Origin
Deadwood, SD
Late night in Deadwood on Tuesday
Local time
3:22 AM
MDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Deadwood, SD to Rapid City, SD
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
46m
Distance
41.6 mi
67 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 43m
★
6 AM
0h 46m
8 AM
0h 54m
10 AM
0h 49m
12 PM
0h 48m
3 PM
0h 50m
5 PM
0h 54m
8 PM
0h 44m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Deadwood, SD
Alfo Medeiros
Rapid City, SD
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Traveling between Deadwood and Rapid City is a straightforward 41.6-mile journey that typically takes about 46 minutes behind the wheel. Because this trip is short, you can easily complete it as a single-day excursion without needing an overnight stay. You will primarily navigate via SD 79, Main Street, and I-190, keeping you firmly within the Great Plains region for the duration of the trip. With fuel costs estimated at just $6, it is an economical route for travelers moving through South Dakota. Whether you are shifting your home base or simply exploring the area, this efficient connection makes for a stress-free transition between these two locations.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| SD 79 | 27.5 mi | 28m |
| Main Street | 9.4 mi | 11m |
| I 190 | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| Boulder Canyon Road | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| Lazelle Street | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| Pioneer Way | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Mount Rushmore Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Omaha Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
SD 79
— 27.5 mi, about 28m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Deadwood, SD and Rapid City, SD.
1
Start on Lee Street
184 ft
·
13 sec
·
Lee Street
2
Turn left onto Main Street
344 ft
·
16 sec
·
Main Street
3
Turn left onto Deadwood Street
219 ft
·
12 sec
·
Deadwood Street
4
Turn left onto US 14A; US 85
0.4 mi
·
32 sec
·
Pioneer Way
5
Continue on US 14A; US 85
9.3 mi
·
11 min
·
Main Street
6
Continue on US 14A
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Boulder Canyon Road
7
Continue on US 14A
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Lazelle Street
8
Take the exit onto SD 79
27 mi
·
28 min
·
SD 79
9
Take the exit onto I 190
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
I 190
Toward I 190: Mount Rushmore, Downtown
10
Turn left onto US 16; SD 44
0.2 mi
·
39 sec
·
Omaha Street
Use the right lane.
11
Turn right onto US 16
0.2 mi
·
45 sec
·
Mount Rushmore Road
Use the right lane.
12
Arrive at destination
US 16
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
21 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.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 41.6 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 20.8 miles from Deadwood, SD, 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.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 75 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 41.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Main Street
Turn left onto Main Street
Navigation decision point
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Deadwood Street
Turn left onto Deadwood Street
Navigation decision point
4
12.1 mi into trip
|
~14m in
|
SD 79
Take the exit onto SD 79
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
5
39.6 mi into trip
|
~42m in
|
I 190
Take the exit onto I 190 toward I 190: Mount Rushmore, Downtown
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 190: Mount Rushmore, Downtown
7
41.3 mi into trip
|
~45m in
|
US 16 / Mount Rushmore Road
Turn right onto US 16 / Mount Rushmore Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.50 one way
$13.01 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $7.14 | $14.28 |
| premium | $4.89 | $8.01 | $16.01 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.18 | $18.37 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.5 | 0 | $4.37 | $2.00 |
| Efficient EV | 10.4 | 0 | $3.64 | $1.66 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 16.6 | 0 | $5.82 | $2.66 |
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (67% 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.
Destination
Rapid City, SD
Late night in Rapid City on Tuesday
Local time
3:22 AM
MDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
48°F
Sturgis, SD
21 mi in
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
6 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
46m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is distinctly highway-focused, with 70% of your travel occurring on higher-speed roads. You will settle into a rhythm quickly, as the longest uninterrupted stretch covers 27.5 miles along SD 79. Expect a blend of open highway cruising that eventually transitions into the local road network as you approach your destination. The route maintains a consistent pace, allowing you to cover the distance without the fatigue associated with more technical or winding mountain roads. It is a functional, no-nonsense drive that prioritizes direct transit over scenic detours.
70% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 27.5 mi on SD 79.
How Hard Is This Drive?
2/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on SD 79 and Main Street. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Main Street.
Driving Effort
2/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Deadwood, SD to Rapid City, SD is easy. At 46m with 70% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (Deadwood Street): Navigation decision point; at 12.1 miles (SD 79): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
4,719 ft
3,243 ft
Total Climb
482 ft
Total Descent
1,776 ft
Highest Point
4,719 ft
~3 mi in
Elevation Range
1,476 ft
Notable High Points
4,719 ft at ~3 miles
+182 ft prominence
About the Cities
Starting in Deadwood, SD
Full guide →Founded 1876
Deadwood is a town in the Black Hills of South Dakota. It is rivaled only by Tombstone, Arizona as America's most storied town from the wild frontier days.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 46m. Total distance: 41.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
46m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (70%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 27.5 miles on SD 79. 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 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 (Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (Deadwood Street): Navigation decision point; at 12.1 miles (SD 79): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Rapid City, SD before heading back.
How this page is built
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, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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