Harrisburg, SD to Colonial Pine Hills, SD is 366.7 miles and takes about 6h 1m via 273rd Street and I 90 West, with a fuel budget near $58 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Great Plains region of South Dakota, offering a straightforward drive across familiar prairie landscapes. It's a single-day option that keeps you on consistent surface roads for much of the way. Consider this route if you're looking for a practical, no-fuss drive without extensive highway time.
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
183.4 miles from Harrisburg, SD
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 59m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 90
334.5 mi
5h 15m
I 29
12.5 mi
14m
North Elk Vale Road
5.4 mi
7m
Catron Boulevard
3.7 mi
5m
Sheridan Lake Road
3.2 mi
5m
273rd Street
3.2 mi
5m
East Willow Street
1.8 mi
3m
East Catron Boulevard
1.2 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
I 90
— 334.5 mi, about 5h 15m
Traffic on I-90
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 50 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
2 PM
~319 veh/hr typical
· worst 594
Quietest
2 AM
~22 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
14.5×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 103 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 Harrisburg, SD and Colonial Pine Hills, SD.
1
Start on CR 110
1.8 mi·3 min·East Willow Street
2
Continue on CR 110
3.2 mi·5 min·273rd Street
3
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·40 sec
4
Merge onto I 29
12 mi·14 min·I 29
5
Take the exit
0.2 mi·29 sec
Toward I 90 West: Rapid City
6
Merge onto I 90
334 mi·5 hr 15 min·I 90
7
Take the exit
0.3 mi·35 sec
Toward US 16 Truck, ND 79 South: Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse
8
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi·23 sec
9
Continue on US 16 Truck; SD 79
5.4 mi·7 min·North Elk Vale Road
10
Continue on US 16 Truck
1.2 mi·1 min·East Catron Boulevard
11
Continue on US 16 Truck
3.7 mi·5 min·Catron Boulevard
Use the left lane.
12
Turn left onto Sheridan Lake Road
3.2 mi·5 min·Sheridan Lake Road
Use the left lane.
13
Turn left onto Clarkson Road
0.2 mi·44 sec·Clarkson Road
14
Turn right onto Alfalfa Court
0.1 mi·30 sec·Alfalfa Court
15
Arrive at destination
Alfalfa Court
Trip Plan
Given the 6h 1m duration, leaving Harrisburg, SD in the morning is ideal to ensure you arrive in Colonial Pine Hills, SD with plenty of daylight. With no highway driving, you'll likely find services at regular intervals, but it's always wise to top off your fuel tank before departing, especially with a $58 estimated cost. Plan for one main stop to break up the 366.7 miles, perhaps around the halfway point. Since this is a single-day trip, you have the flexibility to adjust your pace as needed.
Morning Departure
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Evening Departure
This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 183.4 miles from Harrisburg, SD, or about 2h 59m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 334.5 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 81 miles or 1h 23m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 183.4 miles or 2h 59m 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 56m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Colonial Pine Hills, SD than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Harrisburg, SD 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 Harrisburg, SD
This is one driving day of about 366.7 miles and 6h 1m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 81 miles from Harrisburg, SD.
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 90 for about 334.5 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 9
5 decision points cluster between mile 17.7 and 366.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
17.7 mi into trip|~23m in
Take the exit toward I 90 West: Rapid City
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward I 90 West: Rapid City
5
352.4 mi into trip|~5h 39m in
Take the exit toward US 16 Truck, ND 79 South: Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 16 Truck, ND 79 South: Mount Rushmore...
5
352.7 mi into trip|~5h 39m in
Keep slight left at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
6
363.2 mi into trip|~5h 55m in|Sheridan Lake Road
Turn left onto Sheridan Lake Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
4
366.4 mi into trip|~6h in|Clarkson Road
Turn left onto Clarkson Road
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$61.17 one way
$122.34 round trip
$4.24/gal25.4 MPG avg128 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.61
$66.48
$132.96
premium
$5.26
$75.92
$151.85
diesel
$6.18
$89.21
$178.41
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$61
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$86–$111
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 128.3 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-12.
EV Charging Along Route
2 DC fast chargers
· Coverage: fair
ChargePoint Charging Station
Rapid City, South Dakota
ChargePoint
1 DCFC
ChargePoint Charging Station
Rapid City, South Dakota
ChargePoint
1 DCFC
ChargePoint: 2
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $39 in charging
· 1 stop
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
110
1
$38.50
$17.60
Efficient EV
91.7
1
$32.09
$14.67
EV Truck/SUV
146.7
1
$51.34
$23.47
Gas CO2
128 kg
EV CO2
43 kg (66% 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 Oct 18, 2026
Origin
Harrisburg, SD
Morning
in Harrisburg on Sunday
Local time
10:28 AM
CDT
Current temp
44°F
Clear
S 15 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Colonial Pine Hills, SD
Morning
in Colonial Pine Hills on Sunday
Local time
9:28 AM
MDT
Current temp
52°F
Mostly Clear
NW 8 mph0% chanceLive 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
1 hour earlier
The destination clock does not match departure time, so double-check hotel check-in windows and late arrival plans.
Temperature spread
8 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
6h 1m on the road
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Mount Rushmore National Memorial
National Memorial
Majestic figures of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln, surrounded by the beauty of the Black Hills of South Dakota, tell the story of the birth, growth, devel...
11 mi from route
~28 min detour
Free
near mile 366.7
The rugged beauty of the Badlands draws visitors from around the world. These striking geologic deposits contain one of the world’s richest fossil beds. Ancient horses and rhinos once roamed here. The...
24 mi from route
~60 min detour
$30
near mile 303.5
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive features 0% highway, meaning you'll be on surface roads for the entire 366.7 miles. The longest stretch without a significant break isn't specified, but expect consistent cruising on local routes. You'll notice the shift away from interstate speeds early on, transitioning to a pace more typical of rural South Dakota. Prepare for a drive that emphasizes local navigation over high-speed travel.
95% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 334.5 mi on I 90.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 90 and I 29. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 17.7 miles in.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The route itself is not hard, but at 6h 1m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 9 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 17.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 352.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 352.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Harrisburg is the capital and 4th-largest metropolitan area of Pennsylvania, with a metro population of 592,000 people in 2020. Harrisburg is known as the host city of the Pennsylvania Farm Show, the largest free indoor agriculture exposition in the United States, the largest annual outdoor sports show in North America, an auto show, which features a large static display of new and classic cars, and Motorama, a two-day event consisting of a car show, motocross racing, and remote control car racing.
The longest stretch is about 334.5 miles on I 90. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 24 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.
It helps. This is a long drive, so arriving tired and in the dark compounds. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Colonial Pine Hills, SD before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
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 24 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
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 17.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 352.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 352.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Yes — Mount Rushmore National Memorial and Badlands National Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 6.0 hours each way, a round trip means 12.0 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Colonial Pine Hills, SD before the return drive.
