Medina to Ypsilanti is 43.2 miles and takes about 56 minutes via I 94, with a fuel budget near $7 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short drive stays within the expansive Great Plains region, offering a straightforward journey primarily on major highways. Given its brevity, it's a perfect option for a quick transfer or an add-on to another trip. You'll primarily be on interstate, so expect a consistent pace for the entire 43.2 miles. Plan on a minimal fuel cost of about $7 for this trip.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 94
27.3 mi
25m
43rd Street Southeast
6.9 mi
16m
US 281 Truck Bypass
6.6 mi
7m
55th Avenue Southeast
0.8 mi
1m
1st Avenue South
0.4 mi
1m
Jefferson Avenue North
0.3 mi
<1m
90th Avenue Southeast
0.3 mi
<1m
US 52 Truck
0.3 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 94
— 27.3 mi, about 25m
Traffic on I-94
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 4 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~307 veh/hr typical
· worst 501
Quietest
2 AM
~26 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
11.8×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 46 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 Medina, ND and Ypsilanti, ND.
1
Start on CR 39
37 ft·6 sec·Water Street East
2
Turn left onto CR 68
0.4 mi·1 min·1st Avenue South
3
Continue on 55th Avenue Southeast
0.8 mi·1 min·55th Avenue Southeast
4
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·30 sec
5
Merge onto I 94
27 mi·25 min·I 94
6
Take the exit onto US 52 Truck; US 281 Truck
0.3 mi·32 sec·US 52 Truck; US 281 Truck
Toward US 52 West, US 281: Jamestown
7
Turn straight onto US 281 Truck Bypass
6.6 mi·7 min·US 281 Truck Bypass
Toward Edgeley, Ellendale
8
Turn left onto 43rd Street Southeast
6.9 mi·16 min·43rd Street Southeast
9
Continue on this road
473 ft·12 sec·this road
10
Continue on 90th Avenue Southeast
0.3 mi·37 sec·90th Avenue Southeast
11
Continue on Jefferson Avenue North
0.3 mi·47 sec·Jefferson Avenue North
12
Turn left onto 2nd Street South
404 ft·19 sec·2nd Street South
13
Turn right onto Lloyd Avenue South
59 ft·2 sec·Lloyd Avenue South
14
Arrive at destination
Lloyd Avenue South
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
The midpoint is around 21.6 miles from Medina, ND, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 8
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 43.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
3
0 mi into trip|~0m in|CR 68 / 1st Avenue South
Turn left onto CR 68 / 1st Avenue South
Navigation decision point
4
1.2 mi into trip|~3m in
Take the ramp
Navigation decision point
5
28.8 mi into trip|~29m in|US 52 Truck; US 281 Truck
Take the exit onto US 52 Truck; US 281 Truck toward US 52 West, US 281: Jamestown
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 52 West, US 281: Jamestown
5
43.1 mi into trip|~55m in|2nd Street South
Turn left onto 2nd Street South
Navigation decision point
5
43.2 mi into trip|~56m in|Lloyd Avenue South
Turn right onto Lloyd Avenue South
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.38 one way
$12.76 round trip
$3.75/gal25.4 MPG avg15 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.14
$7.04
$14.09
premium
$4.72
$8.02
$16.04
diesel
$4.80
$8.16
$16.31
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 15.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
13
0
$4.54
$2.07
Efficient EV
10.8
0
$3.78
$1.73
EV Truck/SUV
17.3
0
$6.05
$2.76
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 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.
Forecast as of Jul 3, 2026
Origin
Medina, ND
Evening
in Medina on Saturday
Local time
8:33 PM
CDT
Current temp
60°F
Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
SE 3 to 14 mph23% chanceLive forecast
Severe Thunderstorm Warning
Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued July 2 at 7:53PM CDT until July 2 at 9:00PM CDT by NWS Bismarck ND
Severe Thunderstorm Watch
Severe Thunderstorm Watch issued July 2 at 7:09PM CDT until July 3 at 12:00AM CDT by NWS Bismarck ND
Destination
Ypsilanti, ND
Evening
in Ypsilanti on Saturday
Local time
8:33 PM
CDT
Current temp
62°F
Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
E 6 to 9 mph22% chanceLive forecast
Severe Thunderstorm Warning
Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued July 2 at 7:53PM CDT until July 2 at 9:00PM CDT by NWS Bismarck ND
Severe Thunderstorm Watch
Severe Thunderstorm Watch issued July 2 at 7:09PM CDT until July 3 at 12:00AM CDT by NWS Bismarck ND
85°F
Jamestown, ND
22 mi in
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 warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
56m on the road
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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route is overwhelmingly a highway-focused drive, with 79% of the journey taking place on major roads like I 94. You'll experience the efficiency of interstate travel for the longest stretch, which spans 27.3 miles on I 94 without needing to exit. Expect a consistent speed and minimal navigation challenges for most of the 56-minute trip. The character is largely that of a quick highway transit, connecting two points in the Great Plains with minimal fuss.
79% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 27.3 mi on I 94.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 94 and 43rd Street Southeast. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near CR 68 / 1st Avenue South.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 56m 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 (CR 68 / 1st Avenue South): Navigation decision point; at 1.2 miles: Navigation decision point; at 28.8 miles (US 52 Truck; US 281 Truck): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
1,917 ft1,394 ft
Total Climb
133 ft
Total Descent
544 ft
Highest Point
1,917 ft
~3.1 mi in
Elevation Range
524 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Medina, ND and Ypsilanti, ND, road signs point toward Edgeley and Ellendale.
The longest stretch is about 27.3 miles on I 94. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 4 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.
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 ND 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 (CR 68 / 1st Avenue South): Navigation decision point; at 1.2 miles: Navigation decision point; at 28.8 miles (US 52 Truck; US 281 Truck): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Ypsilanti, ND before heading back.
