Origin
Lead, SD
Night in Lead on Saturday
Local time
10:15 PM
MDT
Current temp
45°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Lead, SD to Spearfish, SD
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
24m
Distance
18.5 mi
30 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 22m
★
6 AM
0h 24m
8 AM
0h 29m
10 AM
0h 26m
12 PM
0h 26m
3 PM
0h 26m
5 PM
0h 28m
8 PM
0h 23m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Lead, SD
Patrick
Spearfish, SD
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This straightforward 18.5-mile drive from Lead to Spearfish, South Dakota, is a quick trip that can easily be completed in about 24 minutes, making it ideal as a single-day excursion. Primarily utilizing US Highway 85, this route falls within the Great Plains region, offering a consistent landscape throughout. With a modest estimated fuel cost of just $3, it's an economical option for connecting these two towns. The experience is focused on highway travel, so you won't need to worry about splitting this short journey or planning an overnight stay; it’s designed for efficient travel.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US Highway 85 | 7.7 mi | 8m |
| US 85 | 5.5 mi | 5m |
| West Main Street | 1.3 mi | 1m |
| Cliff Street | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| Main Street | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Charles Street | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| East Jackson Boulevard | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Pioneer Way | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
US Highway 85
— 7.7 mi, about 8m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Lead, SD and Spearfish, SD.
1
Start on this road
102 ft
·
12 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left onto US 85
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
West Main Street
3
Continue on US 85
0.2 mi
·
15 sec
·
US Highway 85
4
Continue on US 85
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Cliff Street
5
Continue on US 85
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Charles Street
6
Merge onto US 14A; US 85
0.3 mi
·
25 sec
·
Pioneer Way
7
Continue on US 14A; US 85
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Main Street
8
Turn left onto US 85
7.5 mi
·
8 min
·
US Highway 85
9
Turn left onto US 85
5.5 mi
·
5 min
·
US 85
Toward I 90 West, US 14 West, US 85 North
10
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
Toward Jackson Boulevard, Black Hills State University
11
Turn left onto East Jackson Boulevard
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
East Jackson Boulevard
12
Turn left onto I 90 Business
149 ft
·
14 sec
·
North Main Street
13
Arrive at destination
I 90 Business
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 65 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 17.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 85 / West Main Street
Turn left onto US 85 / West Main Street
Navigation decision point
4
4.5 mi into trip
|
~7m in
|
US 85 / US Highway 85
Turn left onto US 85 / US Highway 85
Navigation decision point
5
12 mi into trip
|
~15m in
|
US 85
Turn left onto US 85 toward I 90 West, US 14 West, US 85 North
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 90 West, US 14 West, US 85 North
5
17.5 mi into trip
|
~21m in
Take the exit toward Jackson Boulevard, Black Hills State University
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward Jackson Boulevard, Black Hills State Uni...
4
17.8 mi into trip
|
~22m in
|
East Jackson Boulevard
Turn left onto East Jackson Boulevard
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.89 one way
$5.78 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
7 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $3.18 | $6.35 |
| premium | $4.89 | $3.56 | $7.12 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.08 | $8.17 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.6 | 0 | $1.94 | $0.89 |
| Efficient EV | 4.6 | 0 | $1.62 | $0.74 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 7.4 | 0 | $2.59 | $1.18 |
Gas CO2
6 kg
EV CO2
2 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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Spearfish, SD
Night in Spearfish on Saturday
Local time
10:15 PM
MDT
Current temp
73°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
28 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
24m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a highway-focused experience for most of this journey, with 71% of the drive on main roads like US Highway 85 and West Main Street. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 7.7 miles on US Highway 85, providing a consistent pace. This route is characterized by its efficiency rather than winding scenic byways. You'll primarily be on well-maintained highways, making for a predictable and smooth ride as you transition from Lead to Spearfish.
71% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 7.7 mi on US Highway 85.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US Highway 85 and US 85. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 85 / West Main Street.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 24m drive. You will face about 6 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 (US 85 / West Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 4.5 miles (US 85 / US Highway 85): Navigation decision point; at 12 miles (US 85): Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
High-altitude sections with notable climbs
5,212 ft
3,643 ft
Total Climb
425 ft
Total Descent
1,994 ft
Highest Point
5,212 ft
Elevation Range
1,569 ft
Notable High Points
4,803 ft at ~5.3 miles
+146 ft prominence
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
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 Lead, SD to Spearfish, SD, road signs begin pointing toward Black Hills State University along the way.
Black Hills State University
17.5 mi in
|
~21m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 24m. Total distance: 18.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
24m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (71%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 7.7 miles on US Highway 85. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
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: near the start (US 85 / West Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 4.5 miles (US 85 / US Highway 85): Navigation decision point; at 12 miles (US 85): Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Spearfish, SD before heading back.
How this page is built
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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