Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Oct 24, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
50m
Distance
45.1 mi
73 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Harwood, ND
Jonas Thomann
Buffalo, ND
Utkarsh Shukla
Harwood, ND to Buffalo, ND is 45.1 miles and takes about 50m via Dakota Avenue and I 29, with a fuel budget near $7 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within the Great Plains region, offering a straightforward transit between two North Dakota communities. With no highway miles, you'll experience a more local feel for the entire 45.1-mile stretch. This route is ideal for a quick connection or an easy addition to a larger itinerary, requiring only a single day to complete.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 94 | 28.3 mi | 26m |
| I 29 | 7.1 mi | 7m |
| Main Avenue | 4.6 mi | 7m |
| State Highway 38 | 2.9 mi | 3m |
| I 94 Business | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Main Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Dakota Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 12 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
5 PM
~1,653 veh/hr typical · worst 2,098
Quietest
2 AM
~70 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
23.6×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 65 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Harwood, ND and Buffalo, ND.
Start on Main Street
At end of road, turn right onto CR 22; CR 17
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 29; US 81
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork
Turn straight onto I 94 Business; US 10
Keep slight right at fork onto I 94 Business
Merge onto I 94; US 52
Take the exit
Turn right onto ND 38
Turn right onto CR 10
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
23 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
A short stop after about 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 22.6 miles from Harwood, ND, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 41.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
At end of road, turn right onto CR 22; CR 17 / Dakota Avenue
Navigation decision point
Take the ramp toward I 29, US 81: Fargo
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward US 10: Downtown Fargo, West Fargo
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Take the exit toward ND 38 North: Buffalo, Alice
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$7.52 one way
$15.05 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.62 | $8.21 | $16.42 |
| premium | $5.25 | $9.33 | $18.65 |
| diesel | $6.28 | $11.14 | $22.29 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 15.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-19.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 13.5 | 0 | $4.74 | $2.16 |
| Efficient EV | 11.3 | 0 | $3.95 | $1.80 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 18 | 0 | $6.31 | $2.89 |
Gas CO2
16 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (69% 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Late night in Harwood on Saturday
Local time
3:56 AM
CDT
Current temp
76°F
Sunny
Destination
Late night in Buffalo on Saturday
Local time
3:56 AM
CDT
Current temp
75°F
Sunny
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
This 45.1-mile route is entirely on surface roads, meaning you won't encounter any highway driving. The entire trip involves navigating local streets and county roads, so expect a consistent pace without the rapid acceleration and deceleration typical of interstate travel. You'll be covering 45.1 miles at surface road speeds for the entire duration of your 50-minute drive.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 94 and I 29. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near CR 22; CR 17 / Dakota Avenue.
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 10 decision points packed into just 45.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 50m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (CR 22; CR 17 / Dakota Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.5 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 7.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
317 ft
Total Descent
1 ft
Highest Point
1,206 ft
~45.1 mi in
Elevation Range
317 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Harwood, ND and Buffalo, ND, road signs point toward Fargo and Alice.
Fargo
Alice
Founded 1881
Buffalo is a small town in the Red River Valley of North Dakota between Fargo and Valley City. It has a population of about 209 people.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 50m. Total distance: 45.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
50m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (86%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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