Sioux Falls to Mobridge is 305.7 miles and takes about 5h 32m via US Highway 12 and I 29, with a fuel budget near $48 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive keeps you within the Great Plains region, starting in South Dakota and ending in the same state. Most of the route is on highways, making for a relatively straightforward trip. Consider this route if you're looking for a direct connection across the state with minimal fuss, suitable for a single day of travel.
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
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
152.8 miles from Sioux Falls, SD
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 32m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US Highway 12
139.3 mi
2h 38m
I 29
122.6 mi
1h 55m
133rd Street
13 mi
14m
134th Street
6.3 mi
7m
6th Avenue Southeast
5.1 mi
11m
I 229 Business
4.2 mi
5m
East Highway 12
4.1 mi
5m
I 90
3.8 mi
4m
Longest stretch:
US Highway 12
— 139.3 mi, about 2h 38m
Traffic on I-29
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 10 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~634 veh/hr typical
· worst 873
Quietest
1 AM
~24 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
26.4×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 105 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 Mobridge, 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
1.0 mi·1 min·East Grand Crossing
24
Turn left onto 4th Avenue East
73 ft·3 sec·4th Avenue East
25
Arrive at destination
4th Avenue East
Trip Plan
Given the 5h 32m estimated drive time, leaving Sioux Falls in the morning is advisable to comfortably reach Mobridge within daylight. With only one recommended stop, you have flexibility in pacing; perhaps a brief break around the halfway point would be ideal. Keep an eye on your fuel, especially during the 139.3-mile stretch on US Highway 12, as services might be less frequent. The fuel cost estimate is around $48, so plan accordingly before you depart.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 152.8 miles from Sioux Falls, SD, or about 2h 32m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 139.3 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 67 miles or 1h 7m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 152.8 miles or 2h 32m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 30m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Mobridge, 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.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Sioux Falls, SD
This is one driving day of about 305.7 miles and 5h 32m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 67 miles from Sioux Falls, SD.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on US Highway 12 for about 139.3 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Home stretch
1.5 mi from route
~4 min detour
$10 to $20
Selby, South Dakota
Hours: 8 am–8 pm
+16056491144
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
$51.49 one way
$102.98 round trip
$4.28/gal25.4 MPG avg107 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.51
$54.33
$108.66
premium
$5.08
$61.16
$122.33
diesel
$6.05
$72.79
$145.58
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$51
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$76–$101
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 107 kg one way.
Driving Electric?
About $32 in charging
· 1 stop
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
91.7
1
$32.10
$14.67
Efficient EV
76.4
0
$26.75
$12.23
EV Truck/SUV
122.3
1
$42.80
$19.56
Gas CO2
107 kg
EV CO2
36 kg (66% 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 Oct 17, 2026
Origin
Sioux Falls, SD
Late night
in Sioux Falls on Sunday
Local time
5:47 AM
CDT
Current temp
31°F
Clear
SSW 10 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued October 17 at 3:49AM CDT until October 17 at 9:00AM CDT by NWS Aberdeen SD
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued October 17 at 2:49AM CDT until October 17 at 9:00AM CDT by NWS Sioux Falls SD
Destination
Mobridge, SD
Late night
in Mobridge on Sunday
Local time
5:47 AM
CDT
Current temp
34°F
Clear
S 13 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued October 17 at 3:49AM CDT until October 17 at 9:00AM CDT by NWS Aberdeen SD
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued October 17 at 2:49AM CDT until October 17 at 9:00AM CDT by NWS Sioux Falls 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
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
3 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
5h 32m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
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 route is primarily highway driving, with 91% of the 305.7 miles on major roads. You'll experience a longest stretch of 139.3 miles on US Highway 12, offering extended periods of rural cruising. The transition to surface roads will occur after approximately 278 miles, where you'll notice a change in the driving environment from high-speed travel to potentially more local traffic and intersections.
91% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
25 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 139.3 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.
This is a straightforward 5h 32m drive. You will face about 11 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 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
2,008 ft1,301 ft
Total Climb
1,289 ft
Total Descent
1,104 ft
Highest Point
2,008 ft
~262 mi in
Elevation Range
708 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 Mobridge, 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
Mobridge, also known as Kȟowákataŋ Otȟúŋwahe (Lakota: Kȟowákataŋ Otȟúŋwahe; lit. "Over-the-River Town") is a small town in South Dakota's Great Lakes region.
The longest stretch is about 139.3 miles on US Highway 12. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 3 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.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. There are 3 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 5.5 hours each way, a round trip means 11.1 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Mobridge, SD before the return drive.
