Skip to main content

Trip from Plaza, ND to Manitou, ND

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 21m

Distance

58.1 mi

94 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$9

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 19 min
4 AM
1h 15m ★
6 AM
1h 21m
8 AM
1h 34m
10 AM
1h 26m
12 PM
1h 24m
3 PM
1h 26m
5 PM
1h 33m
8 PM
1h 17m

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

Downtown Plaza, ND, ND

Plaza, ND

Vladislav Anchuk

Downtown Manitou, ND, ND

Manitou, ND

Tom Fisk

Trip Overview

Plaza to Manitou is 58.1 miles and takes about 1 hour 21 minutes via State Highway 8 and US 2, with a fuel budget near $9 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a straightforward, same-day trip across North Dakota's Great Plains region. You'll be sticking primarily to state and US highways, making it an efficient way to cover the distance. If you're looking for a simple connection between these two points with minimal fuss, this route should fit the bill perfectly.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
State Highway 8 23.5 mi 34m
US 2 12 mi 13m
State Highway 23 10 mi 11m
39th Street Northwest 7.9 mi 9m
64th Avenue Northwest 2.7 mi 6m
93rd Avenue Northwest 1.3 mi 3m
Covel Street 0.4 mi <1m
Berthold Street 0.2 mi <1m
Longest stretch: State Highway 8 — 23.5 mi, about 34m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Plaza, ND and Manitou, ND.

1

Start on Berthold Street

0.2 mi · 48 sec · Berthold Street
2

Turn left onto 6th Avenue

0.1 mi · 23 sec · 6th Avenue
3

Turn right onto Covel Street

0.4 mi · 55 sec · Covel Street
4

Continue on 64th Avenue Northwest

2.7 mi · 6 min · 64th Avenue Northwest
5

Turn right onto ND 23

7.9 mi · 9 min · 39th Street Northwest
6

Continue on ND 23; ND 1804

10.0 mi · 11 min · State Highway 23
7

Enter roundabout onto ND 8

17 ft · 0 sec · State Highway 8
8

Continue on ND 8

24 mi · 34 min · State Highway 8
9

Turn left onto US 2

12 mi · 13 min · US 2
10

Turn right onto 93rd Avenue Northwest

1.3 mi · 3 min · 93rd Avenue Northwest
11

Arrive at destination

93rd Avenue Northwest

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Downtown Stanley, ND, ND

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Stanley, ND

29 mi into the route

Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset

This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.

Pacing Suggestions

Parshall, ND

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

New Town, ND

Meal break

The midpoint is around 29.1 miles from Plaza, ND, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 5

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 56.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

4
0.2 mi into trip | ~0m in | 6th Avenue

Turn left onto 6th Avenue

Navigation decision point

4
0.3 mi into trip | ~1m in | Covel Street

Turn right onto Covel Street

Navigation decision point

3
3.5 mi into trip | ~8m in | ND 23 / 39th Street Northwest

Turn right onto ND 23 / 39th Street Northwest

Navigation decision point

4
21.3 mi into trip | ~29m in | ND 8 / State Highway 8

Enter roundabout onto ND 8 / State Highway 8

Roundabout - know your exit number before entering

4
56.9 mi into trip | ~1h 18m in | 93rd Avenue Northwest

Turn right onto 93rd Avenue Northwest

Navigation decision point

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$9.08 one way

$18.17 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 20 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $9.97 $19.95
premium $4.89 $11.18 $22.36
diesel $5.61 $12.83 $25.66

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$9

Estimated CO2 emission: 20.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 17.4 0 $6.10 $2.79
Efficient EV 14.5 0 $5.08 $2.32
EV Truck/SUV 23.2 0 $8.13 $3.72

Gas CO2

20 kg

EV CO2

7 kg (65% 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 Apr 14, 2026

Origin

Plaza, ND

Evening in Plaza on Saturday

Local time

8:26 PM

CDT

Current temp

63°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Manitou, ND

Evening in Manitou on Saturday

Local time

8:26 PM

CDT

Current temp

25°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

42°F

Stanley, ND

29 mi in

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

38 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

1h 21m on the road

Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

What kind of drive is this?

This is largely a highway-focused drive, with 78% of the journey on higher-speed roads. You'll experience a 23.5-mile stretch on State Highway 8, which likely offers a consistent driving pace. The route predominantly utilizes State Highway 8 and US 2, suggesting a fairly predictable road surface and layout for most of the 58.1 miles. Expect a smooth, if not particularly varied, driving experience as you navigate these main arteries.

78% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
11 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 23.5 mi on State Highway 8.

How Hard Is This Drive?

1/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on State Highway 8 and US 2. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near 6th Avenue.

Driving Effort 1/10

Very easy - short and simple to drive

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

The drive from Plaza, ND to Manitou, ND is easy. At 1h 21m with 78% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (6th Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (Covel Street): Navigation decision point; at 3.5 miles (ND 23 / 39th Street Northwest): Navigation decision point.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 21m. Total distance: 58.1 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 21m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

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

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (78%). Straightforward navigation.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 23.5 miles on State Highway 8. 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 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 0.2 miles (6th Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (Covel Street): Navigation decision point; at 3.5 miles (ND 23 / 39th Street Northwest): Navigation decision point.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Manitou, ND 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 EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

Was this helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!

/500

Explore More

Continue From Manitou, ND

Explore more options from Plaza, ND or browse trips ending in Manitou, ND.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse ND road trips.