Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 2, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 9m
Distance
64.1 mi
103 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$11
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Bozeman, MT
Wikimedia Commons
Townsend, MT
James Mirakian
The drive from Bozeman, MT to Townsend, MT covers 64.1 miles and takes about 1h 9m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 90 Business, Highway 287, North 7th Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 31.8 miles on I 90 Business. At current regular gas prices, budget about $11.12 one way before food or hotel costs.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 90 Business | 31.8 mi | 32m |
| Highway 287 | 30.4 mi | 33m |
| North 7th Avenue | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| North Willson Avenue | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| West Peach Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 8 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~808 veh/hr typical · worst 1,118
Quietest
2 AM
~43 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
18.8×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 90 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Bozeman, MT and Townsend, MT.
Start on North Willson Avenue
Turn left onto West Peach Street
Turn right onto I 90 Business
Turn left onto I 90 Business
Take the exit
Turn right onto US 287
Turn right
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
32 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 14 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 32.1 miles from Bozeman, MT, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
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 0.4 and 64.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn left onto West Peach Street
Navigation decision point
Turn right onto I 90 Business / North 7th Avenue
Navigation decision point
Take the exit toward US 287: Helena, Ennis
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Turn right onto US 287 / Highway 287
Lane positioning matters here
Turn right
Navigation decision point
Regular Gas
$11.12 one way
$22.23 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $11.63 | $23.25 |
| premium | $4.95 | $12.49 | $24.98 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $14.13 | $28.26 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 22.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 19.2 | 0 | $6.73 | $3.08 |
| Efficient EV | 16 | 0 | $5.61 | $2.56 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 25.6 | 0 | $8.97 | $4.10 |
Gas CO2
22 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (68% 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
Morning in Bozeman on Wednesday
Local time
6:39 AM
MDT
Current temp
53°F
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
Destination
Morning in Townsend on Wednesday
Local time
6:39 AM
MDT
Current temp
56°F
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
45°F
Three Forks, MT
32 mi in
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
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
64.1 mi in 1h 9m, mostly highway — 31.8 mi of that is on I 90 Business.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 90 Business and Highway 287. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes around 0.4 miles in near West Peach Street.
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Bozeman, MT to Townsend, MT is easy. At 1h 9m with 97% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.4 miles (West Peach Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.8 miles (I 90 Business / North 7th Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 33.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
397 ft
Total Descent
1,364 ft
Highest Point
4,811 ft
Elevation Range
968 ft
Notable High Points
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Bozeman, MT to Townsend, MT, road signs begin pointing toward Ennis along the way.
Ennis
Bozeman is a city in Montana's Yellowstone Country. Set in the middle of the Rocky Mountains, this college town is a place for experiencing the great outdoors around the year, and for those days the weather makes you want to stay indoors there are a number of museums and galleries to explore.
Top landmarks
Founded 1883
Townsend is a town in Montana. It is the county seat of Broadwater County and about 1,700 people live there. Townsend is at the southern tip of Canyon Ferry Reservoir, a year-round popular spot for boaters and fisherman.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 9m. Total distance: 64.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 9m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
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, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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