Brainard to Garrison is 11.6 miles and takes about 15 minutes via 32 Road, with a fuel budget near $2 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short drive stays within the Great Plains region of Nebraska, offering a straightforward local road experience. Given its brief duration, this trip is ideal for a quick excursion or as part of a larger journey through the area. Consider this route for its simplicity and directness, perfect for when you need to get from point A to point B without much fuss.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
32 Road
7.3 mi
8m
31 Road
1.2 mi
1m
T Road
1.2 mi
1m
Road L
1.1 mi
1m
Road 30
0.5 mi
1m
North Cleveland Street
0.4 mi
<1m
West Washington Street
<0.1 mi
<1m
Road KL
<0.1 mi
—
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
32 Road
— 7.3 mi, about 8m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Brainard, NE and Garrison, NE.
1
Start on West Washington Street
230 ft·13 sec·West Washington Street
2
Turn right onto North Cleveland Street
0.4 mi·57 sec·North Cleveland Street
3
Continue on S-12F
1.2 mi·1 min·T Road
4
Turn left onto N-92
7.3 mi·8 min·32 Road
5
Turn straight onto N-92
1.2 mi·1 min·31 Road
6
Turn left onto Road L
1.1 mi·1 min·Road L
7
Continue on Road 30
0.5 mi·1 min·Road 30
8
Turn left onto Road KL
24 ft·0 sec·Road KL
9
Arrive at destination
Road KL
Heads-up: tricky spots
4 of 4
4 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 11.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip|~0m in|North Cleveland Street
Turn right onto North Cleveland Street
Navigation decision point
3
1.6 mi into trip|~2m in|N-92 / 32 Road
Turn left onto N-92 / 32 Road
Navigation decision point
3
10 mi into trip|~12m in|Road L
Turn left onto Road L
Navigation decision point
3
11.6 mi into trip|~15m in|Road KL
Turn left onto Road KL
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.93 one way
$3.86 round trip
$4.22/gal25.4 MPG avg4 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.60
$2.10
$4.20
premium
$5.18
$2.37
$4.73
diesel
$5.35
$2.44
$4.89
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 4.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging
· 0 stops
· 75% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
3.5
0
$1.22
$0.56
Efficient EV
2.9
0
$1.02
$0.46
EV Truck/SUV
4.6
0
$1.62
$0.74
Gas CO2
4 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (75% 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 Jun 2, 2026
Origin
Brainard, NE
Afternoon
in Brainard on Wednesday
Local time
4:08 PM
CDT
Current temp
62°F
Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
ESE 8 mph53% chanceLive forecast
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued June 2 at 12:27AM CDT by NWS Hastings NE
Severe Thunderstorm Watch
Severe Thunderstorm Watch issued June 2 at 12:03AM CDT until June 2 at 2:00AM CDT by NWS North Platte NE
Destination
Garrison, NE
Afternoon
in Garrison on Wednesday
Local time
4:08 PM
CDT
Current temp
62°F
Showers And Thunderstorms Likely
ESE 7 mph55% chanceLive forecast
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued June 2 at 12:27AM CDT by NWS Hastings NE
Severe Thunderstorm Watch
Severe Thunderstorm Watch issued June 2 at 12:03AM CDT until June 2 at 2:00AM CDT by NWS North Platte NE
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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
15m on the road
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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route is characterized as a turn-heavy local drive, with no highway miles contributing to the 11.6-mile journey. You'll navigate primarily on 32 Road, 31 Road, and T Road, experiencing a more intimate connection with the local landscape. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 7.3 miles on 32 Road, allowing for a brief period of consistent travel before encountering more turns. Expect a dynamic driving experience that requires your attention due to the frequent changes in direction.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
9 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 7.3 mi on 32 Road.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near North Cleveland 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 15m drive. You will face about 4 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 (North Cleveland Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.6 miles (N-92 / 32 Road): Navigation decision point; at 10 miles (Road L): Navigation decision point.
The longest stretch is about 7.3 miles on 32 Road. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
Mostly yes along the main roads, but rural stretches through NE 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 (North Cleveland Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.6 miles (N-92 / 32 Road): Navigation decision point; at 10 miles (Road L): Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Garrison, NE before heading back.
