Sioux Falls to Lemmon is 404 miles and takes about 7 hours 24 minutes via US Highway 12 and I 29, with a fuel budget near $63 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This route stays within the Great Plains region, offering a straightforward drive across South Dakota. With a recommended one-day drive, it's a practical option for reaching your destination without needing an overnight stop. Expect a predominantly highway experience, making it an efficient choice for covering distance.
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
2 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
202 miles from Sioux Falls, SD
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 3h 28m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US Highway 12
229.1 mi
4h 20m
I 29
122.6 mi
1h 55m
133rd Street
13 mi
14m
134th Street
6.3 mi
7m
US 12
5.7 mi
6m
6th Avenue Southeast
5.1 mi
11m
I 229 Business
4.2 mi
5m
East Highway 12
4.1 mi
5m
Longest stretch:
US Highway 12
— 229.1 mi, about 4h 20m
Traffic on I-29
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 5 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~627 veh/hr typical
· worst 862
Quietest
1 AM
~24 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
26.1×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 52 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 Sioux Falls, SD and Lemmon, SD.
1
Start on North Chicago Avenue
0.1 mi·29 sec·North Chicago Avenue
2
At end of road, turn left onto East 8th Street
0.2 mi·29 sec·East 8th Street
3
Turn right onto North Lowell Avenue
0.1 mi·19 sec·North Lowell Avenue
4
Turn left onto I 229 Business; SD 42
0.1 mi·24 sec·East 10th Street
5
Take the ramp onto I 229 Business
4.2 mi·5 min·I 229 Business
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.3 mi·45 sec
Toward I 90
7
Merge onto I 90
3.8 mi·4 min·I 90
8
Take the exit
0.4 mi·53 sec
Toward I 29: Fargo
9
Merge onto I 29
123 mi·1 hr 55 min·I 29
10
Take the exit
0.2 mi·34 sec
Toward US 12: Aberdeen, Milbank
11
Turn left onto US 12
23 mi·25 min·US Highway 12
12
Continue on US 12
1.5 mi·1 min·East Highway 12
13
Continue on US 12
29 mi·32 min·US Highway 12
14
Continue on US 12
2.6 mi·3 min·East Highway 12
15
Continue on US 12
13 mi·14 min·133rd Street
16
Continue on US 12
1.0 mi·1 min·US Highway 12 East
17
Continue on US 12
5.1 mi·11 min·6th Avenue Southeast
18
Continue on US 12
2.8 mi·3 min·US Highway 12 West
19
Continue on US 12
6.3 mi·7 min·134th Street
20
Continue on US 12
69 mi·1 hr 18 min·US Highway 12
21
Continue on US 12; US 83; SD 20
1.0 mi·1 min·Highway 12 & 83
22
Continue on US 12; US 83; SD 20
19 mi·21 min·US Highway 12
23
Continue on US 12; SD 20; SD 1804
3.4 mi·3 min·East Grand Crossing
24
Continue on US 12; SD 20
90 mi·1 hr 42 min·US Highway 12
25
Continue on US 12; SD 73
5.7 mi·6 min·US 12; SD 73
26
Turn right onto Main Avenue
0.4 mi·59 sec·Main Avenue
27
Arrive at destination
Main Avenue
Trip Plan
Given the 7 hour 24 minute estimated drive time, leaving Sioux Falls in the morning is advisable to ensure you arrive in Lemmon with daylight to spare. Plan for two stops to break up the 404 miles, which should be sufficient for stretching your legs and refueling. Keep an eye on your fuel levels, especially during the 229.1-mile stretch on US Highway 12, as services might be less frequent. The manageable duration means you can be flexible with your departure time and stop schedule.
Morning Departure
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Evening Departure
This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 202 miles from Sioux Falls, SD, or about 3h 28m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 229.1 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 89 miles or 1h 27m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 202 miles or 3h 28m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 6h 16m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Lemmon, SD than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Sioux Falls, SD 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.
+
Pick one backup stop option before the midpoint in case traffic changes your pacing.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Sioux Falls, SD
This is one driving day of about 404.1 miles and 7h 24m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 89 miles from Sioux Falls, SD.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 2 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on US Highway 12 for about 229.1 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 131.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|East 8th Street
At end of road, turn left onto East 8th Street
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
4
0.3 mi into trip|~0m in|North Lowell Avenue
Turn right onto North Lowell Avenue
Navigation decision point
4
0.5 mi into trip|~1m in|I 229 Business
Take the ramp onto I 229 Business
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4
4.7 mi into trip|~7m in
Take the exit toward I 90
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward I 90
5
131.8 mi into trip|~2h 8m in
Take the exit toward US 12: Aberdeen, Milbank
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 12: Aberdeen, Milbank
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$59.68 one way
$119.35 round trip
$3.75/gal25.4 MPG avg141 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.14
$65.88
$131.76
premium
$4.72
$75.03
$150.06
diesel
$4.80
$76.30
$152.60
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$60
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$85–$110
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 141.4 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $42 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
121.2
1
$42.43
$19.40
Efficient EV
101
1
$35.36
$16.16
EV Truck/SUV
161.6
2
$56.57
$25.86
Gas CO2
141 kg
EV CO2
47 kg (67% 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 Jul 17, 2026
Origin
Sioux Falls, SD
Evening
in Sioux Falls on Saturday
Local time
8:15 PM
CDT
Current temp
71°F
Clear
SSE 5 to 10 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 16 at 7:09PM MDT until July 19 at 9:00PM MDT by NWS Rapid City SD
Destination
Lemmon, SD
Evening
in Lemmon on Saturday
Local time
7:15 PM
MDT
Current temp
66°F
Isolated Showers And Thunderstorms then Partly Cloudy
N 12 mph15% chanceLive forecast
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 16 at 7:09PM MDT until July 19 at 9:00PM MDT by NWS Rapid City SD
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
1 hour earlier
The destination clock does not match departure time, so double-check hotel check-in windows and late arrival plans.
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
7h 24m on the road
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
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 drive is almost entirely on highways, with 93% of the route utilizing them. You'll experience 229.1 miles on US Highway 12 as the longest continuous highway stretch. For a significant portion of the trip, you'll be on I 29 before transitioning to US Highway 12. Expect a rural cruising feel for much of the way as you traverse the Great Plains.
93% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
27 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 229.1 mi on US Highway 12.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US Highway 12 and I 29. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near East 8th Street.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The route itself is not hard, but at 7h 24m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 11 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (East 8th Street): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.3 miles (North Lowell Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.5 miles (I 229 Business): Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
2,566 ft1,304 ft
Total Climb
1,845 ft
Total Descent
751 ft
Highest Point
2,566 ft
~404.1 mi in
Elevation Range
1,262 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 Sioux Falls, SD to Lemmon, SD, road signs begin pointing toward Milbank along the way.
Sioux Falls is a city of about 184,000 (2019) in Southeast South Dakota. Founded in 1883 in what was then known as the Dakota Territory, Sioux Falls has grown from a sleepy Midwestern town into a resort for shopping and tourism in the northern Great Plains. It is widely recognized as the largest urban center between Minneapolis and Denver.
Top landmarks
•South Dakota State Penitentiary — prison in South Dakota, United States of America
•Washington Pavilion of Arts and Science — museum, theater, concert hall, and art gallery in downtown Sioux Falls, South Da...
•Sioux Falls National Bank Building — office building in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, United States
The longest stretch is about 229.1 miles on US Highway 12. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 4 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.
It helps. This is a long drive, so arriving tired and in the dark compounds. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Lemmon, SD before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 2 meaningful breaks. There are 4 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
Mostly yes along the main roads, but rural stretches through SD 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 8th Street): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.3 miles (North Lowell Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.5 miles (I 229 Business): Lane positioning matters here.
Not recommended in a single day. At 7.4 hours each way, a round trip means 14.8 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Lemmon, SD before the return drive.
