Glendive, MT to Livingston, MT is 336.3 miles and takes about 5h 39m via I 94 and I 90, with a fuel budget near $55 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This route stays within the Mountain West region, offering a solid stretch of highway driving for your trip. You'll be on interstates for the entire 100% of the drive, making it a straightforward transit between these two Montana points. Consider this a practical option if you need to cover ground efficiently and prefer a consistent driving experience.
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
168.1 miles from Glendive, MT
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 49m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 94
212.8 mi
3h 31m
I 90
118 mi
1h 57m
I 90 Business
3.5 mi
6m
West Towne Street
1.1 mi
2m
MT 16
0.7 mi
1m
Merrill Avenue
<0.1 mi
<1m
East Park Street
—
—
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
I 94
— 212.8 mi, about 3h 31m
Traffic on I-90
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 16 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~770 veh/hr typical
· worst 941
Quietest
2 AM
~44 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
17.5×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
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 Glendive, MT and Livingston, MT.
1
Start on I 94 Business
25 ft·2 sec·Merrill Avenue
2
Turn right onto I 94 Business
1.1 mi·2 min·West Towne Street
3
Turn right onto MT 16
0.7 mi·1 min·MT 16
4
Take the exit
0.3 mi·33 sec
5
Merge onto I 94
213 mi·3 hr 31 min·I 94
6
Merge onto I 90; US 87; US 212
2.8 mi·3 min·I 90; US 87; US 212
7
Continue on I 90; US 212
113 mi·1 hr 51 min·I 90; US 212
8
Continue on I 90; US 89; US 191
2.4 mi·2 min·I 90; US 89; US 191
9
Take the exit onto I 90 Business
0.2 mi·38 sec·I 90 Business
Toward I 90 Business: Livingston
10
Turn left onto I 90 Business
3.3 mi·5 min·I 90 Business
11
Arrive at destination
I 90 Business
Trip Plan
Given the 5 hour 39 minute estimated drive time, leaving in the morning is your best bet to complete this trip in a single day. You'll have one main stretch of 212.8 miles on I 94 before needing to navigate onto I 90, so plan for a mid-drive break. The estimated fuel cost is around $55, so ensure you have enough for the tank before you depart Glendive. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially on the longer stretches, as services can sometimes be spread out on these interstate corridors.
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 168.1 miles from Glendive, MT, or about 2h 49m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 212.8 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 74 miles or 1h 16m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 168.1 miles or 2h 49m 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 37m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Livingston, MT than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Glendive, 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 Glendive, MT
This is one driving day of about 336.3 miles and 5h 39m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 74 miles from Glendive, 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 I 94 for about 212.8 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Early stretch
4 mi from route
~10 min detour
$1 to $10
Miles City, Montana
Hours: 6 am–8 pm
+14062341008
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 7
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 332.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
3
0 mi into trip|~0m in|I 94 Business / West Towne Street
Turn right onto I 94 Business / West Towne Street
Navigation decision point
4
1.1 mi into trip|~2m in|MT 16
Turn right onto MT 16
Navigation decision point
5
1.8 mi into trip|~4m in
Take the exit
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
3
2.1 mi into trip|~4m in|I 94
Merge onto I 94
Merge point - match speed before joining
4
332.8 mi into trip|~5h 33m in|I 90 Business
Take the exit onto I 90 Business toward I 90 Business: Livingston
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward I 90 Business: Livingston
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$52.42 one way
$104.84 round trip
$3.96/gal25.4 MPG avg118 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.17
$55.25
$110.50
premium
$4.47
$59.24
$118.47
diesel
$4.80
$63.50
$127.00
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$52
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$77–$102
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 117.7 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $35 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
100.9
1
$35.31
$16.14
Efficient EV
84.1
0
$29.43
$13.45
EV Truck/SUV
134.5
1
$47.08
$21.52
Gas CO2
118 kg
EV CO2
39 kg (67% 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 Jul 17, 2026
Origin
Glendive, MT
Late night
in Glendive on Sunday
Local time
12:38 AM
MDT
Current temp
94°F
Patchy Fog then Mostly Sunny
ENE 3 to 10 mph5% chanceLive forecast
Flash Flood Watch
Flash Flood Watch issued July 17 at 12:23AM MDT until July 18 at 12:00AM MDT by NWS Great Falls MT
Destination
Livingston, MT
Late night
in Livingston on Sunday
Local time
12:38 AM
MDT
Current temp
92°F
Slight Chance Rain Showers then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
ENE 1 to 9 mph40% chanceLive forecast
Flash Flood Watch
Flash Flood Watch issued July 17 at 12:23AM MDT until July 18 at 12:00AM MDT by NWS Great Falls MT
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
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
5h 39m 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?
Expect to spend the majority of your time on I 94, which accounts for the longest stretch at 212.8 miles. The entire trip is on highways, so you won't encounter any surface roads. With 100% highway driving, you'll notice a steady flow of traffic and frequent exit ramps as you make your way across the state. This is a straightforward interstate cruise.
100% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
11 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 212.8 mi on I 94.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 94 and I 90. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near I 94 Business / West Towne Street.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 5h 39m drive. You will face about 7 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 (I 94 Business / West Towne Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.1 miles (MT 16): Navigation decision point; at 1.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Glendive, is a small town in eastern Montana, with a population 4,900 in 2019, which formed around the Yellowstone River. A part of the Lewis and Clark Trail and the Montana Dinosaur Trail, it is the smallest market in the US to have its own television station.
Top landmarks
•Glendive Dinosaur and Fossil Museum — creationist museum in Glendive, Montana, U.S
•Bell Street Bridge — road bridge in Glendive, United States of America
•Merrill Avenue Historic District — historic district
Livingston is a city in the Yellowstone Country of Montana. It is the northern entrance to Yellowstone National Park. Livingston is commonly called "The Gateway City" because it was the original entrance to Yellowstone.
Top landmarks
•The Murray Hotel — historic hotel in Livingston, Montana, USA
The longest stretch is about 212.8 miles on I 94. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 10 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 10 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: near the start (I 94 Business / West Towne Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.1 miles (MT 16): Navigation decision point; at 1.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Not recommended in a single day. At 5.7 hours each way, a round trip means 11.3 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Livingston, MT before the return drive.
