Origin
Freeman, SD
Night in Freeman on Saturday
Local time
9:45 PM
CDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Freeman, SD to Sioux Falls, SD
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 11m
Distance
64.8 mi
104 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 6m
★
6 AM
1h 11m
8 AM
1h 22m
10 AM
1h 15m
12 PM
1h 14m
3 PM
1h 16m
5 PM
1h 22m
8 PM
1h 8m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Freeman, SD
Julio Lopez
Sioux Falls, SD
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This straightforward 64.8-mile drive from Freeman to Sioux Falls, South Dakota, is easily manageable in about 1 hour and 11 minutes, making it a perfect day trip. You'll spend 96% of your time on highways, primarily I-90 and North US Highway 81, with a brief stint on I-229. The estimated fuel cost is around $10, and with no designated stops, you have the flexibility to take off whenever suits you best. This journey stays within the Great Plains region, offering a consistent landscape throughout. It’s a practical choice for a quick transit or a short excursion between these two South Dakota points.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 90 | 35.8 mi | 34m |
| North US Highway 81 | 22.6 mi | 25m |
| I 229 | 3.6 mi | 4m |
| East North County Road | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| I 229 Business | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| South Main Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| East 8th Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| South Lowell Avenue | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 90
— 35.8 mi, about 34m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Freeman, SD and Sioux Falls, SD.
1
Start on East 3rd Street
28 ft
·
4 sec
·
East 3rd Street
2
Turn right onto South Main Street
0.3 mi
·
50 sec
·
South Main Street
3
At end of road, turn right onto East North County Road
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
East North County Road
4
Turn left onto US 81
23 mi
·
25 min
·
North US Highway 81
5
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
48 sec
6
Merge onto I 90
36 mi
·
34 min
·
I 90
7
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
33 sec
Exit 400
Toward I 229 South
Use the slight right lane.
8
Merge onto I 229
3.6 mi
·
4 min
·
I 229
9
Take the exit onto I 229 Business
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
·
I 229 Business
Exit 6
Toward 10th Street, Downtown
Use the slight right lane.
10
Keep slight right at fork onto I 229 Business
0.1 mi
·
20 sec
·
I 229 Business
Toward SD 42: Downtown, Washington Pavilion
Use the slight right lane.
11
Turn right onto South Lowell Avenue
0.1 mi
·
22 sec
·
South Lowell Avenue
12
Turn left onto East 8th Street
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
·
East 8th Street
13
Turn right onto North Chicago Avenue
0.1 mi
·
23 sec
·
North Chicago Avenue
14
Arrive at destination
North Chicago Avenue
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
32 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
First break window
Fuel and coffeeA short stop after about 14 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 32.4 miles from Freeman, 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 125 decision points cluster between mile 0.3 and 64.4 — 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
|
~0m in
|
East North County Road
At end of road, turn right onto East North County Road
Navigation decision point
7
60 mi into trip
|
~1h 4m in
Take the exit toward I 229 South
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 400
Toward I 229 South
8
64.1 mi into trip
|
~1h 9m in
|
I 229 Business
Take the exit onto I 229 Business toward 10th Street, Downtown
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 6
Toward 10th Street, Downtown
9
64.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 9m in
|
I 229 Business
Keep slight right at fork onto I 229 Business toward SD 42: Downtown, Washington Pavilion
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward SD 42: Downtown, Washington Pavilion
5
64.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 9m in
|
South Lowell Avenue
Turn right onto South Lowell Avenue
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.13 one way
$20.26 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
23 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $11.12 | $22.25 |
| premium | $4.89 | $12.47 | $24.94 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $14.31 | $28.61 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 22.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 19.4 | 0 | $6.80 | $3.11 |
| Efficient EV | 16.2 | 0 | $5.67 | $2.59 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 25.9 | 0 | $9.07 | $4.15 |
Gas CO2
23 kg
EV CO2
8 kg (65% 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
Sioux Falls, SD
Night in Sioux Falls on Saturday
Local time
9:45 PM
CDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
1h 11m 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?
Expect a highway-focused experience for the vast majority of this 64.8-mile trip. With 96% of the route on major roadways like I-90 and North US Highway 81, this drive is designed for efficiency. You'll encounter your longest uninterrupted stretch at 35.8 miles on I-90, allowing for a steady pace. The drive is characterized by its focus on covering ground quickly rather than winding through local scenery. It's a functional route that prioritizes reaching your destination with minimal detours.
96% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 35.8 mi on I 90.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 90 and North US Highway 81. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.3 miles in near East North County Road.
Driving Effort
7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 64.8 miles you will encounter 12 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.3 miles (East North County Road): Navigation decision point; at 60 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 64.1 miles (I 229 Business): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
About the Cities
Arriving in Sioux Falls, SD
Full guide →Sioux Falls is a city of about 184,000 (2019) in Southeast South Dakota. Founded in 1883 in what was then known as the Dakota Territory, Sioux Falls has grown from a sleepy Midwestern town into a resort for shopping and tourism in the northern Great Plains. It is widely recognized as the largest urban center between Minneapolis and Denver.
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 1h 11m. Total distance: 64.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 11m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (96%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 35.8 miles on I 90. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Sioux Falls, SD before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
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: at 0.3 miles (East North County Road): Navigation decision point; at 60 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 64.1 miles (I 229 Business): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Sioux Falls, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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