Kalispell to Livingston is 333.8 miles and takes about 6h 3m via I 15 and I 90, with a fuel budget near $59 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Montana, connecting two points in the Mountain West region. It's primarily a highway route, making it a straightforward option if you're looking for efficiency. You can expect to cover a significant distance with minimal fuss, making it a solid choice for a single-day transit.
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
166.9 miles from Kalispell, MT
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 3h 13m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 15
108.3 mi
1h 48m
MT 83
91.1 mi
1h 43m
I 90
45 mi
42m
State Highway 141
32.5 mi
35m
MT 200
23.8 mi
25m
US 12
12.9 mi
14m
MT 82
6.9 mi
8m
US 93 South
6.3 mi
8m
Longest stretch:
I 15
— 108.3 mi, about 1h 48m
Traffic on I-90
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 24 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~603 veh/hr typical
· worst 883
Quietest
2 AM
~39 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
15.5×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 104 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 Kalispell, MT and Livingston, MT.
1
Start on 3rd Street West
427 ft·15 sec·3rd Street West
2
Turn right onto 1st Avenue East
0.8 mi·2 min·1st Avenue East
Use the straight / right lanes.
3
Turn left onto US 93
2.7 mi·4 min·US 93 South
4
Turn left onto Snowline Lane
1.0 mi·3 min·Snowline Lane
5
Turn right onto Demersville Road
0.2 mi·58 sec·Demersville Road
6
At end of road, turn right onto Rocky Cliff Drive
292 ft·19 sec·Rocky Cliff Drive
7
Turn left onto US 93
3.6 mi·4 min·US 93 South
8
Turn left onto MT 82
6.9 mi·8 min·MT 82
9
Turn right onto MT 35
0.3 mi·36 sec·MT 35
Use the straight lane.
10
Turn left onto MT 83
91 mi·1 hr 43 min·MT 83
Use the left lane.
11
Turn left onto MT 200
24 mi·25 min·MT 200
12
Turn right onto MT 141
32 mi·35 min·State Highway 141
13
Turn sharp right onto US 12
13 mi·14 min·US 12
14
Turn left
0.5 mi·42 sec
15
Continue on this road
0.2 mi·13 sec·this road
16
Take the ramp
0.9 mi·1 min
17
Merge onto I 90
45 mi·42 min·I 90
18
Keep slight right at fork onto I 15; I 90
108 mi·1 hr 48 min·I 15; I 90
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Take the exit onto I 90 Business
0.2 mi·32 sec·I 90 Business
Toward I 90 Business: Livingston
20
Turn left onto I 90 Business
2.4 mi·3 min·I 90 Business
21
Turn left onto I 90 Business
0.4 mi·1 min·West Park Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
22
Arrive at destination
I 90 Business
Trip Plan
Given the 6-hour drive time, departing in the morning is advisable to allow for flexibility. With only one recommended stop and a highway-centric profile, you can easily make good time. Keep an eye on fuel levels, especially as you approach the 108.3-mile stretch on I 15, as services can sometimes be spaced out on interstates. The relatively short duration means you can adapt your schedule as needed, perhaps stopping for a longer break if you encounter unexpected delays or simply want to stretch your legs.
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 166.9 miles from Kalispell, MT, or about 3h 13m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 108.3 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 73 miles or 1h 30m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 166.9 miles or 3h 13m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 5h
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Livingston, MT than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Kalispell, 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 Kalispell, MT
This is one driving day of about 333.8 miles and 6h 3m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 73 miles from Kalispell, 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 I 15 for about 108.3 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 18
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 222.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|1st Avenue East
Turn right onto 1st Avenue East
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
4.8 mi into trip|~11m in|Rocky Cliff Drive
At end of road, turn right onto Rocky Cliff Drive
Navigation decision point
6
15.3 mi into trip|~24m in|MT 35
Turn right onto MT 35
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
5
15.6 mi into trip|~25m in|MT 83
Turn left onto MT 83
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
222.5 mi into trip|~4h 8m in|I 15; I 90
Keep slight right at fork onto I 15; I 90
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$60.12 one way
$120.25 round trip
$4.58/gal25.4 MPG avg117 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.78
$62.79
$125.58
premium
$5.11
$67.10
$134.20
diesel
$6.18
$81.20
$162.41
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$60
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$85–$110
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 116.8 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-12.
Driving Electric?
About $35 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
100.1
1
$35.05
$16.02
Efficient EV
83.5
0
$29.21
$13.35
EV Truck/SUV
133.5
1
$46.73
$21.36
Gas CO2
117 kg
EV CO2
39 kg (67% 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 19, 2026
Origin
Kalispell, MT
Evening
in Kalispell on Monday
Local time
8:58 PM
MDT
Current temp
33°F
Mostly Cloudy
0 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Lake Wind Advisory
Lake Wind Advisory issued October 18 at 11:53AM MDT until October 19 at 12:00PM MDT by NWS Glasgow MT
Destination
Livingston, MT
Evening
in Livingston on Monday
Local time
8:58 PM
MDT
Current temp
37°F
Mostly Clear
N 7 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Lake Wind Advisory
Lake Wind Advisory issued October 18 at 11:53AM MDT until October 19 at 12:00PM MDT by NWS Glasgow MT
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 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 3m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This trip is almost entirely on highways, with a 99% highway share. You'll spend most of your time on interstate cruising, with the longest stretch of uninterrupted driving being 108.3 miles on I 15. The transition from MT 83 to I 15 marks the beginning of the predominantly highway portion of your drive. Expect relatively consistent speeds and fewer complex intersections for the majority of the trip.
99% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 108.3 mi on I 15.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 15 and MT 83. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near 1st Avenue East.
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 3m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 18 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (1st Avenue East): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.8 miles (Rocky Cliff Drive): Navigation decision point; at 15.3 miles (MT 35): Lane positioning matters here.
Kalispell is the largest city in the Flathead Valley of northwest Montana, near Glacier National Park. The name means "flat land above the lake" in Salish, referring to Flathead Lake just to the south, the largest freshwater lake west of the Mississippi. The city of about 25,000 people is full of shopping and restaurants.
A number of smaller towns surround Kalispell. This guide also includes additional restaurants and picturesque views in Evergreen, Lakeside, and Somers.
Livingston is a city in the Yellowstone Country of Montana. It is the northern entrance to Yellowstone National Park. Livingston is commonly called "The Gateway City" because it was the original entrance to Yellowstone.
Top landmarks
•The Murray Hotel — historic hotel in Livingston, Montana, USA
The longest stretch is about 108.3 miles on I 15. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 8 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 Livingston, MT 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 8 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
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: at 0.1 miles (1st Avenue East): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.8 miles (Rocky Cliff Drive): Navigation decision point; at 15.3 miles (MT 35): Lane positioning matters here.
Not recommended in a single day. At 6.1 hours each way, a round trip means 12.1 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Livingston, MT before the return drive.
