Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 11m
Distance
67.8 mi
109 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$11
one way
EV Charging
Good
5 stations
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Helena, MT
Wikimedia Commons
Butte, MT
Wikimedia Commons
If you are planning to travel between Helena and Butte, you are looking at a quick 67.8-mile journey through the heart of the Mountain West. Expect to spend about 1 hour and 11 minutes behind the wheel, making this an ideal day trip that requires no overnight stay. You will primarily navigate via the First Special Service Force Memorial Highway, eventually transitioning through 11th Avenue and South Montana Street to reach your destination. With an estimated fuel cost of just $11, this is an incredibly budget-friendly transit between two of Montana's most iconic cities. Because the route is short and direct, you have total flexibility to head out whenever it best suits your schedule.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| First Special Service Force Memorial Highway | 64.6 mi | 1h 4m |
| 11th Avenue | 1.4 mi | 3m |
| South Montana Street | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| I 15 Business | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| West 2nd Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| South Main Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Prospect Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Cruse Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Helena, MT and Butte, MT.
Start on I 15 Business
Turn left onto I 15 Business
Turn straight onto I 15 Business; US 12
Take the exit onto I 15 Business
Merge onto I 15
Take the exit
Turn right onto South Montana Street
Turn right onto West 2nd Street
Turn left onto South Main Street
Turn left onto West Iron Street
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
34 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 15 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 33.9 miles from Helena, MT, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before First Special Service Force Memorial Highway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 64.6 miles.
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 and 67.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn left onto I 15 Business / 11th Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit onto I 15 Business toward I 15 South: Butte
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Take the exit toward Montana Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Turn left onto South Main Street
Navigation decision point
Turn left onto West Iron Street
Navigation decision point
Regular Gas
$10.74 one way
$21.49 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.22 | $11.26 | $22.52 |
| premium | $4.53 | $12.09 | $24.19 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $14.97 | $29.94 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 23.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 20.3 | 0 | $7.12 | $3.25 |
| Efficient EV | 17 | 0 | $5.93 | $2.71 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 27.1 | 0 | $9.49 | $4.34 |
Gas CO2
24 kg
EV CO2
8 kg (67% 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
Evening in Helena on Saturday
Local time
7:26 PM
MDT
Current temp
59°F
Partly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
Destination
Evening in Butte on Saturday
Local time
7:26 PM
MDT
Current temp
56°F
Showers And Thunderstorms
59°F
Boulder, MT
34 mi in
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 trip is best described as a turn-heavy local drive that keeps you engaged from start to finish. You will spend 100% of the journey on highways, with a significant 64.6-mile stretch occurring on the First Special Service Force Memorial Highway. While the road is consistent, the transition from the main highway into the local streets of Butte requires you to stay alert. The route lacks long, monotonous straightaways, favoring a more technical feel that keeps you focused on the road ahead. You can expect a straightforward driving experience that prioritizes efficiency over long-distance cruising.
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 I 15 Business / 11th Avenue.
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 11m drive. You will face about 8 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 15 Business / 11th Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.6 miles (I 15 Business): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 66.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
High-altitude sections with notable climbs
Total Climb
2,662 ft
Total Descent
1,174 ft
Highest Point
6,328 ft
~56.5 mi in
Elevation Range
2,280 ft
Notable High Points
Helena is the state capital of Montana, in the Western Central part of the state. Visitors come to see Helena’s historic Last Chance Gulch, and its mansion district once home to Helena’s gold mining millionaires. The city has running or biking 75 mi (121 km) of trails and opportunities for rafting the mighty Missouri River or fly-fishing.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 11m. Total distance: 67.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 11m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (1%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
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, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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