Origin
Red Lodge, MT
Night in Red Lodge on Saturday
Local time
10:38 PM
MDT
Current temp
65°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Red Lodge, MT to Billings, MT
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 22m
Distance
59.4 mi
96 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 16m
★
6 AM
1h 22m
8 AM
1h 35m
10 AM
1h 27m
12 PM
1h 25m
3 PM
1h 27m
5 PM
1h 34m
8 PM
1h 18m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Red Lodge, MT
Wikimedia Commons
Billings, MT
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Stretching just 60.3 miles, this quick trip from Red Lodge to Billings connects two distinct corners of Montana’s Mountain West. You should plan on a drive time of approximately 1 hour and 5 minutes, making it a perfect candidate for a single-day journey. Because the route is so compact, there is no need to worry about overnight logistics or complex scheduling. Expect to spend roughly $10 on fuel for the trek, keeping your travel costs very manageable. Whether you are heading toward the city for errands or returning to the mountains, this straightforward connection offers a reliable path between these two Montana hubs.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US Highway 212 | 25 mi | 34m |
| US 212 | 13.3 mi | 16m |
| Clarks River Road | 8.4 mi | 9m |
| North Broadway Avenue | 7.8 mi | 11m |
| Montana Avenue | 2.2 mi | 4m |
| I 90 Business | 2.1 mi | 3m |
| South Broadway Avenue | 0.6 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
US Highway 212
— 25 mi, about 34m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Red Lodge, MT and Billings, MT.
1
Start on US 212
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
South Broadway Avenue
2
Enter roundabout onto North Broadway Avenue
89 ft
·
3 sec
·
North Broadway Avenue
3
Continue on North Broadway Avenue
7.8 mi
·
11 min
·
North Broadway Avenue
4
Continue on US 212
25 mi
·
34 min
·
US Highway 212
5
Turn right onto Clarks River Road
8.4 mi
·
9 min
·
Clarks River Road
6
Turn right onto US 212; US 310
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
US 212; US 310
7
Take the exit onto US 212
11 mi
·
13 min
·
US 212
8
Take the exit onto I 90 Business
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
·
I 90 Business
Toward I 90 Business: West Billings
9
Keep slight left at fork onto I 90 Business
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
I 90 Business
Toward I 90 Business: City Center
10
Keep slight left at fork onto I 90 Business
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Montana Avenue
11
Continue on I 90 Business
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Montana Avenue
12
Arrive at destination
I 90 Business
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
30 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 29.7 miles from Red Lodge, MT, 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 75 decision points cluster between mile 0.6 and 55.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.6 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
North Broadway Avenue
Enter roundabout onto North Broadway Avenue
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
4
33.5 mi into trip
|
~48m in
|
Clarks River Road
Turn right onto Clarks River Road
Navigation decision point
4
41.9 mi into trip
|
~57m in
|
US 212; US 310
Turn right onto US 212; US 310
Navigation decision point
4
55.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 13m in
|
I 90 Business
Take the exit onto I 90 Business toward I 90 Business: West Billings
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward I 90 Business: West Billings
5
55.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 14m in
|
I 90 Business
Keep slight left at fork onto I 90 Business toward I 90 Business: City Center
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I 90 Business: City Center
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.41 one way
$18.83 round trip
$4.03/gal
25.4 MPG avg
21 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.22 | $9.87 | $19.73 |
| premium | $4.53 | $10.60 | $21.19 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $13.11 | $26.23 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 20.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 17.8 | 0 | $6.24 | $2.85 |
| Efficient EV | 14.9 | 0 | $5.20 | $2.38 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 23.8 | 0 | $8.32 | $3.80 |
Gas CO2
21 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (67% 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.
Destination
Billings, MT
Night in Billings on Saturday
Local time
10:38 PM
MDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
44°F
Laurel, MT
30 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
9 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
1h 22m 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?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive rather than a high-speed interstate cruise as you navigate your way out of Red Lodge. The route relies entirely on local roads like North Broadway Avenue, Highway 212, and Clarks River Road, meaning you won’t encounter any traditional highway stretches during the 60.3-mile journey. Because the highway share is 0%, your focus will be on local road conditions rather than long-distance highway driving. This configuration keeps the pace consistent and requires your full attention on the curves and transitions between these specific roadways.
68% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 25 mi on US Highway 212.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US Highway 212 and US 212. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.6 miles in near North Broadway Avenue.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 22m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.6 miles (North Broadway Avenue): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 33.5 miles (Clarks River Road): Navigation decision point; at 41.9 miles (US 212; US 310): Navigation decision point.
Elevation Profile
High-altitude sections with notable climbs
5,568 ft
3,122 ft
Total Climb
0 ft
Total Descent
2,446 ft
Highest Point
5,568 ft
Elevation Range
2,446 ft
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 22m. Total distance: 59.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 22m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (68%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 25 miles on US Highway 212. 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 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 0.6 miles (North Broadway Avenue): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 33.5 miles (Clarks River Road): Navigation decision point; at 41.9 miles (US 212; US 310): Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Billings, MT 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, EIA for fuel prices, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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