Connecting Malta to Miles City, this 249.9-mile journey across Montana’s Mountain West takes approximately 4 hours and 31 minutes of pure drive time. You will navigate via North 1st Street East, the Lewis and Clark Trail, and 1st Avenue North to complete the transit. Given the duration, this route is perfectly manageable as a single-day trip, though you should budget about $40 for fuel to cover the distance. Since the route relies entirely on local roads rather than interstates, expect a more grounded experience through the rural landscape. It is a straightforward trip for those comfortable with non-highway driving, offering a clear path between these two points.
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
145.9 miles from Malta, MT
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 56m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 94 Business
70.7 mi
1h 8m
State Highway 13
46.7 mi
1h 9m
B Avenue
46.3 mi
50m
North 1st Street East
40.8 mi
47m
Highway 2 East
30.1 mi
34m
1st Avenue North
29.9 mi
34m
Lewis and Clark Trail
18.1 mi
20m
East Main Street
5.5 mi
8m
Longest stretch:
I 94 Business
— 70.7 mi, about 1h 8m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Malta, MT and Miles City, MT.
1
Start on US 191
450 ft·8 sec·Central Avenue South
2
Turn right onto US 2
41 mi·47 min·North 1st Street East
3
Continue on US 2
30 mi·34 min·1st Avenue North
4
Continue on US 2
30 mi·34 min·Highway 2 East
5
Continue on US 2
18 mi·20 min·Lewis and Clark Trail
6
Turn right onto MT 25
365 ft·6 sec·4th Avenue North
7
Continue on MT 25
0.2 mi·22 sec·3rd Avenue
8
Turn left onto Anaconda Street
0.2 mi·21 sec·Anaconda Street
9
Turn left onto South 1st Avenue
245 ft·6 sec·South 1st Avenue
10
Turn right onto MT 25
5.5 mi·8 min·East Main Street
11
Turn straight onto MT 13
47 mi·1 hr 9 min·State Highway 13
12
Turn left onto MT 200
46 mi·50 min·B Avenue
13
At end of road, turn right onto I 94 Business
1.5 mi·2 min·West Towne Street
14
Take the ramp onto I 94 Business
0.1 mi·13 sec·I 94 Business
15
Keep slight left at fork onto I 94 Business
69 mi·1 hr 5 min·I 94 Business
16
Take the exit onto I 94 Business
0.2 mi·25 sec·I 94 Business
17
Turn right onto I 94 Business
1.5 mi·2 min·I 94 Business
18
At end of road, turn left onto I 94 Business
1.6 mi·2 min·Valley Drive East
19
Turn sharp left onto MT 59
54 ft·1 sec·Main Street
20
Arrive at destination
MT 59
Trip Plan
To make the most of this 4.5-hour trek, plan for at least one dedicated stop to stretch your legs and refuel. Since you are traveling on secondary roads, keep a close watch on your fuel gauge, especially before departing Malta, to ensure you stay within your $40 budget. Leaving early in the day is your best strategy to avoid fatigue, as the technical nature of these local roads can be more taxing than standard highway travel. Flexibility is your biggest advantage here, allowing you to pace the drive according to your comfort level. A helpful tip for this specific route is to double-check your navigation before setting out, as the reliance on local roads like 1st Avenue North means you will encounter more frequent turns than on a typical cross-country highway trip.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 145.9 miles from Malta, MT, or about 2h 56m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 70.7 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 64 miles or 1h 13m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 145.9 miles or 2h 56m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 46m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Miles City, 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 291.7 miles and 5h 39m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 64 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 I 94 Business for about 70.7 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 12
5 decision points cluster between mile 118.9 and 291.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
118.9 mi into trip|~2h 16m in|MT 25 / 4th Avenue North
Turn right onto MT 25 / 4th Avenue North
Navigation decision point
4
119.2 mi into trip|~2h 16m in|Anaconda Street
Turn left onto Anaconda Street
Navigation decision point
5
119.4 mi into trip|~2h 17m in|South 1st Avenue
Turn left onto South 1st Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
217.9 mi into trip|~4h 25m in|I 94 Business / West Towne Street
At end of road, turn right onto I 94 Business / West Towne Street
Navigation decision point
5
291.7 mi into trip|~5h 39m in|MT 59 / Main Street
Turn sharp left onto MT 59 / Main Street
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$46.22 one way
$92.45 round trip
$4.03/gal25.4 MPG avg102 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.22
$48.45
$96.90
premium
$4.53
$52.04
$104.07
diesel
$5.61
$64.40
$128.81
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$46
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$71–$96
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 102.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $31 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
87.5
1
$30.63
$14.00
Efficient EV
72.9
0
$25.52
$11.67
EV Truck/SUV
116.7
1
$40.84
$18.67
Gas CO2
102 kg
EV CO2
34 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 Apr 15, 2026
Origin
Malta, MT
Night
in Malta on Saturday
Local time
10:41 PM
MDT
Current temp
70°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Miles City, MT
Night
in Miles City on Saturday
Local time
10:41 PM
MDT
Current temp
75°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
5 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
5h 39m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive that demands your full attention, as this route contains zero highway miles. Because you are navigating local roads exclusively, the pace is dictated by the twists and turns of the trail rather than the cruise-control ease of an interstate. You will find that the road surface and traffic patterns shift as you transition between towns, creating a driving experience that feels more intimate and connected to the terrain. Without long, monotonous highway stretches, the journey requires active steering and constant engagement with the road. Prepare for a technical, hands-on drive that keeps you focused on the path ahead.
51% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 70.7 mi on I 94 Business.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 118.9 miles in near MT 25 / 4th Avenue North.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 5h 39m drive. You will face about 12 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 118.9 miles (MT 25 / 4th Avenue North): Navigation decision point; at 119.2 miles (Anaconda Street): Navigation decision point; at 119.4 miles (South 1st Avenue): Navigation decision point.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 39m. Total distance: 291.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
The longest stretch is about 70.7 miles on I 94 Business. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
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. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
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 118.9 miles (MT 25 / 4th Avenue North): Navigation decision point; at 119.2 miles (Anaconda Street): Navigation decision point; at 119.4 miles (South 1st Avenue): Navigation decision point.
Not recommended in a single day. At 5.7 hours each way, a round trip means 11.3 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Miles City, MT before the return drive.
