Colonial Pine Hills to Mitchell is 284.8 miles and takes about 4h 40m via I 90 and Elk Vale Road, with a fuel budget near $45 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays entirely within South Dakota, moving from the Great Plains region to another part of the Great Plains. The majority of your travel will be on the interstate, making for a straightforward trip. Given the relatively short duration, this route is ideal for a single-day excursion, offering a direct path between these two points.
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
142.4 miles from Colonial Pine Hills, SD
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 23m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 90
268 mi
4h 12m
Elk Vale Road
5.3 mi
7m
Catron Boulevard
4.8 mi
7m
Sheridan Lake Road
3 mi
4m
West Havens Avenue
0.8 mi
2m
South Ohlman Street
0.8 mi
1m
South Sanborn Boulevard
0.5 mi
1m
I 90 Business
0.4 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 90
— 268 mi, about 4h 12m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Colonial Pine Hills, SD and Mitchell, SD.
1
Start on Alfalfa Court
0.1 mi·34 sec·Alfalfa Court
2
Turn left onto Clarkson Road
0.2 mi·47 sec·Clarkson Road
3
At end of road, turn right onto Sheridan Lake Road
3.0 mi·4 min·Sheridan Lake Road
4
Turn slight right
413 ft·18 sec
5
Continue on this road
0.1 mi·31 sec·this road
6
Turn straight onto Catron Boulevard
4.8 mi·7 min·Catron Boulevard
Use the left lane.
7
Continue on US 16 Truck
5.3 mi·7 min·Elk Vale Road
8
Take the exit
0.5 mi·1 min
9
Merge onto I 90; US 14
268 mi·4 hr 12 min·I 90; US 14
10
Take the exit onto I 90 Business
0.4 mi·53 sec·I 90 Business
11
Turn left onto I 90 Business; SD 37
0.8 mi·1 min·South Ohlman Street
12
Take the exit
302 ft·8 sec
13
Turn straight onto I 90 Business
0.8 mi·2 min·West Havens Avenue
14
Turn left onto South Sanborn Boulevard
0.5 mi·1 min·South Sanborn Boulevard
15
Turn left onto West 1st Avenue
34 ft·1 sec·West 1st Avenue
16
Arrive at destination
West 1st Avenue
Trip Plan
For this 4h 40m drive, leaving in the morning from Colonial Pine Hills will give you ample time to reach Mitchell well before evening. With only one recommended stop and a short overall duration, you have flexibility in pacing. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially during the longest 268-mile stretch on I 90, as services can be spaced out. The estimated fuel cost is around $45, so plan accordingly before you depart.
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 142.4 miles from Colonial Pine Hills, SD, or about 2h 23m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 268 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 63 miles or 1h 8m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 142.4 miles or 2h 23m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 48m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Mitchell, SD than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Colonial Pine Hills, 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 Colonial Pine Hills, SD
This is one driving day of about 284.8 miles and 4h 40m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 63 miles from Colonial Pine Hills, 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 268 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 0.1 and 284.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|Clarkson Road
Turn left onto Clarkson Road
Navigation decision point
5
0.3 mi into trip|~1m in|Sheridan Lake Road
At end of road, turn right onto Sheridan Lake Road
Navigation decision point
4
282.7 mi into trip|~4h 35m in|I 90 Business; SD 37 / South Ohlman Street
Turn left onto I 90 Business; SD 37 / South Ohlman Street
Navigation decision point
4
284.3 mi into trip|~4h 39m in|South Sanborn Boulevard
Turn left onto South Sanborn Boulevard
Navigation decision point
4
284.8 mi into trip|~4h 40m in|West 1st Avenue
Turn left onto West 1st Avenue
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$44.53 one way
$89.05 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg100 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$48.89
$97.77
premium
$4.89
$54.81
$109.61
diesel
$5.61
$62.88
$125.76
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$45
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$70–$95
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 99.6 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
EV Charging Along Route
17 DC fast chargers
· Coverage: excellent
City of Wall Main Street Parking Lot - Tesla Supercharger
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $30 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
85.4
1
$29.90
$13.67
Efficient EV
71.2
0
$24.92
$11.39
EV Truck/SUV
113.9
1
$39.87
$18.23
Gas CO2
100 kg
EV CO2
33 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 Apr 15, 2026
Origin
Colonial Pine Hills, SD
Late night
in Colonial Pine Hills on Sunday
Local time
1:47 AM
MDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Mitchell, SD
Late night
in Mitchell on Sunday
Local time
2:47 AM
CDT
Current temp
77°F
Unavailable
Live 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 later
The destination clock does not match departure time, so double-check hotel check-in windows and late arrival plans.
Temperature spread
31 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
4h 40m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route is predominantly highway, with 94% of the 284.8 miles on interstates like I 90. You'll experience a long stretch of 268 miles on I 90 before transitioning to surface roads like Elk Vale Road and Catron Boulevard. Expect a consistent pace with fewer exits for a significant portion of the drive, typical of long interstate cruising.
94% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 268 mi on I 90.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 90 and Elk Vale Road. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Clarkson Road.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 4h 40m 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: at 0.1 miles (Clarkson Road): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (Sheridan Lake Road): Navigation decision point; at 282.7 miles (I 90 Business; SD 37 / South Ohlman Street): Navigation decision point.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 40m. Total distance: 284.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
The longest stretch is about 268 miles on I 90. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
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: at 0.1 miles (Clarkson Road): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (Sheridan Lake Road): Navigation decision point; at 282.7 miles (I 90 Business; SD 37 / South Ohlman Street): Navigation decision point.
Possible but tiring. At 4.7 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 9.4 hours — manageable with a long break at Mitchell, SD, but most travelers stay overnight.
