Bearmouth Rest Area, I-90 Eastbound
0 mi from route
Trip from Miles City, MT to Lolo, MT
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Oct 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
8h 23m
Distance
498.9 mi
803 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
2-day trip
Fuel Cost
$68
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
8h 16m
★
6 AM
8h 24m
8 AM
8h 39m
10 AM
8h 29m
12 PM
8h 27m
3 PM
8h 30m
5 PM
8h 38m
8 PM
8h 19m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Miles City, MT
Wikimedia Commons
Lolo, MT
Mauricio Krupka Buendia
Trip Overview
Miles City, MT to Lolo, MT is 498.9 miles and takes about 8h 23m via I 90, I 94, and US Highway 93 South, with a fuel budget near $87 and enough daylight to finish in a day if split over two days. This drive takes you across the Mountain West region of Montana, offering a predominantly highway experience. You'll spend most of your time on major interstates before transitioning to a significant stretch on US Highway 93 South. Given the duration and distance, it's best planned as a two-day trip to allow for a more relaxed pace and to fully appreciate the changing landscapes. The route is straightforward, making it a practical choice for travelers looking to cover ground efficiently.
Trip Pace
Best split across 2 days
Treat the return leg as its own travel day rather than an afterthought.
Break Rhythm
2 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
249.5 miles from Miles City, MT
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 4h 14m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 90 | 348.5 mi | 5h 42m |
| I 94 | 135.4 mi | 2h 18m |
| US Highway 93 South | 3.8 mi | 5m |
| Brooks Street | 3.3 mi | 4m |
| Bitteroot Road | 3 mi | 3m |
| I 94 Business | 2.2 mi | 3m |
| Main Street | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| South 5th Street East | 0.4 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 90
— 348.5 mi, about 5h 42m
Traffic on I-90
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 64 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~675 veh/hr typical · worst 901
Quietest
2 AM
~42 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
16.1×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a
6a
noon
6p
11p
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 Miles City, MT and Lolo, MT.
1
Start on MT 59
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Main Street
2
Continue on I 94 Business
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
I 94 Business
3
Take the ramp onto I 94 Business
66 ft
·
1 sec
·
I 94 Business
4
Keep slight right at fork onto I 94 Business
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
·
I 94 Business
5
Merge onto I 94; US 12
135 mi
·
2 hr 18 min
·
I 94; US 12
6
Merge onto I 90; US 87; US 212
2.8 mi
·
3 min
·
I 90; US 87; US 212
7
Continue on I 90; US 212
113 mi
·
1 hr 51 min
·
I 90; US 212
8
Continue on I 90; US 89; US 191
7.0 mi
·
6 min
·
I 90; US 89; US 191
9
Continue on I 90; US 191
113 mi
·
1 hr 54 min
·
I 90; US 191
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight left at fork onto I 90
113 mi
·
1 hr 46 min
·
I 90
Toward I 90 West: Missoula
11
Take the exit onto I 90 Business; US 12
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
I 90 Business; US 12
Toward US 12 West, I 90 Business
12
Enter roundabout onto I 90 Bus; US 12
206 ft
·
2 sec
·
Van Buren Street
13
Continue on I 90 Bus; US 12
212 ft
·
3 sec
·
Van Buren Street
14
Enter roundabout onto I 90 Bus; US 12
92 ft
·
1 sec
·
Van Buren Street
15
Continue on I 90 Bus; US 12
0.1 mi
·
11 sec
·
Van Buren Street
16
Turn right onto I 90 Bus; US 12
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
·
East Broadway Street
17
Turn left onto US 12
0.3 mi
·
18 sec
·
Madison Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
18
Continue on US 12
0.1 mi
·
9 sec
·
Arthur Avenue
19
Turn right onto US 12
0.4 mi
·
35 sec
·
South 5th Street East
20
Turn left onto US 12
0.1 mi
·
28 sec
·
South Higgins Avenue
21
Turn right onto US 12
3.3 mi
·
4 min
·
Brooks Street
Use the right lane.
22
Continue on US 12; US 93
3.0 mi
·
3 min
·
Bitteroot Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
23
Continue on US 12; US 93
3.8 mi
·
5 min
·
US Highway 93 South
24
Turn left onto Lewis and Clark Drive
265 ft
·
13 sec
·
Lewis and Clark Drive
25
Arrive at destination
Lewis and Clark Drive
Trip Plan
With an estimated driving time of over 8 hours, this trip is best tackled over two days. Aim to leave Miles City in the morning, covering a significant portion on I 90 and I 94 to reach a convenient overnight stop. The next day, you'll complete the drive via US Highway 93 South. Keep an eye on your fuel, especially during the longer interstate stretches; plan your refueling stops accordingly. While you'll have two designated stops, consider adding brief breaks as needed, particularly before embarking on the 348.5-mile segment on I 90. The fuel cost is estimated at $87, so factor that into your budget.
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.
This drive is better paced as a 2-day trip.
Plan roughly 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 249.5 miles from Miles City, MT, or about 4h 14m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 348.5 miles.
Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 110 miles or 1h 55m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 249.5 miles or 4h 14m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Overnight split
Day 1 wrap after about 249.5 miles or 4h 14m
Stop before fatigue turns the last few hours into a grind. You want day two to start fresh, not just resumed.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 7h 21m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Lolo, MT than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Miles City, 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.
+
Pick one backup stop option before the midpoint in case traffic changes your pacing.
+
Treat this as a 2-day road trip and book the overnight stop before the busiest arrival window.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Miles City, MT
Aim for roughly 249 miles and 4.2 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Lolo, MT
Aim for roughly 249 miles and 4.2 hours of wheel time on this day.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 110 miles from Miles City, MT.
This route usually feels better as a 2-day drive than as one long push.
Plan about 2 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on I 90 for about 348.5 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Overnight candidate
249 mi into the route
Best for: Hotel check-in, dinner, and a fresh start
This lines up well with a realistic day-end stop if you are breaking the drive into stages.
Find hotels in Belgrade, MTOvernight Options
Night 1
249 mi · about 4.2h in
A practical overnight split lands near Belgrade, MT after about 249 miles or 4.2 hours of driving.
Find hotelsPacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 110 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 249.5 miles from Miles City, MT, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before I 90 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 348.5 miles.
Overnight split
Hotel stopFor a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 249 miles or 4.2 hours on the road.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Stops Along Your Drive
Picked by where they fit in your drive — first break, midpoint reset, final stretch.
Gold Creek Parking Area, I-90 Westbound
0 mi from route
Rest Area
0 mi from route
Rest Area
0 mi from route
Rest Area
0.1 mi from route
Rest Area
0.1 mi from route
Rest Area
0.1 mi from route
TA
0.1 mi from route
Bearmouth Rest Area, I-90 Westbound
0.1 mi from route
Gold Creek Parking Area, I-90 Eastbound
0.1 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.1 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.1 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.1 mi from route
Town Pump Flying J Travel Center
0.1 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.1 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.1 mi from route
Town Pump Flying J Travel Center
0.2 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.2 mi from route
Three Forks Rest Area
0.5 mi from route
Anaconda Rest Area
0.7 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
1.2 mi from route
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 135 decision points cluster between mile 3.1 and 487.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
3.1 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
I 94 Business
Keep slight right at fork onto I 94 Business
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
5
374.7 mi into trip
|
~6h 20m in
|
I 90
Keep slight left at fork onto I 90 toward I 90 West: Missoula
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I 90 West: Missoula
5
487.2 mi into trip
|
~8h 7m in
|
I 90 Business; US 12
Take the exit onto I 90 Business; US 12 toward US 12 West, I 90 Business
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 12 West, I 90 Business
5
487.4 mi into trip
|
~8h 7m in
|
I 90 Bus; US 12 / Van Buren Street
Enter roundabout onto I 90 Bus; US 12 / Van Buren Street
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
7
487.8 mi into trip
|
~8h 8m in
|
US 12 / Madison Street
Turn left onto US 12 / Madison Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$67.76 one way
$135.53 round trip
$3.45/gal
25.4 MPG avg
175 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $3.85 | $75.62 | $151.24 |
| premium | $4.15 | $81.51 | $163.03 |
| diesel | $3.75 | $73.66 | $147.31 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$68
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$198–$308
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 174.6 kg one way.
Driving Electric?
About $52 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 149.7 | 1 | $52.38 | $23.95 |
| Efficient EV | 124.7 | 1 | $43.65 | $19.96 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 199.6 | 2 | $69.85 | $31.93 |
Gas CO2
175 kg
EV CO2
58 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.
Origin
Miles City, MT
Morning in Miles City on Saturday
Local time
9:42 AM
MDT
Current temp
36°F
Mostly Clear
S 8 mph
0% chance
Live forecast
High Wind Warning
High Wind Warning issued October 16 at 11:59PM MDT until October 18 at 12:00AM MDT by NWS Great Falls MT
High Wind Warning
High Wind Warning issued October 16 at 11:59PM MDT until October 18 at 12:00AM MDT by NWS Great Falls MT
Destination
Lolo, MT
Morning in Lolo on Saturday
Local time
9:42 AM
MDT
Current temp
34°F
Partly Cloudy
S 6 mph
0% chance
Live forecast
High Wind Warning
High Wind Warning issued October 16 at 11:59PM MDT until October 18 at 12:00AM MDT by NWS Great Falls MT
High Wind Warning
High Wind Warning issued October 16 at 11:59PM MDT until October 18 at 12:00AM MDT by NWS Great Falls MT
48°F
Belgrade, MT
249 mi in
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.
For long drives, weather on day two can matter just as much as conditions at departure, so check the whole travel window rather than only the first day.
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
8h 23m on the road
This is long enough that the arrival forecast matters almost as much as departure conditions. Recheck both ends before you roll.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
This route is almost entirely highway, with 98% of the drive on major roads like I 90, I 94, and US Highway 93 South. You'll encounter a longest stretch of 348.5 miles on I 90, meaning extended periods of comfortable cruising. The transition from interstate to US Highway 93 South will mark the end of the most densely connected highway sections. Expect mostly rural cruising for much of the journey, with occasional urban merging as you pass through or near larger towns.
98% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
25 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 348.5 mi on I 90.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 90 and I 94. You will hit about 13 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 3.1 miles in near I 94 Business.
Driving Effort
6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 498.9 miles you will encounter 13 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 3.1 miles (I 94 Business): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 374.7 miles (I 90): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 487.2 miles (I 90 Business; US 12): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
High-altitude sections with notable climbs
5,473 ft
2,362 ft
Total Climb
3,575 ft
Total Descent
2,741 ft
Highest Point
5,473 ft
~356.4 mi in
Elevation Range
3,111 ft
Notable High Points
4,812 ft at ~285.1 miles
+455 ft prominence
5,473 ft at ~356.4 miles
+664 ft prominence
About the Cities
Starting in Miles City, MT
Full guide →Miles City is a city of 8400 people (2020) in Montana. It still has a strong cowboy culture.
Top landmarks
- • Olive Hotel — historic hotel in Miles City, Montana, United States
- • Main Street Historic District — historic district in Miles City, Montana, United States
- • Holy Rosary Hospital — hospital in Montana, United States
Arriving in Lolo, MT
Full guide →Lolo is a community of about 4,400 people in northwestern Montana, about 10 mi (16 km) from Missoula. It is at the eastern end of the Lolo Trail, a route through a challenging section of the Rockies used by the Nez Perce people and by Lewis and Clark, who camped here in 1805 and again in 1806. Today this route leads travellers to hot springs and untamed wilderness.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 2 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
8h 23m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 348.5 miles on I 90. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — a 2-day pace is more comfortable than one long haul. A sensible stopping point is after roughly 249 miles on day one.
Yes — we found about 21 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 route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Lolo, 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 2 meaningful breaks. There are 21 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 3.1 miles (I 94 Business): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 374.7 miles (I 90): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 487.2 miles (I 90 Business; US 12): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Not recommended in a single day. At 8.4 hours each way, a round trip means 16.8 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Lolo, MT before the return drive.
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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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