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.
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
$8.58 one way
$17.16 round trip
$3.75/gal25.4 MPG avg20 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.14
$9.47
$18.94
premium
$4.72
$10.79
$21.57
diesel
$4.80
$10.97
$21.94
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, 2026-07-13.
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 Jul 13, 2026
Origin
Plaza, ND
Evening
in Plaza on Saturday
Local time
8:31 PM
CDT
Current temp
97°F
Sunny
NE 7 to 12 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Extreme Heat Warning
Extreme Heat Warning issued July 13 at 1:27PM CDT until July 14 at 1:00AM CDT by NWS Bismarck ND
Extreme Heat Warning
Extreme Heat Warning issued July 13 at 1:27PM CDT until July 14 at 10:00PM CDT by NWS Bismarck ND
Destination
Manitou, ND
Evening
in Manitou on Saturday
Local time
8:31 PM
CDT
Current temp
92°F
Sunny
N 16 mph1% chanceLive forecast
Extreme Heat Warning
Extreme Heat Warning issued July 13 at 1:27PM CDT until July 14 at 1:00AM CDT by NWS Bismarck ND
Extreme Heat Warning
Extreme Heat Warning issued July 13 at 1:27PM CDT until July 14 at 10:00PM CDT by NWS Bismarck ND
60°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
5 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
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.
More Details
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 Effort1/10
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.
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.
