If you are planning a trip from Reno to Smith, Nevada, you can expect an 84.3-mile journey that typically takes about 1 hour and 53 minutes. This route stays entirely within the Mountain West region, making it a straightforward day trip that does not require an overnight stay. You will primarily navigate via the Martin Luther King Junior Memorial Highway, US 395, and NV 208. Budgeting around $17 for fuel should cover your travel costs for this distance. Since the drive is relatively short, it offers a manageable transition from the urban atmosphere of Reno to the quieter environment of Smith.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
42.2 miles from Reno, NV
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 50m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Martin Luther King Junior Memorial Highway
34.7 mi
39m
US 395
19.3 mi
29m
NV 208
15.7 mi
23m
South Carson Street
11 mi
14m
County Road
1.2 mi
2m
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
0.9 mi
1m
Woodfords Road
0.3 mi
<1m
University Way
0.3 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Martin Luther King Junior Memorial Highway
— 34.7 mi, about 39m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Reno, NV and Smith, NV.
1
Start on this road
105 ft·12 sec·this road
2
Turn left
171 ft·14 sec
3
Turn right onto East 4th Street
186 ft·13 sec·East 4th Street
4
Turn left onto University Way
0.3 mi·53 sec·University Way
5
Take the ramp onto East Maple Street
0.2 mi·16 sec·East Maple Street
Toward I 80 East: Elko, Salt Lake City, Winnemucca
6
Merge onto I 80
0.9 mi·1 min·Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
7
Take the exit
0.2 mi·21 sec
Exit 15Toward I 580, US 395: Carson City, Susanville
8
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi·49 sec
Toward I 580, US 395: Carson City
9
Merge onto I 580; US 395
35 mi·39 min·Martin Luther King Junior Memorial Highway
10
Turn left onto US 395
11 mi·14 min·South Carson Street
Use the left lane.
11
Take the exit
488 ft·13 sec
12
Turn straight onto NV 88
0.3 mi·42 sec·Woodfords Road
13
Enter roundabout onto County Road
144 ft·2 sec·County Road
14
Continue on County Road
1.1 mi·2 min·County Road
15
At end of road, turn right onto US 395
19 mi·29 min·US 395
Use the left lane.
16
Turn left onto NV 208
16 mi·23 min·NV 208
Use the left lane.
17
Turn straight onto NV 208
0.1 mi·11 sec·NV 208
18
Arrive at destination
NV 208
Trip Plan
Because this is a single-day trip with no mandatory stops, you have plenty of flexibility to plan your departure time based on your personal schedule. While the 1-hour and 53-minute duration is quite manageable, keep in mind that you are tackling the entire 84.3-mile distance in one go. Since there are no scheduled stops in the data, ensure your vehicle is fueled up before you leave Reno to avoid any mid-route stress. A smart tip for this specific drive is to keep an eye on your transition points between the Martin Luther King Junior Memorial Highway and US 395 to ensure you stay on track early in your journey. Making this a direct drive allows you to maximize your time once you arrive in Smith.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 42.2 miles from Reno, NV, or about 50m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 34.7 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 19 miles or 23m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 42.2 miles or 50m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 34m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Smith, NV than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Reno, NV so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Reno, NV
This is one driving day of about 84.3 miles and 1h 53m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 19 miles from Reno, NV.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Martin Luther King Junior Memorial Highway for about 34.7 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 13
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 49.3 — 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|East 4th Street
Turn right onto East 4th Street
Navigation decision point
6
0.4 mi into trip|~1m in|East Maple Street
Take the ramp onto East Maple Street toward I 80 East: Elko, Salt Lake City, Winnemucca
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 80 East: Elko, Salt Lake City, Winnemu...
6
1.5 mi into trip|~2m in
Take the exit toward I 580, US 395: Carson City, Susanville
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 15
Toward I 580, US 395: Carson City, Susanville
6
1.6 mi into trip|~3m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 580, US 395: Carson City
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 580, US 395: Carson City
7
49.3 mi into trip|~1h in|US 395
At end of road, turn right onto US 395
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$16.79 one way
$33.59 round trip
$5.06/gal25.4 MPG avg30 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$5.36
$17.77
$35.55
premium
$5.59
$18.56
$37.11
diesel
$5.61
$18.61
$37.22
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$17
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$42–$67
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 29.5 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $9 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
25.3
0
$8.85
$4.05
Efficient EV
21.1
0
$7.38
$3.37
EV Truck/SUV
33.7
0
$11.80
$5.40
Gas CO2
29 kg
EV CO2
10 kg (66% 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 15, 2026
Origin
Reno, NV
Evening
in Reno on Saturday
Local time
7:44 PM
PDT
Current temp
56°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Smith, NV
Evening
in Smith on Saturday
Local time
7:44 PM
PDT
Current temp
31°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
25 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 53m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This trip features a mixed drive profile, balancing fast-paced highway segments with more localized road conditions. You will spend roughly 42% of your time on highways, though the experience shifts as you transition between the different road types. Your longest uninterrupted stretch occurs during the initial 34.7 miles on the Martin Luther King Junior Memorial Highway. Expect the road's personality to change as you move off the main thoroughfares and onto NV 208, requiring you to remain alert to shifting speed limits and varying road widths. It is a functional drive that requires steady focus rather than a monotonous interstate cruise.
42% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 34.7 mi on Martin Luther King Junior Memorial Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 13 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near East 4th Street.
Driving Effort6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 84.3 miles you will encounter 13 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (East 4th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (East Maple Street): Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Reno, the "Biggest Little City in the World", is in the beautiful north-west region of the State of Nevada, right at the base of the Sierra Nevada mountain range. Reno is the second largest tourist destination in Nevada, mainly thanks to its popular downtown casinos. It also has family entertainment, festivals, museums, and cuisine.
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 53m. Total distance: 84.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 53m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (42%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 34.7 miles on Martin Luther King Junior Memorial Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Smith, NV before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
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 NV 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 (East 4th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (East Maple Street): Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Smith, NV before heading back.
