Malta to Evergreen is 347.5 miles and takes about 6h 44m via US 2, with a fuel budget near $61 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Mountain West region, specifically Montana, offering a predominantly surface road experience. You'll be navigating a mix of local roads and major highways, making it a straightforward, single-day drive. Consider this route if you're looking for a practical way to cover ground 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
173.7 miles from Malta, MT
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 3h 16m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
North 1st Street West
190.5 mi
3h 35m
US 2
74 mi
1h 22m
West Roosevelt Highway
58 mi
1h 8m
MT 206
9.7 mi
12m
US Route 2
7.5 mi
10m
MT 35
4.4 mi
5m
East Evergreen Drive
1 mi
2m
Main Street
0.8 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
North 1st Street West
— 190.5 mi, about 3h 35m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Malta, MT and Evergreen, MT.
1
Start on US 191
0.1 mi·10 sec·Central Avenue South
2
Turn left onto US 2; US 191
190 mi·3 hr 35 min·North 1st Street West
Use the straight lane.
3
Continue on US 2
0.8 mi·2 min·Main Street
4
Turn right onto I 15 Bus; US 2
453 ft·16 sec·5th Avenue North
5
Continue on I 15 Bus; US 2
58 mi·1 hr 8 min·West Roosevelt Highway
6
Continue on US 2; US 89
0.6 mi·1 min·East Central Avenue
7
Enter roundabout onto US 2
246 ft·3 sec·US 2
8
Continue on US 2
72 mi·1 hr 19 min·US 2
9
Turn right
0.2 mi·1 min
10
At end of road, turn left onto Old US 2
0.4 mi·1 min·Old US 2
11
Turn right onto US 2
7.5 mi·10 min·US Route 2
12
Continue on US 2
1.7 mi·2 min·US 2
13
Turn left onto MT 206
9.7 mi·12 min·MT 206
Use the left lane.
14
At end of road, turn right onto MT 35
4.4 mi·5 min·MT 35
15
Turn right onto Helena Flats Road
0.1 mi·19 sec·Helena Flats Road
16
Turn left onto East Evergreen Drive
1.0 mi·2 min·East Evergreen Drive
17
Turn left onto US 2
26 ft·0 sec·La Salle Road
18
Arrive at destination
US 2
Trip Plan
Given the 6h 44m estimated drive time, leaving Malta in the morning will allow you to reach Evergreen with daylight to spare. While there's only one recommended stop, you'll want to factor in potential delays on the longer surface road segments. Keep an eye on your fuel levels, especially before embarking on the 190.5-mile stretch on North 1st Street West. This route is manageable in a single day, giving you flexibility for spontaneous photo opportunities or brief breaks.
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 173.7 miles from Malta, MT, or about 3h 16m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 190.5 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 76 miles or 1h 25m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 173.7 miles or 3h 16m 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 29m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Evergreen, MT than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Malta, 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 Malta, MT
This is one driving day of about 347.5 miles and 6h 44m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 76 miles from Malta, 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 North 1st Street West for about 190.5 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 11
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 341.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|US 2; US 191 / North 1st Street West
Turn left onto US 2; US 191 / North 1st Street West
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
4
250.1 mi into trip|~4h 47m in|US 2
Enter roundabout onto US 2
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
5
322.5 mi into trip|~6h 9m in|Old US 2
At end of road, turn left onto Old US 2
Navigation decision point
6
332.1 mi into trip|~6h 23m in|MT 206
Turn left onto MT 206
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
341.9 mi into trip|~6h 35m in|MT 35
At end of road, turn right onto MT 35
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$54.16 one way
$108.33 round trip
$3.96/gal25.4 MPG avg122 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.17
$57.09
$114.18
premium
$4.47
$61.21
$122.42
diesel
$4.80
$65.61
$131.23
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$54
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$79–$104
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 121.6 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $36 in charging
· 1 stop
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
104.3
1
$36.49
$16.68
Efficient EV
86.9
0
$30.41
$13.90
EV Truck/SUV
139
1
$48.65
$22.24
Gas CO2
122 kg
EV CO2
41 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 Jul 17, 2026
Origin
Malta, MT
Late night
in Malta on Sunday
Local time
12:38 AM
MDT
Current temp
64°F
Patchy Fog
ENE 6 mph2% chanceLive forecast
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued July 17 at 5:29AM MDT by NWS Missoula MT
Flash Flood Watch
Flash Flood Watch issued July 17 at 12:23AM MDT until July 18 at 12:00AM MDT by NWS Great Falls MT
Destination
Evergreen, MT
Late night
in Evergreen on Sunday
Local time
12:38 AM
MDT
Current temp
62°F
Slight Chance Light Rain
NW 1 mph20% chanceLive forecast
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued July 17 at 5:29AM MDT by NWS Missoula MT
Flash Flood Watch
Flash Flood Watch issued July 17 at 12:23AM MDT until July 18 at 12:00AM MDT by NWS Great Falls 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
2 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
6h 44m 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.
Glacier National Park
National Park
A showcase of melting glaciers, alpine meadows, carved valleys, and spectacular lakes. With over 700 miles of trails, Glacier is a paradise for adventurous visitors seeking a landscape steeped in huma...
14 mi from route
~35 min detour
$35
near mile 311.5
Park Closure: Going-to-the-Sun Road Seasonal Closure
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is mostly surface roads, with highway travel making up 28% of the total distance. You'll encounter a significant stretch of 190.5 miles on North 1st Street West before transitioning to US 2. Expect mostly rural cruising with minimal urban merging, as the route primarily utilizes surface roads.
Only 28% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 190.5 mi on North 1st Street West.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
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 around 0.1 miles in near US 2; US 191 / North 1st Street West.
Driving Effort3/10
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 44m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 11 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (US 2; US 191 / North 1st Street West): Lane positioning matters here; at 250.1 miles (US 2): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 322.5 miles (Old US 2): Navigation decision point.
Malta is a town in Montana. It is part of what is called the HiLine - a term used for the northern part of the state, mainly along Highway 2. The population was 1,900 in 2020.
Kalispell is a town in Montana, near Glacier National Park. The name of the town means "flat land above the lake" in Salish, a Native American language. The population is about 23,000 (2016).
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 190.5 miles on North 1st Street West. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 1 rest area or service plaza 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 Evergreen, 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 1 rest area 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 (US 2; US 191 / North 1st Street West): Lane positioning matters here; at 250.1 miles (US 2): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 322.5 miles (Old US 2): Navigation decision point.
Yes — Glacier National Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 6.7 hours each way, a round trip means 13.5 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Evergreen, MT before the return drive.
