Devils Lake, ND to Dickinson, ND is 281.6 miles and takes about 5h 4m via I 94, with a fuel budget near $42 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive is a straightforward trip across North Dakota's Great Plains region, primarily on the interstate. You'll spend almost all your time on well-maintained highways, making for a predictable and efficient transit. With only one recommended stop, this route is ideal if you're looking to cover ground quickly between these two North Dakota cities.
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
140.8 miles from Devils Lake, ND
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 47m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 94
138.6 mi
2h 13m
State Highway 3
79.8 mi
1h 34m
State Highway 19
53.5 mi
1h 2m
US 281
3.3 mi
3m
United States Highway 52
2.1 mi
2m
State Highway 200
2 mi
2m
3rd Avenue West
1.2 mi
1m
4th Street Northwest
0.3 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 94
— 138.6 mi, about 2h 13m
Traffic on I-94
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 24 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
5 PM
~701 veh/hr typical
· worst 987
Quietest
3 AM
~57 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
12.3×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 101 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 Devils Lake, ND and Dickinson, ND.
1
Start on ND 20
365 ft·14 sec·College Drive North
2
Turn right onto ND 19
0.3 mi·48 sec·4th Street Northwest
Use the straight / right lanes.
3
Continue on ND 19
20 mi·23 min·State Highway 19
4
At end of road, turn left onto US 281; ND 19
3.3 mi·3 min·US 281; ND 19
5
Turn right onto ND 19
34 mi·39 min·State Highway 19
Use the right lane.
6
Turn left onto ND 3
18 mi·21 min·State Highway 3
7
At end of road, turn left onto US 52; ND 3
2.1 mi·2 min·United States Highway 52
8
Turn right onto ND 3
21 mi·25 min·State Highway 3
Use the right lane.
9
Turn right onto ND 200; ND 3
2.0 mi·2 min·State Highway 200
10
Turn left onto ND 3
41 mi·47 min·State Highway 3
11
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·30 sec
12
Merge onto I 94
139 mi·2 hr 13 min·I 94
13
Take the exit
0.2 mi·32 sec
14
Keep slight left at fork
229 ft·13 sec
15
Turn left onto ND 22
1.2 mi·1 min·3rd Avenue West
16
Turn left
61 ft·6 sec
17
Turn right
174 ft·12 sec
18
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
To make the most of this 5-hour drive, aim to depart Devils Lake in the morning. This allows ample time for the transit and ensures you arrive in Dickinson with daylight to spare. Since the longest stretch on I 94 is 138.6 miles, plan for a fuel stop before you hit that point to avoid any range anxiety. With only one recommended stop and a mostly highway profile, you have a lot of flexibility in how you pace the drive; however, it’s easy to complete in a single day without feeling rushed.
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 140.8 miles from Devils Lake, ND, or about 2h 47m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 138.6 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 62 miles or 1h 13m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 140.8 miles or 2h 47m 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 14m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Dickinson, ND than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Devils Lake, ND 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 Devils Lake, ND
This is one driving day of about 281.6 miles and 5h 4m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 62 miles from Devils Lake, ND.
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 94 for about 138.6 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 15
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 76.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|ND 19 / 4th Street Northwest
Turn right onto ND 19 / 4th Street Northwest
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
20.3 mi into trip|~24m in|US 281; ND 19
At end of road, turn left onto US 281; ND 19
Navigation decision point
6
23.6 mi into trip|~28m in|ND 19 / State Highway 19
Turn right onto ND 19 / State Highway 19
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
74.8 mi into trip|~1h 29m in|US 52; ND 3 / United States Highway 52
At end of road, turn left onto US 52; ND 3 / United States Highway 52
Navigation decision point
6
76.9 mi into trip|~1h 32m in|ND 3 / State Highway 3
Turn right onto ND 3 / State Highway 3
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$46.97 one way
$93.95 round trip
$4.24/gal25.4 MPG avg99 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.62
$51.25
$102.51
premium
$5.25
$58.24
$116.48
diesel
$6.28
$69.58
$139.16
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$47
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$72–$97
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 98.5 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-19.
Driving Electric?
About $30 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
84.5
1
$29.57
$13.52
Efficient EV
70.4
0
$24.64
$11.26
EV Truck/SUV
112.6
1
$39.42
$18.02
Gas CO2
99 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 Oct 20, 2026
Origin
Devils Lake, ND
Evening
in Devils Lake on Friday
Local time
5:14 PM
CDT
Current temp
71°F
Mostly Sunny
SW 10 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Dickinson, ND
Afternoon
in Dickinson on Friday
Local time
4:14 PM
MDT
Current temp
72°F
Sunny
N 5 mph0% chanceLive forecast
32°F
Napoleon, ND
141 mi in
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
5h 4m 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 99% highway, so expect very little time on surface roads. The longest continuous stretch you'll encounter is 138.6 miles on I 94. You'll experience consistent rural cruising for the majority of the trip, with minimal complexity in terms of traffic or merging. Surface roads are only encountered for a brief period, likely at the very beginning or end of your drive.
99% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 138.6 mi on I 94.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 94 and State Highway 3. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near ND 19 / 4th Street Northwest.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 5h 4m drive. You will face about 15 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 (ND 19 / 4th Street Northwest): Lane positioning matters here; at 20.3 miles (US 281; ND 19): Navigation decision point; at 23.6 miles (ND 19 / State Highway 19): Lane positioning matters here.
Devils Lake is a small city in the Lakes and Gardens area of North Dakota. It has a population of about 7,141 people in 2010 census. Its elevation is 1,475 feet.
Top landmarks
•Episcopal Church of the Advent and Guild Hall — church building in North Dakota, United States of America
•St. Mary's Academy — school building in North Dakota
The longest stretch is about 138.6 miles on I 94. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 7 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.
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 7 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
Mostly yes along the main roads, but rural stretches through ND 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 (ND 19 / 4th Street Northwest): Lane positioning matters here; at 20.3 miles (US 281; ND 19): Navigation decision point; at 23.6 miles (ND 19 / State Highway 19): Lane positioning matters here.
Not recommended in a single day. At 5.1 hours each way, a round trip means 10.2 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Dickinson, ND before the return drive.
