on I-90
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 25 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
2 PM
~319 veh/hr typical
· worst 563
Quietest
2 AM
~22 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
14.5×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 52 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Box Elder, SD and Tea, SD.
1
Start on Front Street
94 ft·9 sec·Front Street
2
Turn left onto Oak Street
365 ft·18 sec·Oak Street
3
Turn right onto Highway 1416
0.9 mi·1 min·Highway 1416
4
Turn left onto Liberty Boulevard
0.2 mi·25 sec·Liberty Boulevard
5
Take the ramp
0.5 mi·1 min
6
Merge onto I 90; US 14
329 mi·5 hr 8 min·I 90; US 14
7
Take the exit
0.4 mi·57 sec
8
Merge onto I 29
10 mi·11 min·I 29
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.2 mi·30 sec
Exit 73Toward CR 106: TeaUse the slight right lane.
10
Keep slight right at fork
298 ft·7 sec
11
Turn straight onto CR 106
1.4 mi·2 min·East Gateway Boulevard
12
Turn left onto CR 111
1.0 mi·1 min·North Heritage Parkway
13
Turn right onto CR 106
0.5 mi·51 sec·East 1st Street
14
Arrive at destination
CR 106
Trip Plan
To make the most of this 5.5-hour drive, consider an early morning departure from Box Elder to maximize daylight. The longest stretch without a major road change is 328.8 miles on I 90, so plan your fuel and rest stops accordingly, perhaps around the halfway point. With only one recommended stop and a fuel cost around $53, this route is easily manageable in a single day. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially as you transition off the main interstates in the final miles.
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 172.1 miles from Box Elder, SD, or about 2h 43m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 328.8 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 76 miles or 1h 13m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 172.1 miles or 2h 43m 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 28m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Tea, SD than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
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 344.3 miles and 5h 30m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 76 miles from Box Elder, SD.
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 90 for about 328.8 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 and 341.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip|~0m in|Oak Street
Turn left onto Oak Street
Navigation decision point
4
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|Highway 1416
Turn right onto Highway 1416
Navigation decision point
5
330.9 mi into trip|~5h 13m in|I 29
Merge onto I 29
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
341.1 mi into trip|~5h 24m in
Take the exit toward CR 106: Tea
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 73
Toward CR 106: Tea
5
341.3 mi into trip|~5h 25m in
Keep slight right at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$50.85 one way
$101.69 round trip
$3.75/gal25.4 MPG avg121 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.14
$56.13
$112.26
premium
$4.72
$63.93
$127.85
diesel
$4.80
$65.01
$130.02
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$51
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$76–$101
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 120.5 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $36 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
103.3
1
$36.15
$16.53
Efficient EV
86.1
0
$30.13
$13.77
EV Truck/SUV
137.7
1
$48.20
$22.04
Gas CO2
120 kg
EV CO2
40 kg (67% 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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Forecast as of Jul 17, 2026
Origin
Box Elder, SD
Evening
in Box Elder on Saturday
Local time
7:14 PM
MDT
Current temp
98°F
Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
N 7 to 12 mph17% chanceLive forecast
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 17 at 1:49AM MDT until July 19 at 9:00PM MDT by NWS Rapid City SD
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 17 at 1:31AM CDT until July 17 at 9:00PM CDT by NWS Sioux Falls SD
Destination
Tea, SD
Evening
in Tea on Saturday
Local time
8:14 PM
CDT
Current temp
96°F
Sunny
SSW 5 to 10 mph2% chanceLive forecast
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 17 at 1:49AM MDT until July 19 at 9:00PM MDT by NWS Rapid City SD
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 17 at 1:31AM CDT until July 17 at 9:00PM CDT by NWS Sioux Falls 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
1 hour later
The destination clock does not match departure time, so double-check hotel check-in windows and late arrival plans.
Temperature spread
2 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 30m 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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Badlands National Park
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...
25 mi from route
~62 min detour
$30
near mile 47.5
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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
You'll spend 99% of your time on the highway, covering a significant 328.8 miles on I 90 before transitioning. The bulk of your driving will be on interstate highways, so expect consistent cruising speeds and well-maintained roads. As you approach your destination, you'll transition to East Gateway Boulevard, marking the end of the extensive highway portion of the trip.
99% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 328.8 mi on I 90.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
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.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 5h 30m 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 330.9 miles (I 29): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
The longest stretch is about 328.8 miles on I 90. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 21 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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. There are 21 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
Mostly yes along the main roads, but rural stretches through SD 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: near the start (Oak Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (Highway 1416): Navigation decision point; at 330.9 miles (I 29): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Badlands National Park and Mount Rushmore National Memorial. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 5.5 hours each way, a round trip means 11.0 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Tea, SD before the return drive.
