This 173.5-mile drive from Garrison to Jamestown, North Dakota, is a straightforward journey across the Great Plains, taking approximately 3 hours and 2 minutes. It's perfectly suited as a single-day trip, with an estimated fuel cost of $27. The route is overwhelmingly focused on highway travel, making it an efficient way to cover ground between these two North Dakota locations. You'll spend most of your time on major roads, with a brief segment on I-94 before returning to US-83. This drive is ideal if you want to get from point A to point B with minimal fuss.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
86.8 miles from Garrison, ND
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 37m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US 83
102.5 mi
1h 46m
I 94
47.8 mi
44m
US-83 S
12.1 mi
13m
State Highway 37
5.6 mi
6m
State Street
2.4 mi
4m
1st Avenue South
0.8 mi
1m
17th Street Southwest
0.8 mi
1m
West Business Loop
0.7 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
US 83
— 102.5 mi, about 1h 46m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Garrison, ND and Jamestown, ND.
1
Start on 1st Street Northeast
285 ft·12 sec·1st Street Northeast
2
Continue on 1st Street Southeast
0.2 mi·39 sec·1st Street Southeast
3
Turn left onto Trooper Avenue
0.2 mi·1 min·Trooper Avenue
4
At end of road, turn left onto ND 37; ND 1804
5.6 mi·6 min·State Highway 37
5
Turn right onto US 83; ND 1804
12 mi·13 min·US-83 S
6
Continue on US 83; ND 200; ND 1804
3.9 mi·4 min·US 83; ND 200; ND 1804
7
Continue on US 83; ND 1804
49 mi·54 min·US 83; ND 1804
8
Keep slight right at fork onto US 83; ND 1804
2.4 mi·4 min·State Street
9
Turn left onto US 83
50 mi·47 min·US 83
Toward FargoUse the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on I 94
48 mi·44 min·I 94
11
Take the exit
0.4 mi·50 sec
Toward Jamestown
12
Continue on 17th Street Southwest
0.8 mi·1 min·17th Street Southwest
13
Turn left onto US 52; US 281
0.7 mi·1 min·West Business Loop
14
Keep slight left at fork onto US 52; US 281
63 ft·4 sec·US 52; US 281
15
Turn left onto US 52; US 281
0.8 mi·1 min·1st Avenue South
16
Arrive at destination
US 52; US 281
Trip Plan
With a total duration of just over 3 hours, this trip from Garrison to Jamestown is easily manageable in a single day. You'll want to leave with enough daylight to comfortably complete the 173.5 miles, especially considering the longest stretch without a break is over 100 miles. While only one stop is officially noted, consider a brief pause along US 83 around the 100-mile mark if needed. The fuel cost is estimated at $27, so ensure your tank is adequately filled before departing Garrison, as services might be spaced out on US 83.
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 86.8 miles from Garrison, ND, or about 1h 37m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 102.5 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 38 miles or 44m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 86.8 miles or 1h 37m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 30m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Jamestown, ND than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Garrison, 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 Garrison, ND
This is one driving day of about 173.5 miles and 3h 2m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 38 miles from Garrison, 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 US 83 for about 102.5 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 8
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 73.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.2 mi into trip|~0m in|Trooper Avenue
Turn left onto Trooper Avenue
Navigation decision point
4
0.5 mi into trip|~1m in|ND 37; ND 1804 / State Highway 37
At end of road, turn left onto ND 37; ND 1804 / State Highway 37
Navigation decision point
4
6.1 mi into trip|~8m in|US 83; ND 1804 / US-83 S
Turn right onto US 83; ND 1804 / US-83 S
Navigation decision point
4
71 mi into trip|~1h 20m in|US 83; ND 1804 / State Street
Keep slight right at fork onto US 83; ND 1804 / State Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
7
73.4 mi into trip|~1h 25m in|US 83
Turn left onto US 83 toward Fargo
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward Fargo
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$27.12 one way
$54.25 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg61 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$29.78
$59.56
premium
$4.89
$33.39
$66.78
diesel
$5.61
$38.31
$76.61
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$27
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$52–$77
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 60.7 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $18 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
52.1
0
$18.22
$8.33
Efficient EV
43.4
0
$15.18
$6.94
EV Truck/SUV
69.4
0
$24.29
$11.10
Gas CO2
61 kg
EV CO2
20 kg (67% 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 Apr 15, 2026
Origin
Garrison, ND
Evening
in Garrison on Saturday
Local time
8:26 PM
CDT
Current temp
39°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Jamestown, ND
Evening
in Jamestown on Saturday
Local time
8:26 PM
CDT
Current temp
65°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
26 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
3h 2m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a highway-focused experience for 97% of this 173.5-mile trip. You'll primarily be on US 83, with a section of I-94 connecting the two. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 102.5 miles on US 83, offering a consistent pace. This profile suggests a drive where you can settle in and maintain a steady speed for extended periods, characteristic of long-distance travel across the plains. The road character remains largely consistent, emphasizing efficient travel over varied scenery.
97% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 102.5 mi on US 83.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 83 and I 94. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near Trooper Avenue.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 3h 2m drive. You will face about 8 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (Trooper Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.5 miles (ND 37; ND 1804 / State Highway 37): Navigation decision point; at 6.1 miles (US 83; ND 1804 / US-83 S): Navigation decision point.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Garrison, ND to Jamestown, ND, road signs begin pointing toward Fargo along the way.
The longest stretch is about 102.5 miles on US 83. 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: at 0.2 miles (Trooper Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.5 miles (ND 37; ND 1804 / State Highway 37): Navigation decision point; at 6.1 miles (US 83; ND 1804 / US-83 S): Navigation decision point.
Possible but tiring. At 3.0 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 6.1 hours — manageable with a long break at Jamestown, ND, but most travelers stay overnight.
