Spanning 229.6 miles across the North Dakota Great Plains, this route takes roughly 4 hours and 57 minutes to complete. You will primarily navigate a mix of US 52, State Highway 19, and State Highway 23 to get from Fort Totten to Watford City. Given the duration, this trip is manageable as a single-day journey, though you should budget approximately $35 for fuel to cover the distance. Since the entire route remains within the Great Plains, you can expect a consistent landscape throughout your travels. It is a straightforward drive that serves as a functional connection between the two locations, making it ideal if you are looking to reach your destination efficiently without the need for an overnight stop.
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
114.8 miles from Fort Totten, ND
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 35m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
State Highway 23
66.3 mi
1h 19m
State Highway 19
47.4 mi
55m
US 52
20.9 mi
24m
247th Avenue Southeast
19 mi
24m
247th Avenue Southwest
16 mi
18m
39th Street Northwest
11.7 mi
13m
US 281
10.7 mi
15m
State Highway 14
6.7 mi
7m
Longest stretch:
State Highway 23
— 66.3 mi, about 1h 19m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Fort Totten, ND and Watford City, ND.
1
Start on 2nd Avenue North
147 ft·9 sec·2nd Avenue North
2
Turn right onto BIA 6
492 ft·18 sec·Ephriam Hill Road
3
Turn left onto BIA 7
524 ft·16 sec·3rd Avenue North
4
Turn right onto BIA 7
0.9 mi·2 min·Bureau of Indian Affairs Road 7
5
At end of road, turn left onto ND 57
5.3 mi·8 min·State Highway 57
6
At end of road, turn right onto US 281
11 mi·15 min·US 281
7
Turn left onto ND 19
47 mi·55 min·State Highway 19
8
Continue on County Road 19
5.0 mi·12 min·County Road 19
9
Continue on 42nd Street Northeast
4.9 mi·11 min·42nd Street Northeast
10
Turn left onto ND 14
6.7 mi·7 min·State Highway 14
11
At end of road, turn right onto US-52
0.2 mi·16 sec·US-52
12
Continue on US 52
21 mi·24 min·US 52
13
Turn left onto ND 97
2.5 mi·3 min·State Highway 97
14
Turn left onto ND 41
2.0 mi·2 min·State Highway 41
15
Turn right onto ND 23
5.8 mi·8 min·233rd Avenue Southeast
Use the right lane.
16
Continue on ND 23
2.4 mi·3 min·State Highway 23
17
Continue on ND 23
19 mi·24 min·247th Avenue Southeast
18
Continue on ND 23
1.2 mi·1 min·State Highway 23
19
Continue on ND 23
16 mi·18 min·247th Avenue Southwest
20
Continue on ND 23
0.3 mi·20 sec·State Highway 23
21
Continue on ND 23
12 mi·13 min·39th Street Northwest
22
Continue on ND 23; ND 1804
10.0 mi·11 min·State Highway 23
23
Enter roundabout onto ND 23; ND 1804
166 ft·1 sec·State Highway 23
24
Continue on ND 23; ND 1804
6.5 mi·8 min·State Highway 23
25
Continue on ND 23; ND 1804
0.5 mi·1 min·Main Street
26
Continue on ND 23
21 mi·24 min·State Highway 23
27
Enter roundabout onto ND 23
311 ft·3 sec·State Highway 23
28
Continue on ND 23
12 mi·13 min·State Highway 23
29
Continue on ND 23
13 mi·15 min·State Highway 23
30
Turn right onto ND 23 Business; ND 1806
0.3 mi·27 sec·Highway 1806 West
Use the right lane.
31
Continue on ND 23 Business
1.1 mi·1 min·4th Avenue Northeast
32
Continue on ND 23 Business
0.2 mi·32 sec·State Highway 23 Business
33
Continue on ND 23 Business
1.7 mi·4 min·4th Avenue Northeast
34
Turn left onto ND 23 Business
0.2 mi·30 sec·Main Street North
35
Arrive at destination
ND 23 Business
Trip Plan
To make the most of your 5-hour drive, plan for at least one dedicated stop to stretch your legs and refresh. Since you are dealing with a significant stretch of highway, leaving early in the morning helps you avoid mid-day fatigue and ensures you arrive in Watford City with plenty of daylight remaining. Keep an eye on your gas gauge throughout the trip, as fuel prices can fluctuate, though the $35 estimate provides a solid baseline for your planning. Because this is a single-day trip, you have the flexibility to adjust your departure time based on traffic or personal preference. One concrete tip: ensure you have your route mapped out clearly before leaving Fort Totten, as transitioning between State Highway 19 and US 52 requires careful attention to signage.
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 114.8 miles from Fort Totten, ND, or about 2h 35m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 66.3 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 51 miles or 1h 6m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 114.8 miles or 2h 35m 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 5m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Watford City, ND than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Fort Totten, 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 Fort Totten, ND
This is one driving day of about 229.6 miles and 4h 57m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 51 miles from Fort Totten, 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 State Highway 23 for about 66.3 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
4.1 mi from route
~10 min detour
$10 to $20
mile 229.6
Watford City, North Dakota
Hours: 9 am–9 pm
+17016905283
Nanny’s Coffee Shop & Bistro
5.0
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Later in the drive, short detour
1.1 mi from route
~3 min detour
mile 164
Parshall, North Dakota
Hours: 7:30 am–6 pm
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 and 107 — 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|BIA 6 / Ephriam Hill Road
Turn right onto BIA 6 / Ephriam Hill Road
Navigation decision point
5
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|BIA 7 / 3rd Avenue North
Turn left onto BIA 7 / 3rd Avenue North
Navigation decision point
5
1.1 mi into trip|~3m in|ND 57 / State Highway 57
At end of road, turn left onto ND 57 / State Highway 57
Navigation decision point
5
6.4 mi into trip|~11m in|US 281
At end of road, turn right onto US 281
Navigation decision point
6
107 mi into trip|~2h 24m in|ND 23 / 233rd Avenue Southeast
Turn right onto ND 23 / 233rd Avenue Southeast
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$35.90 one way
$71.79 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg80 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$39.41
$78.82
premium
$4.89
$44.18
$88.37
diesel
$5.61
$50.69
$101.39
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$36
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$61–$86
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 80.3 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $24 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
68.9
0
$24.11
$11.02
Efficient EV
57.4
0
$20.09
$9.18
EV Truck/SUV
91.8
1
$32.14
$14.69
Gas CO2
80 kg
EV CO2
27 kg (66% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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 Apr 16, 2026
Origin
Fort Totten, ND
Evening
in Fort Totten on Saturday
Local time
8:31 PM
CDT
Current temp
63°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Watford City, ND
Evening
in Watford City on Saturday
Local time
8:31 PM
CDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Live 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
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
8 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
4h 57m 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 drive is heavily highway-focused, with 71% of your journey spent on high-speed roads. You will settle into a steady rhythm as you cover the 66.3-mile longest stretch along State Highway 23. Expect a consistent experience behind the wheel, as the route balances efficient highway travel with necessary transitions between the numbered state and federal roads. Because the roads are designed for steady movement, you will find it easy to maintain a consistent pace across the expansive plains. The personality of the route is practical and utilitarian, offering a reliable path that prioritizes direct travel over technical or winding mountain-style navigation.
71% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
35 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 66.3 mi on State Highway 23.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on State Highway 23 and State Highway 19. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near BIA 6 / Ephriam Hill Road.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 4h 57m 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: near the start (BIA 6 / Ephriam Hill Road): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (BIA 7 / 3rd Avenue North): Navigation decision point; at 1.1 miles (ND 57 / State Highway 57): Navigation decision point.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 57m. Total distance: 229.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
The longest stretch is about 66.3 miles on State Highway 23. 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.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
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: near the start (BIA 6 / Ephriam Hill Road): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (BIA 7 / 3rd Avenue North): Navigation decision point; at 1.1 miles (ND 57 / State Highway 57): Navigation decision point.
Possible but tiring. At 5.0 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 9.9 hours — manageable with a long break at Watford City, ND, but most travelers stay overnight.
