Missoula, MT to Lame Deer, MT is 446.3 miles and takes about 7h 27m via I 90 and Jeannette Rankin Memorial Highway, with a fuel budget near $77 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Montana, moving from the Mountain West region to the same region, offering a straightforward path across the state. Given its mostly highway profile and single-day recommendation, it's a solid option if you need to get from point A to point B efficiently. Plan for about 7.5 hours of actual driving time, plus any stops you might want to make along the way.
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
2 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
223.1 miles from Missoula, MT
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 3h 38m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 90
177 mi
2h 54m
Jeannette Rankin Memorial Highway
115.1 mi
1h 49m
I 15
110.8 mi
1h 51m
US 212
42.5 mi
50m
East Broadway Street
0.6 mi
<1m
I 90 Business
0.2 mi
<1m
Van Buren Street
<0.1 mi
<1m
North Higgins Avenue
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 90
— 177 mi, about 2h 54m
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
12a6anoon6p11p
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 Missoula, MT and Lame Deer, MT.
1
Start on North Higgins Avenue
19 ft·7 sec·North Higgins Avenue
2
Turn left onto I 90 Bus; US 12 Bus
0.6 mi·58 sec·East Broadway Street
3
Turn left onto I 90 Bus; US 12
435 ft·5 sec·Van Buren Street
4
Take the exit onto I 90 Business; US 12
0.2 mi·29 sec·I 90 Business; US 12
5
Merge onto I 90; US 12; MT 200
115 mi·1 hr 49 min·Jeannette Rankin Memorial Highway
6
Keep slight right at fork onto I 15; I 90
111 mi·1 hr 51 min·I 15; I 90
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Continue on I 90; US 89; US 191
6.9 mi·6 min·I 90; US 89; US 191
8
Continue on I 90; US 191
113 mi·1 hr 53 min·I 90; US 191
9
Continue on I 90; US 87; US 212
3.1 mi·3 min·I 90; US 87; US 212
10
Keep slight right at fork onto I 90; US 87; US 212
54 mi·50 min·I 90; US 87; US 212
Toward I 90 East: Sheridan
11
Take the exit onto US 212
0.4 mi·53 sec·US 212
Toward US 212 East: Little Bighorn Battlefield, Broadus
12
Turn left onto US 212
42 mi·49 min·US 212
13
Enter roundabout
50 ft·0 sec
14
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
Aim to depart Missoula in the morning to make the most of the 7.5-hour drive and arrive in Lame Deer with daylight to spare. With only 2 recommended stops and a mostly highway profile, you have flexibility in how you pace yourself. Keep an eye on fuel, especially as you get further east; filling up in larger towns along I 90 is advisable. The Jeannette Rankin Memorial Highway portion will likely feel more rural, so be sure you have enough gas before entering that segment.
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.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 223.1 miles from Missoula, MT, or about 3h 38m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 177 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 98 miles or 1h 33m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 223.1 miles or 3h 38m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 6h 19m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Lame Deer, MT than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Missoula, 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.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Missoula, MT
This is one driving day of about 446.3 miles and 7h 27m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 98 miles from Missoula, MT.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 2 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on I 90 for about 177 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 9
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.7 and 446.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.7 mi into trip|~1m in|I 90 Business; US 12
Take the exit onto I 90 Business; US 12
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
6
116 mi into trip|~1h 51m in|I 15; I 90
Keep slight right at fork onto I 15; I 90
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
349.8 mi into trip|~5h 45m in|I 90; US 87; US 212
Keep slight right at fork onto I 90; US 87; US 212 toward I 90 East: Sheridan
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I 90 East: Sheridan
5
403.8 mi into trip|~6h 36m in|US 212
Take the exit onto US 212 toward US 212 East: Little Bighorn Battlefield, Broadus
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 212 East: Little Bighorn Battlefield,...
5
446.3 mi into trip|~7h 27m in
Enter roundabout
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$80.39 one way
$160.77 round trip
$4.58/gal25.4 MPG avg156 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.78
$83.95
$167.91
premium
$5.11
$89.72
$179.43
diesel
$6.18
$108.57
$217.14
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$80
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$105–$130
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 156.2 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-12.
Driving Electric?
About $47 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
133.9
1
$46.86
$21.42
Efficient EV
111.6
1
$39.05
$17.85
EV Truck/SUV
178.5
2
$62.48
$28.56
Gas CO2
156 kg
EV CO2
52 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 Oct 16, 2026
Origin
Missoula, MT
Late night
in Missoula on Saturday
Local time
3:21 AM
MDT
Current temp
66°F
Widespread Frost then Mostly Sunny
SE 0 to 6 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Lake Wind Advisory
Lake Wind Advisory issued October 16 at 10:37AM MDT until October 17 at 7:00PM MDT by NWS Missoula MT
High Wind Watch
High Wind Watch issued October 15 at 10:57PM MDT until October 18 at 12:00AM MDT by NWS Great Falls MT
Destination
Lame Deer, MT
Late night
in Lame Deer on Saturday
Local time
3:21 AM
MDT
Current temp
64°F
Sunny
S 8 to 13 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Lake Wind Advisory
Lake Wind Advisory issued October 16 at 10:37AM MDT until October 17 at 7:00PM MDT by NWS Missoula MT
High Wind Watch
High Wind Watch issued October 15 at 10:57PM MDT until October 18 at 12:00AM MDT by NWS Great Falls MT
48°F
Belgrade, MT
223 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.
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
7h 27m on the road
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
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.
Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument
National Monument
This land is a place to honor and reflect on the sacrifices made here on June 25 and 26, 1876, when Lakota, Cheyenne, and Arapaho warriors fought against a deliberate attack by the U.S. Army's 7th Cav...
6 mi from route
~15 min detour
$25
near mile 400.1
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
You'll spend about 74% of this trip on highways, with the longest continuous stretch being 177 miles on I 90. After the highway sections, expect to transition to surface roads for the remainder of your drive. The frequent exits on the main highway sections mean you'll have plenty of opportunities to pull over if needed, but the rural cruising aspect will dominate once you leave the interstate.
74% 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: 177 mi on I 90.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 90 and Jeannette Rankin Memorial Highway. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.7 miles in near I 90 Business; US 12.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The route itself is not hard, but at 7h 27m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 9 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.7 miles (I 90 Business; US 12): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 116 miles (I 15; I 90): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 349.8 miles (I 90; US 87; US 212): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Elevation Profile
High-altitude sections with notable climbs
6,342 ft3,105 ft
Total Climb
3,719 ft
Total Descent
3,594 ft
Highest Point
6,342 ft
~127.5 mi in
Elevation Range
3,238 ft
Notable High Points
6,342 ft at ~127.5 miles+1,538 ft prominence
4,734 ft at ~223.1 miles+285 ft prominence
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Missoula, MT to Lame Deer, MT, road signs begin pointing toward Broadus along the way.
Missoula is a medium-sized city in Western Montana with a population of about 73,000 (2020). The hub of five valleys in the northwest region of the state, or Glacier Country, the town boasts the University of Montana, the Rattlesnake Recreation Area, and a multitude of recreational opportunities, along with an active and colorful downtown.
Top landmarks
•Fort Missoula
•Gleim Building — building in Missoula, Montana, US
•Masonic Lodge — Masonic lodge in Missoula, Montanna
Lame Deer is in southeast Montana. It is on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation and serves as the tribal headquarters. About 1,900 people live there.
The longest stretch is about 177 miles on I 90. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 is a long drive, so arriving tired and in the dark compounds. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Lame Deer, 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 0.7 miles (I 90 Business; US 12): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 116 miles (I 15; I 90): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 349.8 miles (I 90; US 87; US 212): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Yes — Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 7.5 hours each way, a round trip means 14.9 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Lame Deer, MT before the return drive.
