Edgeley, ND to Marion, ND is 39.8 miles and takes about 49 minutes via US 281, with a fuel budget near $6 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip keeps you within the Great Plains region, traversing North Dakota for its entirety. It's a straightforward, highway-focused journey that's perfect for a quick hop between towns or as part of a larger regional exploration. You'll find the 93% highway share makes for efficient travel, so you won't spend much time on this particular stretch.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US 281
19 mi
21m
State Highway 46
18 mi
20m
County Road 61
1.7 mi
4m
1st Avenue
0.5 mi
<1m
5th Street
0.3 mi
1m
4th Main Avenue
0.3 mi
<1m
State Highway 13
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
US 281
— 19 mi, about 21m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Edgeley, ND and Marion, ND.
1
Start on 5th Street
0.3 mi·1 min·5th Street
2
At end of road, turn left onto ND 13
0.5 mi·49 sec·1st Avenue
3
Continue on ND 13
361 ft·14 sec·State Highway 13
4
Turn left onto US 281
19 mi·21 min·US 281
5
Turn right onto ND 46
18 mi·20 min·State Highway 46
Use the right lane.
6
Turn right onto CR 61
1.7 mi·4 min·County Road 61
7
Turn right onto 4th Main Avenue
0.3 mi·36 sec·4th Main Avenue
8
Arrive at destination
4th Main Avenue
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
The midpoint is around 19.9 miles from Edgeley, ND, 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 5
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.3 and 39.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.3 mi into trip|~1m in|ND 13 / 1st Avenue
At end of road, turn left onto ND 13 / 1st Avenue
Navigation decision point
3
0.8 mi into trip|~2m in|US 281
Turn left onto US 281
Navigation decision point
6
19.9 mi into trip|~23m in|ND 46 / State Highway 46
Turn right onto ND 46 / State Highway 46
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
3
37.9 mi into trip|~44m in|CR 61 / County Road 61
Turn right onto CR 61 / County Road 61
Navigation decision point
3
39.6 mi into trip|~48m in|4th Main Avenue
Turn right onto 4th Main Avenue
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.88 one way
$11.76 round trip
$3.75/gal25.4 MPG avg14 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.14
$6.49
$12.98
premium
$4.72
$7.39
$14.78
diesel
$4.80
$7.51
$15.03
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 13.9 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging
· 0 stops
· 64% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
11.9
0
$4.18
$1.91
Efficient EV
10
0
$3.48
$1.59
EV Truck/SUV
15.9
0
$5.57
$2.55
Gas CO2
14 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (64% 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.
Forecast as of Jul 12, 2026
Origin
Edgeley, ND
Evening
in Edgeley on Saturday
Local time
5:31 PM
CDT
Current temp
102°F
Sunny
S 14 to 23 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Extreme Heat Warning
Extreme Heat Warning issued July 12 at 1:07PM CDT until July 14 at 1:00AM CDT by NWS Bismarck ND
Extreme Heat Warning
Extreme Heat Warning issued July 12 at 12:15PM CDT until July 14 at 1:00AM CDT by NWS Grand Forks ND
Destination
Marion, ND
Evening
in Marion on Saturday
Local time
5:31 PM
CDT
Current temp
100°F
Sunny
S 15 to 21 mph1% chanceLive forecast
Extreme Heat Warning
Extreme Heat Warning issued July 12 at 1:07PM CDT until July 14 at 1:00AM CDT by NWS Bismarck ND
Extreme Heat Warning
Extreme Heat Warning issued July 12 at 12:15PM CDT until July 14 at 1:00AM CDT by NWS Grand Forks ND
62°F
Ypsilanti, ND
20 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
2 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
49m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
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 a highway-focused drive, with 93% of the journey on well-maintained roads. You'll spend most of your time on US 281, which offers a smooth and consistent experience. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 19 miles on US 281, allowing for a good pace without frequent interruptions. While primarily highway, the inclusion of State Highway 46 and County Road 61 means you'll experience a slight shift in road character as you near your destination, transitioning to more local thoroughfares.
93% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
8 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 19 mi on US 281.
How Hard Is This Drive?
2/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 281 and State Highway 46. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes around 0.3 miles in near ND 13 / 1st Avenue.
Driving Effort2/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Edgeley, ND to Marion, ND is easy. At 49m with 93% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.3 miles (ND 13 / 1st Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.8 miles (US 281): Navigation decision point; at 19.9 miles (ND 46 / State Highway 46): Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
1,564 ft1,396 ft
Total Climb
115 ft
Total Descent
216 ft
Highest Point
1,564 ft
Elevation Range
168 ft
Detours Along the Way
Tagged by where each one fits in your drive — first break, midpoint, final stretch.
Heinrich-Martin Dam
Camp_site
Later in the drive, short detour
33min in
2.7 mi from route
~7 min detour
Heinrich-Martin Dam
Camp_site
Later in the drive, short detour
33min in
2.7 mi from route
~7 min detour
Points of interest from OpenStreetMap contributors. Listings may not reflect current hours or availability.
The longest stretch is about 19 miles on US 281. 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 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 0.3 miles (ND 13 / 1st Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.8 miles (US 281): Navigation decision point; at 19.9 miles (ND 46 / State Highway 46): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Marion, ND before heading back.
