Connecting Great Falls to Billings, this 218.7-mile journey through the Mountain West is a straightforward trip that typically takes about 4 hours and 6 minutes. Because of the manageable distance, this route is perfectly suited for a single-day excursion, allowing you to reach your destination without needing an overnight stay. You should budget approximately $35 for fuel to complete the trek. By utilizing US 87, US 12, and MT 3, you get a direct path across the state. Whether you are traveling for business or heading out for a weekend getaway, the drive offers a reliable link between two of Montana's major hubs.
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
109.3 miles from Great Falls, MT
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 1m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US 87
81.9 mi
1h 28m
US 12
45.1 mi
50m
MT 3
41 mi
46m
US 191
39.2 mi
43m
10th Avenue South
5.7 mi
7m
MT-3
2.5 mi
2m
North 27th Street
2.2 mi
3m
5th Street South
0.4 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
US 87
— 81.9 mi, about 1h 28m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Great Falls, MT and Billings, MT.
1
Start on 4th Street South
162 ft·12 sec·4th Street South
2
Turn left onto 5th Avenue South
427 ft·20 sec·5th Avenue South
3
Turn right onto I 15 Business
0.4 mi·35 sec·5th Street South
4
Turn left onto I 15 Business; US 89; MT 3; MT 200
5.7 mi·7 min·10th Avenue South
5
Continue on US 87; US 89; MT 3; MT 200
18 mi·18 min·US 87; US 89; MT 3; MT 200
6
Enter roundabout
224 ft·2 sec
7
Continue
0.3 mi·20 sec
8
Turn straight onto US 87; MT 3; MT 200
64 mi·1 hr 9 min·US 87; MT 3; MT 200
9
Turn right onto US 191; MT 3
39 mi·43 min·US 191; MT 3
10
Turn left onto US 12; MT 3
45 mi·50 min·US 12; MT 3
11
Turn right onto MT 3
12 mi·14 min·MT 3
12
Continue on MT-3
2.5 mi·2 min·MT-3
13
Continue on MT 3
25 mi·28 min·MT 3
14
Enter roundabout onto MT 3
123 ft·1 sec·MT 3
15
Continue on MT 3
3.1 mi·3 min·MT 3
16
Enter roundabout onto North 27th Street
36 ft·0 sec·North 27th Street
17
Continue on North 27th Street
2.2 mi·3 min·North 27th Street
Use the straight lane.
18
Turn left onto I 90 Business
0.2 mi·33 sec·Montana Avenue
Use the left lane.
19
Arrive at destination
I 90 Business
Trip Plan
Since the drive is roughly 4 hours long, planning for at least one stop will help you stay refreshed and focused throughout the journey. Aim to depart in the morning to maximize your daylight hours and keep your schedule flexible for any unexpected delays. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially during that longest 81.9-mile stretch on US 87, to ensure you don't run low between service points. Because this is a single-day trip, you have the advantage of choosing your own pace, so feel free to take your time during your scheduled stop. Staying mindful of these transit basics will make your transition between Great Falls and Billings smooth and stress-free.
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 109.3 miles from Great Falls, MT, or about 2h 1m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 81.9 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 48 miles or 54m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 109.3 miles or 2h 1m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 19m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Billings, MT than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Great Falls, 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 Great Falls, MT
This is one driving day of about 218.7 miles and 4h 6m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 48 miles from Great Falls, 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 US 87 for about 81.9 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 10
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 218.5 — 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|5th Avenue South
Turn left onto 5th Avenue South
Navigation decision point
4
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|I 15 Business / 5th Street South
Turn right onto I 15 Business / 5th Street South
Navigation decision point
4
23.8 mi into trip|~28m in
Enter roundabout
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
4
127.7 mi into trip|~2h 21m in|US 12; MT 3
Turn left onto US 12; MT 3
Navigation decision point
6
218.5 mi into trip|~4h 5m in|I 90 Business / Montana Avenue
Turn left onto I 90 Business / Montana Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$34.66 one way
$69.31 round trip
$4.03/gal25.4 MPG avg77 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.22
$36.33
$72.65
premium
$4.53
$39.01
$78.03
diesel
$5.61
$48.29
$96.57
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$35
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$60–$85
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 76.5 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $23 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
65.6
0
$22.96
$10.50
Efficient EV
54.7
0
$19.14
$8.75
EV Truck/SUV
87.5
1
$30.62
$14.00
Gas CO2
77 kg
EV CO2
26 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 20, 2026
Origin
Great Falls, MT
Late night
in Great Falls on Tuesday
Local time
3:18 AM
MDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Billings, MT
Late night
in Billings on Tuesday
Local time
3:18 AM
MDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
23°F
Moore, MT
109 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
1 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 6m 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 trip is a highway-focused drive, with 96% of your time spent on main thoroughfares. You will find plenty of open road, highlighted by a significant 81.9-mile uninterrupted stretch along US 87. The route maintains a consistent pace, allowing you to settle into the rhythm of the highway as you transition between the two cities. While the environment remains fairly steady, the reliance on US 87, US 12, and MT 3 ensures you stay on well-maintained paths. Expect a predictable, efficient experience behind the wheel that prioritizes steady progress over technical maneuvering.
96% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 81.9 mi on US 87.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 87 and US 12. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near 5th Avenue South.
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 6m drive. You will face about 10 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 (5th Avenue South): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (I 15 Business / 5th Street South): Navigation decision point; at 23.8 miles: Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
Great Falls is a city in Central Montana. It is the third most populous city in Montana with approximately 60,000 people. It is the hub for commercial and financial dealings in the center of the state.
Billings is the largest city in Montana in Yellowstone County, with an estimated 110,000 people (2019). As a destination, Billings does a significant amount of convention business and is also the host to various regional events such as music festivals, athletic contests, rodeos, and outdoor activities. Billings hosts the largest hospitals in a 500-mile radius, as such the medical profession is a major source of employment in the area. Billings is also a frequent overnight or meal stop for westbound visitors to Yellowstone National Park, as it is the last major city for visitors going to the park via the Beartooth Highway.
The longest stretch is about 81.9 miles on US 87. 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 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 (5th Avenue South): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (I 15 Business / 5th Street South): Navigation decision point; at 23.8 miles: Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
Possible but tiring. At 4.1 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 8.2 hours — manageable with a long break at Billings, MT, but most travelers stay overnight.
