This 218.2-mile drive from Great Falls, Montana to Dillon, Montana will take you about 3 hours and 37 minutes of pure driving time. It's a manageable one-day trip, making it ideal for a single-day adventure without needing an overnight stop. You'll navigate through a mix of roads, including First Special Service Force Memorial Highway and I-15, with about 27% of the journey on highways. Expect a fuel cost of around $35 for this excursion. Both your origin and destination are within the Mountain West region, so you'll experience consistent Western landscapes throughout.
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
109.1 miles from Great Falls, MT
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 50m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
First Special Service Force Memorial Highway
155.7 mi
2h 32m
I 15
57.5 mi
53m
Country Club Boulevard
1.3 mi
2m
I 15 Bus
0.8 mi
1m
10th Avenue South
0.7 mi
1m
I 15 BUS
0.7 mi
1m
Black Tail Boulevard
0.6 mi
1m
5th Street South
0.4 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
First Special Service Force Memorial Highway
— 155.7 mi, about 2h 32m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Great Falls, MT and Dillon, 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·37 sec·5th Street South
4
Turn right onto I 15 Business; US 89; MT 3; MT 200
0.7 mi·1 min·10th Avenue South
5
Continue on I 15 Business; US 89; MT 3; MT 200
1.3 mi·2 min·Country Club Boulevard
6
Keep slight left at fork onto I 15 BUS
0.7 mi·1 min·I 15 BUS
7
Merge onto I 15
156 mi·2 hr 32 min·First Special Service Force Memorial Highway
8
Keep slight right at fork onto I 15
58 mi·53 min·I 15
Toward I 15 South: Dillon, Idaho Falls
9
Take the exit onto I 15 Bus
0.8 mi·1 min·I 15 Bus
Toward I 15 Business, MT 41: Dillon, Twin Bridges
10
Turn right onto Black Tail Boulevard
0.6 mi·1 min·Black Tail Boulevard
11
Continue on West Bannack Street
0.3 mi·42 sec·West Bannack Street
12
Turn right onto South Idaho Street
350 ft·15 sec·South Idaho Street
13
Arrive at destination
South Idaho Street
Trip Plan
With a total duration of just under 4 hours, this route offers flexibility for when you depart. Consider an early morning start to maximize your daylight hours and allow for a leisurely pace. There's one recommended stop, which is a good opportunity to stretch your legs and refuel. Keep an eye on your fuel levels, as the longest stretch without significant road changes is over 155 miles. The estimated fuel cost is $35, so budget accordingly for this straightforward, one-day trip.
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 109.1 miles from Great Falls, MT, or about 1h 50m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 155.7 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 50m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 109.1 miles or 1h 50m 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 57m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Dillon, 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 218.2 miles and 3h 37m.
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 First Special Service Force Memorial Highway for about 155.7 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 9
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 218.1 — 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
6
158.9 mi into trip|~2h 39m in|I 15
Keep slight right at fork onto I 15 toward I 15 South: Dillon, Idaho Falls
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 15 South: Dillon, Idaho Falls
5
216.5 mi into trip|~3h 33m in|I 15 Bus
Take the exit onto I 15 Bus toward I 15 Business, MT 41: Dillon, Twin Bridges
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 15 Business, MT 41: Dillon, Twin Bridg...
5
218.1 mi into trip|~3h 36m in|South Idaho Street
Turn right onto South Idaho Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$34.58 one way
$69.15 round trip
$4.03/gal25.4 MPG avg76 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.22
$36.24
$72.49
premium
$4.53
$38.92
$77.85
diesel
$5.61
$48.18
$96.35
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: 76.3 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
65.5
0
$22.91
$10.47
Efficient EV
54.6
0
$19.09
$8.73
EV Truck/SUV
87.3
1
$30.55
$13.96
Gas CO2
76 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 15, 2026
Origin
Great Falls, MT
Night
in Great Falls on Saturday
Local time
10:34 PM
MDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Dillon, MT
Night
in Dillon on Saturday
Local time
10:34 PM
MDT
Current temp
64°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
4 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
3h 37m 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 turn-heavy local drive for much of this 218.2-mile journey. While 27% of the route involves highway driving, the majority will feel more like a local exploration. The longest uninterrupted stretch you’ll encounter is 155.7 miles along the First Special Service Force Memorial Highway, offering a good segment of consistent travel before you need to navigate through different road types. The profile suggests a dynamic driving experience, shifting between more open highway and winding local roads as you progress towards Dillon.
Only 27% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 155.7 mi on First Special Service Force Memorial Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near 5th Avenue South.
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 37m drive. You will face about 9 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 158.9 miles (I 15): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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 Great Falls, MT to Dillon, MT, road signs begin pointing toward Idaho Falls along the way.
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.
The longest stretch is about 155.7 miles on First Special Service Force Memorial Highway. 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 158.9 miles (I 15): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Possible but tiring. At 3.6 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 7.2 hours — manageable with a long break at Dillon, MT, but most travelers stay overnight.
