Crooks to Box Elder is 334.7 miles and takes about 5h 22m via I 90, with a fuel budget near $50 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within South Dakota, beginning and ending in the Great Plains region. You'll be on the highway for most of the drive, making for a straightforward travel day. With only one recommended stop and a relatively short duration, this route is ideal for a single-day excursion. Plan for a mostly highway experience with minimal detours.
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
167.3 miles from Crooks, SD
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 43m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 90
327.6 mi
5h 7m
North Marion Road
1.3 mi
2m
258th Street
1 mi
2m
471st Avenue
1 mi
2m
North West Avenue
0.9 mi
2m
Highway 1416
0.9 mi
1m
Liberty Boulevard
0.5 mi
<1m
470th Avenue
0.4 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
I 90
— 327.6 mi, about 5h 7m
Traffic on I-90
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 42 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
2 PM
~319 veh/hr typical
· worst 594
Quietest
2 AM
~22 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
14.5×
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 Crooks, SD and Box Elder, SD.
1
Start on Superior Avenue
99 ft·9 sec·Superior Avenue
2
Turn left onto North West Avenue
0.9 mi·2 min·North West Avenue
3
Continue on CR 137
0.4 mi·1 min·470th Avenue
4
Turn left onto CR 130
1.0 mi·2 min·258th Street
5
Turn right onto 471st Avenue
1.0 mi·2 min·471st Avenue
6
Continue on North Marion Road
1.3 mi·2 min·North Marion Road
7
Take the ramp
0.5 mi·1 min
Toward I 90 West: Hartford, Mitchell
8
Merge onto I 90
328 mi·5 hr 7 min·I 90
9
Take the exit
0.4 mi·47 sec
Toward Box Elder, Elisworth AirForce Base
10
Keep slight left at fork
92 ft·7 sec
11
Turn left onto Liberty Boulevard
0.5 mi·52 sec·Liberty Boulevard
12
Turn right onto Highway 1416
0.9 mi·1 min·Highway 1416
13
Turn left onto Oak Street
0.1 mi·31 sec·Oak Street
14
Turn right onto Front Street
94 ft·4 sec·Front Street
15
Arrive at destination
Front Street
Trip Plan
Given the 5-hour driving time, leaving Crooks in the morning will allow you to reach Box Elder with plenty of daylight to spare. The route is efficient, with only one suggested stop, so you can make good time. Keep an eye on your fuel, especially as the longest stretch on I 90 is over 327 miles. While the fuel cost is estimated at $50, it’s always wise to fill up before embarking on longer highway segments. The flexibility of a single-day drive means you can adjust your departure time based on your schedule.
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 167.3 miles from Crooks, SD, or about 2h 43m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 327.6 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 74 miles or 1h 16m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 167.3 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 24m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Box Elder, SD than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Crooks, 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 Crooks, SD
This is one driving day of about 334.7 miles and 5h 22m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 74 miles from Crooks, 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 327.6 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 11
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 334.6 — 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 West Avenue
Turn left onto North West Avenue
Navigation decision point
4
1.4 mi into trip|~3m in|CR 130 / 258th Street
Turn left onto CR 130 / 258th Street
Navigation decision point
5
4.6 mi into trip|~10m in
Take the ramp toward I 90 West: Hartford, Mitchell
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 90 West: Hartford, Mitchell
5
332.7 mi into trip|~5h 18m in
Take the exit toward Box Elder, Elisworth AirForce Base
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward Box Elder, Elisworth AirForce Base
5
334.6 mi into trip|~5h 22m in|Front Street
Turn right onto Front Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$51.89 one way
$103.78 round trip
$3.94/gal25.4 MPG avg117 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.32
$56.90
$113.80
premium
$4.93
$64.94
$129.87
diesel
$5.60
$73.78
$147.56
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$52
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$77–$102
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 117.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $35 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
100.4
1
$35.14
$16.07
Efficient EV
83.7
0
$29.29
$13.39
EV Truck/SUV
133.9
1
$46.86
$21.42
Gas CO2
117 kg
EV CO2
39 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 Sep 1, 2026
Origin
Crooks, SD
Night
in Crooks on Tuesday
Local time
10:43 PM
CDT
Current temp
66°F
Partly Cloudy
N 5 mph1% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Box Elder, SD
Night
in Box Elder on Tuesday
Local time
9:43 PM
MDT
Current temp
58°F
Mostly Cloudy
NW 2 to 9 mph1% 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
8 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 22m 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...
24 mi from route
~61 min detour
$30
near mile 288.5
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...
25 mi from route
~62 min detour
Free
near mile 334.7
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is overwhelmingly on the highway, with 98% of the 334.7 miles on major roads like I 90. You'll experience a significant stretch of 327.6 miles on I 90, offering consistent cruising. The transition to surface roads will occur towards the end of your trip, with North Marion Road and 258th Street making up the final miles. Expect a consistent driving experience with frequent exits along the main interstate.
98% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 327.6 mi on I 90.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 90 and North Marion Road. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near North West Avenue.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 5h 22m drive. You will face about 11 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 West Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1.4 miles (CR 130 / 258th Street): Navigation decision point; at 4.6 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
The longest stretch is about 327.6 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.
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. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
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 (North West Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1.4 miles (CR 130 / 258th Street): Navigation decision point; at 4.6 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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 5.4 hours each way, a round trip means 10.8 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Box Elder, SD before the return drive.
