Spanning 279.6 miles across the North Dakota Great Plains, this journey from New Town to Valley City takes approximately 4 hours and 16 minutes behind the wheel. Given the duration, it is perfectly suited as a one-day trip, allowing you to reach your destination without the need for an overnight stay. You should budget about $42 for fuel to cover the distance comfortably. Navigating this route involves a sequence of local roads, including West Central Avenue, Eagle Drive, and Central Avenue, rather than major interstate corridors. It is a straightforward, practical transit between two Great Plains communities that offers a consistent travel experience from start to finish.
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
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
139.9 miles from New Town, ND
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 40m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US 83
102.5 mi
1h 46m
I 94
81.5 mi
1h 17m
US-83 S
26.1 mi
29m
247th Avenue Southwest
25.9 mi
29m
State Highway 23
18 mi
22m
39th Street Northwest
11.7 mi
13m
US Highway 83
9.1 mi
10m
State Street
2.4 mi
4m
Longest stretch:
US 83
— 102.5 mi, about 1h 46m
Traffic on I-94
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 12 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
5 PM
~709 veh/hr typical
· worst 993
Quietest
3 AM
~72 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
9.8×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 49 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 New Town, ND and Valley City, ND.
1
Start on this road
327 ft·26 sec·this road
2
Turn right onto West Central Avenue
191 ft·13 sec·West Central Avenue
3
Turn left onto Eagle Drive
268 ft·13 sec·Eagle Drive
4
Turn right onto Central Avenue
371 ft·21 sec·Central Avenue
5
Turn left onto ND 23; ND 1804
0.2 mi·38 sec·Main Street
6
Continue on ND 23; ND 1804
6.5 mi·8 min·State Highway 23
7
Enter roundabout onto ND 23; ND 1804
167 ft·2 sec·State Highway 23
8
Continue on ND 23; ND 1804
10.0 mi·11 min·State Highway 23
9
Continue on ND 23
12 mi·13 min·39th Street Northwest
10
Continue on ND 23
0.3 mi·20 sec·State Highway 23
11
Continue on ND 23
16 mi·18 min·247th Avenue Southwest
12
Continue on ND 23
1.2 mi·1 min·State Highway 23
13
Continue on ND 23
9.9 mi·11 min·247th Avenue Southwest
14
Turn right onto US 83
9.1 mi·10 min·US Highway 83
15
Continue on US 83
26 mi·29 min·US-83 S
16
Continue on US 83; ND 200; ND 1804
3.9 mi·4 min·US 83; ND 200; ND 1804
17
Continue on US 83; ND 1804
49 mi·54 min·US 83; ND 1804
18
Keep slight right at fork onto US 83; ND 1804
2.4 mi·4 min·State Street
19
Turn left onto US 83
50 mi·47 min·US 83
Toward FargoUse the straight / slight right lanes.
20
Continue on I 94
82 mi·1 hr 17 min·I 94
21
Take the exit onto I 94 Business
0.2 mi·26 sec·I 94 Business
Exit 290Toward I 94 BUS: Valley City
22
Turn left onto I 94 Business
0.2 mi·16 sec·24th Avenue Southwest
23
At end of road, turn right onto I 94 Business
1.8 mi·2 min·West Main Street
24
Arrive at destination
I 94 Business
Trip Plan
Since this 4-hour and 16-minute drive is designed as a single-day trip, aim to depart early in the morning to maximize your daylight hours. You only have one planned stop on the itinerary, so use that break wisely to stretch your legs and refresh before completing the remainder of the 279.6-mile trek. Keep your $42 fuel budget in mind and top off your tank before departing New Town to ensure a smooth, worry-free journey. Because you are navigating local roads like Eagle Drive and Central Avenue, stay vigilant with your GPS or maps, as the turn-heavy nature of the route requires frequent course checks compared to a typical highway drive.
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 139.9 miles from New Town, ND, or about 2h 40m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 102.5 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 62 miles or 1h 13m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 139.9 miles or 2h 40m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 8m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Valley City, ND than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving New Town, 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 New Town, ND
This is one driving day of about 279.8 miles and 4h 57m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 62 miles from New Town, 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 US 83 for about 102.5 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 0.1 and 277.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|West Central Avenue
Turn right onto West Central Avenue
Navigation decision point
4
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|Eagle Drive
Turn left onto Eagle Drive
Navigation decision point
4
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|Central Avenue
Turn right onto Central Avenue
Navigation decision point
7
146.5 mi into trip|~2h 49m in|US 83
Turn left onto US 83 toward Fargo
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward Fargo
5
277.7 mi into trip|~4h 54m in|I 94 Business
Take the exit onto I 94 Business toward I 94 BUS: Valley City
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 290
Toward I 94 BUS: Valley City
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$46.52 one way
$93.04 round trip
$4.22/gal25.4 MPG avg98 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.60
$50.67
$101.34
premium
$5.18
$57.09
$114.19
diesel
$5.35
$58.93
$117.87
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$47
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$72–$97
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 97.9 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $29 in charging
· 1 stop
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
83.9
1
$29.38
$13.43
Efficient EV
70
0
$24.48
$11.19
EV Truck/SUV
111.9
1
$39.17
$17.91
Gas CO2
98 kg
EV CO2
33 kg (66% 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 Jun 1, 2026
Origin
New Town, ND
Afternoon
in New Town on Wednesday
Local time
3:08 PM
CDT
Current temp
48°F
Mostly Cloudy
SW 14 mph7% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Valley City, ND
Afternoon
in Valley City on Wednesday
Local time
3:08 PM
CDT
Current temp
55°F
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
SE 10 mph56% chanceLive forecast
58°F
Washburn, ND
140 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
7 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
4h 57m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive that demands your full attention as you navigate through the region. Unlike a monotonous interstate slog, this route relies entirely on local roads, resulting in a 0% highway share. Because the longest uninterrupted stretch is 0 miles on West Central Avenue, you will find yourself navigating frequent turns rather than cruising on long, straightaways. This makes the drive feel more engaged and less predictable than a standard highway route. You will notice the character of the road remains consistent, requiring you to remain alert to the changing navigation cues along the path.
85% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
24 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 102.5 mi on US 83.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 83 and I 94. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near West Central Avenue.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 4h 57m 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: at 0.1 miles (West Central Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (Eagle Drive): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (Central Avenue): Navigation decision point.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
1,952 ft1,221 ft
Total Climb
182 ft
Total Descent
861 ft
Highest Point
1,952 ft
~139.9 mi in
Elevation Range
730 ft
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 New Town, ND to Valley City, ND, road signs begin pointing toward Fargo along the way.
New Town is a city in Western North Dakota. It is situated on the shore of Lake Sakakawea and on the north end of the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation. It is a popular destination for tourists, mostly from within the state, who visit for fishing, boating, and gambling. The city became well known after the oil boom around 2006. As a result, many people came to the town for work, and there was a rapid development of trailers and vinyl houses. The town is a common jumping-off point for hunting and fishing.
Perfect for a weekend getaway, this route is easily doable as a same-day drive, getting you there in under 5 hours.
Family Friendly
It's an easy 4-hour drive, but pack plenty of entertainment for the kids as there are no national parks directly along this route.
Solo Traveler
At under 5 hours and 279.8 miles, this is a comfortable distance for a solo traveler, with straightforward navigation.
First-Time Driver
This 279.8-mile drive is a great first road trip, with 85% highway and a low complexity score of 3/10, making navigation a breeze.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 102.5 miles on US 83. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 11 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: at 0.1 miles (West Central Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (Eagle Drive): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (Central Avenue): Navigation decision point.
Possible but tiring. At 5.0 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 9.9 hours — manageable with a long break at Valley City, ND, but most travelers stay overnight.
