Brandon, SD to North Spearfish, SD is 400.1 miles and takes about 6h 26m via I 90, with a fuel budget near $63 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within South Dakota, beginning in the Great Plains and continuing through similar terrain. The vast majority of this drive is on the interstate, making it a straightforward option if you're looking for efficiency. With just one recommended stop and a single-day timeframe, this route is designed for straightforward 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
200 miles from Brandon, SD
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 3h 12m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 90
397.2 mi
6h 19m
North Splitrock Boulevard
1 mi
2m
McGuigan Road
0.8 mi
1m
Old Belle Road
0.4 mi
<1m
East Sylvan Circle
<0.1 mi
<1m
North Pipestone Street
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 90
— 397.2 mi, about 6h 19m
Traffic on I-90
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 90 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~640 veh/hr typical
· worst 1,010
Quietest
2 AM
~27 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
23.7×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 103 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 Brandon, SD and North Spearfish, SD.
1
Start on North Pipestone Street
44 ft·3 sec·North Pipestone Street
2
Turn right onto East Sylvan Circle
107 ft·6 sec·East Sylvan Circle
3
Turn right onto SD 11
1.0 mi·2 min·North Splitrock Boulevard
4
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·36 sec
5
Merge onto I 90
397 mi·6 hr 19 min·I 90
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.3 mi·45 sec
Toward I-90 West
7
Turn left onto CR 1050
0.4 mi·38 sec·Old Belle Road
8
Continue on CR 1341
0.8 mi·1 min·McGuigan Road
9
Turn right
427 ft·31 sec
10
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
Given the 6h 26m estimated duration, leaving Brandon, SD in the morning should allow you to reach North Spearfish, SD with plenty of daylight to spare. While the drive is long, the 397.2-mile stretch on I 90 means you can cover significant ground efficiently. Plan for one primary stop to break up the drive. Keep an eye on your fuel levels, especially as you get closer to North Spearfish, as the last few miles are not on the interstate where fuel stops are more frequent.
Morning Departure
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Evening Departure
This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 200 miles from Brandon, SD, or about 3h 12m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 397.2 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 88 miles or 1h 25m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 200 miles or 3h 12m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 5h 26m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near North Spearfish, SD than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Brandon, 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 Brandon, SD
This is one driving day of about 400.1 miles and 6h 26m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 88 miles from Brandon, 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 397.2 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 6
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 398.9 — 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|East Sylvan Circle
Turn right onto East Sylvan Circle
Navigation decision point
4
0 mi into trip|~0m in|SD 11 / North Splitrock Boulevard
Turn right onto SD 11 / North Splitrock Boulevard
Navigation decision point
5
1.3 mi into trip|~2m in|I 90
Merge onto I 90
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4
398.5 mi into trip|~6h 22m in
Take the exit toward I-90 West
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward I-90 West
4
398.9 mi into trip|~6h 23m in|CR 1050 / Old Belle Road
Turn left onto CR 1050 / Old Belle Road
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$66.74 one way
$133.48 round trip
$4.24/gal25.4 MPG avg140 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.61
$72.54
$145.08
premium
$5.26
$82.84
$165.68
diesel
$6.18
$97.33
$194.66
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$67
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$92–$117
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 140 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-12.
Driving Electric?
About $42 in charging
· 1 stop
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
120
1
$42.01
$19.20
Efficient EV
100
1
$35.01
$16.00
EV Truck/SUV
160
2
$56.01
$25.61
Gas CO2
140 kg
EV CO2
47 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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Forecast as of Oct 19, 2026
Origin
Brandon, SD
Morning
in Brandon on Tuesday
Local time
10:43 AM
CDT
Current temp
40°F
Mostly Cloudy
0 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Destination
North Spearfish, SD
Morning
in North Spearfish on Tuesday
Local time
9:43 AM
MDT
Current temp
41°F
Clear
SE 6 mph0% chanceLive forecast
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 earlier
The destination clock does not match departure time, so double-check hotel check-in windows and late arrival plans.
Temperature spread
1 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
6h 26m on the road
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
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.
Mount Rushmore National Memorial
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...
22 mi from route
~56 min detour
Free
near mile 344.9
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...
24 mi from route
~60 min detour
$30
near mile 289.7
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route is almost entirely highway driving, with a 99% highway share. You'll be on I 90 for the longest stretch, covering 397.2 miles. The transition to surface roads happens very late in the trip, with North Splitrock Boulevard and McGuigan Road making up the final miles. Expect a consistent driving experience with frequent exits along the interstate.
99% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
10 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 397.2 mi on I 90.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 90 and North Splitrock Boulevard. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near East Sylvan Circle.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The route itself is not hard, but at 6h 26m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 6 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (East Sylvan Circle): Navigation decision point; near the start (SD 11 / North Splitrock Boulevard): Navigation decision point; at 1.3 miles (I 90): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
The longest stretch is about 397.2 miles on I 90. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 26 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.
It helps. This is a long drive, so arriving tired and in the dark compounds. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at North Spearfish, SD before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
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 26 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 (East Sylvan Circle): Navigation decision point; near the start (SD 11 / North Splitrock Boulevard): Navigation decision point; at 1.3 miles (I 90): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Mount Rushmore National Memorial and Badlands National Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 6.4 hours each way, a round trip means 12.9 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at North Spearfish, SD before the return drive.
