Minot to Belfield is 200.4 miles and takes about 3h 41m via I 94 and State Highway 31, with a fuel budget near $30 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive predominantly stays within the Great Plains region, offering a straightforward path across North Dakota. It's a short, efficient trip primarily on major roads, making it a good option for a single day of travel. Expect a consistent driving experience with minimal detours, ideal for those prioritizing direct transit.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
100.2 miles from Minot, ND
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 1m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 94
84.8 mi
1h 20m
State Highway 31
30.3 mi
35m
State Highway 200
28.1 mi
35m
US Highway 83
23.8 mi
27m
US-83 S
22.5 mi
25m
State Highway 200 Alternate
3 mi
3m
State Highway 48
2.9 mi
3m
South Broadway
2.7 mi
5m
Longest stretch:
I 94
— 84.8 mi, about 1h 20m
Traffic on I-94
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 8 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~337 veh/hr typical
· worst 477
Quietest
3 AM
~28 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
12×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
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Averaged across 92 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 Minot, ND and Belfield, ND.
1
Start on US 2 Business; US 52 Business
74 ft·7 sec·Burdick Expressway West
2
Turn right onto US 83
2.7 mi·5 min·South Broadway
3
Continue on US 83
0.1 mi·13 sec·US-83 S
4
Continue on US 83
24 mi·27 min·US Highway 83
5
Continue on US 83
22 mi·24 min·US-83 S
6
Turn right onto ND 48
2.9 mi·3 min·State Highway 48
Use the right lane.
7
Turn right onto ND 200
11 mi·15 min·State Highway 200
8
Continue on ND 200
0.5 mi·1 min·East Main Road
9
Continue on ND 200
17 mi·19 min·State Highway 200
10
Continue on ND 200 ALT
3.0 mi·3 min·State Highway 200 Alternate
11
Turn right onto ND 31
30 mi·35 min·State Highway 31
Use the right lane.
12
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·33 sec
13
Merge onto I 94
85 mi·1 hr 20 min·I 94
14
Take the exit
0.2 mi·38 sec
15
Turn sharp left onto US 85
0.5 mi·39 sec·Theodore Roosevelt Expressway
16
Turn right onto Highway 10 East
0.4 mi·1 min·Highway 10 East
17
Turn left onto Main Street North
0.4 mi·59 sec·Main Street North
18
Turn right onto 1st Avenue Northwest
33 ft·1 sec·1st Avenue Northwest
19
Arrive at destination
1st Avenue Northwest
Trip Plan
Given the relatively short 3h 41m drive time, you can easily complete this trip in one day. Departing in the morning allows for plenty of daylight and flexibility for any brief stops. The primary roads are well-maintained, but keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially during the 84.8-mile stretch on I 94. While there's only one recommended stop, you'll find services available along the interstate as needed. Planning to leave mid-morning gives you time for a relaxed start and still arrives well before evening.
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 100.2 miles from Minot, ND, or about 2h 1m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 84.8 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 44 miles or 52m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 100.2 miles or 2h 1m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 5m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Belfield, ND than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Minot, ND 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 Minot, ND
This is one driving day of about 200.4 miles and 3h 41m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 44 miles from Minot, ND.
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 for about 84.8 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 and 199.6 — 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 83 / South Broadway
Turn right onto US 83 / South Broadway
Navigation decision point
5
49 mi into trip|~58m in|ND 48 / State Highway 48
Turn right onto ND 48 / State Highway 48
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
6
83.5 mi into trip|~1h 42m in|ND 31 / State Highway 31
Turn right onto ND 31 / State Highway 31
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
199.1 mi into trip|~3h 39m in|US 85 / Theodore Roosevelt Expressway
Turn sharp left onto US 85 / Theodore Roosevelt Expressway
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
4
199.6 mi into trip|~3h 39m in|Highway 10 East
Turn right onto Highway 10 East
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$32.85 one way
$65.71 round trip
$4.16/gal25.4 MPG avg70 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.63
$36.50
$73.00
premium
$5.13
$40.47
$80.95
diesel
$6.05
$47.73
$95.45
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$33
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$58–$83
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 70.1 kg one way.
Driving Electric?
About $21 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
60.1
0
$21.04
$9.62
Efficient EV
50.1
0
$17.54
$8.02
EV Truck/SUV
80.2
1
$28.06
$12.83
Gas CO2
70 kg
EV CO2
23 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 Oct 17, 2026
Origin
Minot, ND
Morning
in Minot on Sunday
Local time
8:58 AM
CDT
Current temp
69°F
Sunny
SW 14 to 22 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Belfield, ND
Morning
in Belfield on Sunday
Local time
7:58 AM
MDT
Current temp
75°F
Sunny
SW 12 to 17 mph0% chanceLive 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
1 hour earlier
The destination clock does not match departure time, so double-check hotel check-in windows and late arrival plans.
Temperature spread
6 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
3h 41m 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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Theodore Roosevelt National Park
National Park
When Theodore Roosevelt came to Dakota Territory to hunt bison in 1883, he was a skinny, young, spectacled dude from New York. He could not have imagined how his adventure in this remote and unfamilia...
23 mi from route
~57 min detour
$30
near mile 200.4
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route is 98% highway, meaning you'll spend almost all of your time on faster roads. The longest continuous stretch on I 94 measures 84.8 miles. You'll experience mostly rural cruising with very few exits for a significant portion of the drive. State Highway 31 will eventually take over for a short segment before you rejoin I 94.
98% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 84.8 mi on I 94.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 94 and State Highway 31. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 83 / South Broadway.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 3h 41m drive. You will face about 11 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 83 / South Broadway): Navigation decision point; at 49 miles (ND 48 / State Highway 48): Lane positioning matters here; at 83.5 miles (ND 31 / State Highway 31): Lane positioning matters here.
Minot is a city in the Lakes and Gardens region of North Dakota with an estimated 48,000 inhabitants in 2020. Known as the Magic City, it's a significant rail hub (for freight, anyway). However, its location deep within North America and off the Interstate System generally means you don't see Minot if you don't plan on it.
Top landmarks
•Minot Commercial Historic District — historic district in North Dakota, United States
•Bruce M. Van Sickle Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse — Government building in Minot, North Dakota
•Westland Oil Filling Station — historic gas station in North Dakota, United States
The longest stretch is about 84.8 miles on I 94. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 3 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, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
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 (US 83 / South Broadway): Navigation decision point; at 49 miles (ND 48 / State Highway 48): Lane positioning matters here; at 83.5 miles (ND 31 / State Highway 31): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Theodore Roosevelt National Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 3.7 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 7.4 hours — manageable with a long break at Belfield, ND, but most travelers stay overnight.
