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Trip from Mission, SD to Saint Francis, SD

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Oct 18, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

33m

Distance

20.1 mi

32 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$3

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 9 min
4 AM
0h 30m ★
6 AM
0h 33m
8 AM
0h 39m
10 AM
0h 35m
12 PM
0h 35m
3 PM
0h 35m
5 PM
0h 39m
8 PM
0h 31m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time
Google Maps Waze Apple Maps
Download GPX
city in Todd County, South Dakota, United States

Mission, SD

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Saint Francis, SD, SD

Saint Francis, SD

Jo Kassis

Trip Overview

Mission, SD to Saint Francis, SD is 20.1 miles and takes about 33 minutes via BIA 1, with a fuel budget near $3 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within the Great Plains region, connecting two points in South Dakota. Expect a local, turn-heavy driving experience rather than a high-speed transit. It’s a quick journey, perfect for a day trip when you're in the area and need to make this specific connection.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
BIA 1 7.3 mi 12m
Blue Star Memorial Highway/Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway 4.4 mi 5m
Bureau of Indian Affairs Highway 1 4.2 mi 7m
Rosebud Road 2.6 mi 4m
2nd Street 0.7 mi <1m
Main Street 0.3 mi <1m
Sioux Boulevard 0.3 mi <1m
Legion Avenue 0.2 mi <1m
Longest stretch: BIA 1 — 7.3 mi, about 12m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Mission, SD and Saint Francis, SD.

1

Start on US 18; US 83

0.7 mi · 54 sec · 2nd Street
2

Continue on US 18; US 83

4.4 mi · 5 min · Blue Star Memorial Highway/Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway
3

Turn left onto BIA 1

3.9 mi · 6 min · Bureau of Indian Affairs Highway 1
4

Continue on BIA 1

2.6 mi · 4 min · Rosebud Road
5

Continue on BIA 1

0.4 mi · 38 sec · Bureau of Indian Affairs Highway 1
6

Continue on BIA 1

0.3 mi · 26 sec · Sioux Boulevard
7

Turn straight onto BIA 1

0.1 mi · 15 sec · Circle Drive
8

Turn right onto BIA 1; BIA 7

0.2 mi · 18 sec · Legion Avenue
9

Continue on BIA 1; BIA 7

0.6 mi · 1 min · BIA 1; BIA 7
10

Continue on BIA 1

6.7 mi · 11 min · BIA 1
11

Continue on BIA 1

0.3 mi · 27 sec · Main Street
12

Arrive at destination

BIA 1

Heads-up: tricky spots

2 of 2

2 decision points cluster between mile 5.1 and 12.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

3
5.1 mi into trip | ~6m in | BIA 1 / Bureau of Indian Affairs Highway 1

Turn left onto BIA 1 / Bureau of Indian Affairs Highway 1

Navigation decision point

5
12.4 mi into trip | ~19m in | BIA 1; BIA 7 / Legion Avenue

Turn right onto BIA 1; BIA 7 / Legion Avenue

Navigation decision point

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$3.37 one way

$6.74 round trip

$4.26/gal 25.4 MPG avg 7 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.49 $3.56 $7.11
premium $5.05 $3.99 $7.99
diesel $6.07 $4.80 $9.60

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$3

Estimated CO2 emission: 7 kg one way.

Driving Electric?

About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 71% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 6 0 $2.11 $0.96
Efficient EV 5 0 $1.76 $0.80
EV Truck/SUV 8 0 $2.81 $1.29

Gas CO2

7 kg

EV CO2

2 kg (71% 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

Mission, SD

Afternoon in Mission on Sunday

Local time

1:50 PM

CDT

Current temp

36°F

Mostly Clear

S 10 to 18 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Freeze Warning

Freeze Warning issued October 16 at 9:00PM CDT until October 17 at 9:00AM CDT by NWS Sioux Falls SD

Freeze Warning

Freeze Warning issued October 16 at 8:15PM CDT until October 17 at 9:00AM CDT by NWS Aberdeen SD

Destination

Saint Francis, SD

Afternoon in Saint Francis on Sunday

Local time

1:50 PM

CDT

Current temp

36°F

Mostly Clear

S 13 to 20 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Freeze Warning

Freeze Warning issued October 16 at 9:00PM CDT until October 17 at 9:00AM CDT by NWS Sioux Falls SD

Freeze Warning

Freeze Warning issued October 16 at 8:15PM CDT until October 17 at 9:00AM CDT by NWS Aberdeen SD

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

Very similar conditions

Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.

Road read

33m 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.

What kind of drive is this?

This route is characterized as a turn-heavy local drive, with only 21% of the journey on highways. The longest stretch without a turn is 7.3 miles, primarily on BIA 1. You'll navigate a series of local roads, so be prepared for frequent adjustments in direction. The terrain remains consistent with the Great Plains profile throughout the short distance.

Only 21% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 7.3 mi on BIA 1.

How Hard Is This Drive?

1/10

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes around 5.1 miles in near BIA 1 / Bureau of Indian Affairs Highway 1.

Driving Effort 1/10

Very easy - short and simple to drive

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

The drive from Mission, SD to Saint Francis, SD is easy. At 33m with 21% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 5.1 miles (BIA 1 / Bureau of Indian Affairs Highway 1): Navigation decision point; at 12.4 miles (BIA 1; BIA 7 / Legion Avenue): Navigation decision point.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

2,990 ft 2,581 ft

Total Climb

548 ft

Total Descent

141 ft

Highest Point

2,990 ft

~18.7 mi in

Elevation Range

409 ft

About the Cities

Starting in Mission, SD

Full guide →

Founded 1915

Rosebud is the main town on the Rosebud Indian Reservation in South Dakota. Other towns on the reservation include Mission and St. Francis.

Arriving in Saint Francis, SD

Full guide →

Rosebud is the main town on the Rosebud Indian Reservation in South Dakota. Other towns on the reservation include Mission and St. Francis.

City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 33m. Total distance: 20.1 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

33m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (21%). Straightforward navigation.

Scenic Drive

Mostly surface roads route profile.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 7.3 miles on BIA 1. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

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 SD 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 5.1 miles (BIA 1 / Bureau of Indian Affairs Highway 1): Navigation decision point; at 12.4 miles (BIA 1; BIA 7 / Legion Avenue): Navigation decision point.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Saint Francis, SD before heading back.

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, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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