Evergreen, MT to Three Forks, MT is 281.2 miles and takes about 5h 2m via MT 83, I 15, and I 90, with a fuel budget near $45 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Montana, moving from the Mountain West region to the same region. Expect a high percentage of highway driving, making for a relatively straightforward transit between these two points. Given the manageable duration and fuel cost, this route is well-suited for a single-day excursion.
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
140.6 miles from Evergreen, MT
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 40m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
MT 83
91.1 mi
1h 43m
I 15
56 mi
55m
I 90
45 mi
42m
State Highway 141
32.5 mi
35m
MT 200
23.8 mi
25m
MT 35
15.9 mi
18m
US 12
12.9 mi
14m
East Evergreen Drive
1 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
MT 83
— 91.1 mi, about 1h 43m
Traffic on I-90
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 4 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~399 veh/hr typical
· worst 630
Quietest
2 AM
~34 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
11.7×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
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Averaged across 52 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 Evergreen, MT and Three Forks, MT.
1
Start on US 2
26 ft·3 sec·La Salle Road
2
Turn right onto East Evergreen Drive
1.0 mi·2 min·East Evergreen Drive
3
Turn right onto Helena Flats Road
0.1 mi·21 sec·Helena Flats Road
4
Turn left onto MT 35
1.1 mi·1 min·MT 35
Use the right lane.
5
Continue on MT 35
15 mi·17 min·MT 35
Use the straight lane.
6
Turn left onto MT 83
91 mi·1 hr 43 min·MT 83
Use the left lane.
7
Turn left onto MT 200
24 mi·25 min·MT 200
8
Turn right onto MT 141
32 mi·35 min·State Highway 141
9
Turn sharp right onto US 12
13 mi·14 min·US 12
10
Turn left
0.5 mi·42 sec
11
Continue on this road
0.2 mi·13 sec·this road
12
Take the ramp
0.9 mi·1 min
13
Merge onto I 90
45 mi·42 min·I 90
14
Keep slight right at fork onto I 15; I 90
56 mi·55 min·I 15; I 90
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Take the exit
0.3 mi·35 sec
Toward MT 2, MT 205: Three Forks, Trident
16
Turn right onto MT 2
0.9 mi·1 min·Frontage Road
17
Continue on MT 2
0.2 mi·19 sec·North Main Street
18
Arrive at destination
S-287
Trip Plan
Plan to depart Evergreen, MT in the morning to take advantage of the full daylight for your 5-hour drive to Three Forks, MT. With only one recommended stop and 99% highway driving, you can easily complete this trip in a single day without feeling rushed. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, as the longest stretch without a significant town is 91.1 miles on MT 83. The estimated fuel cost is $45, so ensure you have sufficient funds or a full tank before departing to cover this expense.
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 140.6 miles from Evergreen, MT, or about 2h 40m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 91.1 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 140.6 miles or 2h 40m 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 12m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Three Forks, MT than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Evergreen, MT 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 Evergreen, MT
This is one driving day of about 281.2 miles and 5h 2m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 62 miles from Evergreen, MT.
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 MT 83 for about 91.1 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 12
5 decision points cluster between mile 1.2 and 279.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
1.2 mi into trip|~2m in|MT 35
Turn left onto MT 35
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
17 mi into trip|~21m in|MT 83
Turn left onto MT 83
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
164.4 mi into trip|~3h 6m in|US 12
Turn sharp right onto US 12
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
6
223.8 mi into trip|~4h 5m in|I 15; I 90
Keep slight right at fork onto I 15; I 90
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
279.8 mi into trip|~5h in
Take the exit toward MT 2, MT 205: Three Forks, Trident
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward MT 2, MT 205: Three Forks, Trident
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$49.43 one way
$98.86 round trip
$4.47/gal25.4 MPG avg98 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.67
$51.69
$103.38
premium
$4.99
$55.24
$110.49
diesel
$5.35
$59.23
$118.46
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$49
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$74–$99
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 98.4 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $30 in charging
· 1 stop
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
84.4
1
$29.53
$13.50
Efficient EV
70.3
0
$24.61
$11.25
EV Truck/SUV
112.5
1
$39.37
$18.00
Gas CO2
98 kg
EV CO2
33 kg (66% 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 May 27, 2026
Origin
Evergreen, MT
Afternoon
in Evergreen on Wednesday
Local time
12:58 PM
MDT
Current temp
82°F
Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
E 2 mph36% chanceLive forecast
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued May 27 at 12:12AM MDT until May 27 at 9:00PM MDT by NWS Great Falls MT
Red Flag Warning
Red Flag Warning issued May 26 at 10:07PM MDT until May 27 at 10:00PM MDT by NWS Glasgow MT
Destination
Three Forks, MT
Afternoon
in Three Forks on Wednesday
Local time
12:58 PM
MDT
Current temp
85°F
Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
NE 0 to 5 mph23% chanceLive forecast
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued May 27 at 12:12AM MDT until May 27 at 9:00PM MDT by NWS Great Falls MT
Red Flag Warning
Red Flag Warning issued May 26 at 10:07PM MDT until May 27 at 10:00PM MDT by NWS Glasgow MT
42°F
Lincoln, MT
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
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
3 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 2m 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?
Ninety-nine percent of this 281.2-mile route is highway, with the longest continuous stretch on MT 83 measuring 91.1 miles. You'll experience predominantly rural cruising for the bulk of your travel. The transition to surface roads is minimal, so expect consistent, high-speed travel for nearly the entire drive. This means fewer opportunities for spontaneous stops, but a predictable pace.
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: 91.1 mi on MT 83.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on MT 83 and I 15. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 1.2 miles in near MT 35.
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 2m drive. You will face about 12 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.2 miles (MT 35): Lane positioning matters here; at 17 miles (MT 83): Lane positioning matters here; at 164.4 miles (US 12): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach.
Elevation Profile
High-altitude sections with notable climbs
5,382 ft2,924 ft
Total Climb
3,086 ft
Total Descent
1,936 ft
Highest Point
5,382 ft
~221 mi in
Elevation Range
2,459 ft
Notable High Points
4,163 ft at ~80.3 miles+215 ft prominence
4,806 ft at ~160.7 miles+358 ft prominence
5,382 ft at ~221 miles+259 ft prominence
Detours Along the Way
Tagged by where each one fits in your drive — first break, midpoint, final stretch.
Kalispell is a town in Montana, near Glacier National Park. The name of the town means "flat land above the lake" in Salish, a Native American language. The population is about 23,000 (2016).
The longest stretch is about 91.1 miles on MT 83. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 6 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 6 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
Mostly yes along the main roads, but rural stretches through MT 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 1.2 miles (MT 35): Lane positioning matters here; at 17 miles (MT 83): Lane positioning matters here; at 164.4 miles (US 12): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach.
Not recommended in a single day. At 5.0 hours each way, a round trip means 10.1 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Three Forks, MT before the return drive.
