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Trip from South Bend, IN to Walton, IN

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 4, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 50m

Distance

81 mi

130 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$13

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 25 min
4 AM
1h 42m ★
6 AM
1h 50m
8 AM
2h 7m
10 AM
1h 56m
12 PM
1h 54m
3 PM
1h 57m
5 PM
2h 6m
8 PM
1h 46m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time
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city and county seat of St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States of America

South Bend, IN

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Walton, IN, IN

Walton, IN

Natalia Walusiak

Trip Overview

The drive from South Bend, IN to Walton, IN covers 81 miles and takes about 1h 50m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on US 31, South Michigan Street, State Road 218 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed highway & surface. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 44.8 miles on US 31. At current regular gas prices, budget about $12.56 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Midpoint

40.5 miles from South Bend, IN

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 55m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
US 31 44.8 mi 56m
South Michigan Street 28.2 mi 38m
State Road 218 6.8 mi 12m
North Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard 0.6 mi 2m
North Davis Street 0.2 mi <1m
North Michigan Street 0.1 mi <1m
May Street <0.1 mi <1m
East Navarre Street <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: US 31 — 44.8 mi, about 56m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between South Bend, IN and Walton, IN.

1

Start on East Navarre Street

131 ft · 12 sec · East Navarre Street
2

Turn left onto SR 933; BUS US 31

444 ft · 12 sec · North Michigan Street
3

Enter roundabout onto North Michigan Street

125 ft · 7 sec · North Michigan Street
4

Continue on North Michigan Street

196 ft · 6 sec · North Michigan Street
5

Continue on North Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard

0.6 mi · 2 min · North Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard
6

Continue on South Michigan Street

2.5 mi · 6 min · South Michigan Street
7

Enter roundabout onto BUS US 31

125 ft · 7 sec · South Michigan Street
8

Continue on BUS US 31

0.6 mi · 1 min · South Michigan Street
9

Continue on BUS US 31

25 mi · 29 min · South Michigan Street
10

Merge onto US 31

0.9 mi · 1 min · US 31
11

Turn slight right

512 ft · 6 sec
12

Continue on US 31

44 mi · 55 min · US 31
13

Turn right onto SR 218

6.8 mi · 12 min · State Road 218
14

Turn left onto North Davis Street

0.2 mi · 40 sec · North Davis Street
15

Turn right onto May Street

464 ft · 20 sec · May Street
16

Arrive at destination

West May Street

Trip Plan

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 40.5 miles from South Bend, IN, or about 55m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 44.8 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 18 miles or 27m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 40.5 miles or 55m 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 30m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Walton, IN than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving South Bend, IN so your first major turns are already loaded.

Day 1

Settle into the route from South Bend, IN

This is one driving day of about 81 miles and 1h 50m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 18 miles from South Bend, IN.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on US 31 for about 44.8 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

city in Marshall County, Indiana, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Plymouth, IN

41 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

Lakeville, IN

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 18 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Rochester, IN

Meal break

The midpoint is around 40.5 miles from South Bend, IN, 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 7

5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 80.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

5
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | SR 933; BUS US 31 / North Michigan Street

Turn left onto SR 933; BUS US 31 / North Michigan Street

Navigation decision point

5
0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | North Michigan Street

Enter roundabout onto North Michigan Street

Roundabout - know your exit number before entering

4
3.3 mi into trip | ~9m in | BUS US 31 / South Michigan Street

Enter roundabout onto BUS US 31 / South Michigan Street

Roundabout - know your exit number before entering

4
73.9 mi into trip | ~1h 37m in | SR 218 / State Road 218

Turn right onto SR 218 / State Road 218

Navigation decision point

4
80.7 mi into trip | ~1h 49m in | North Davis Street

Turn left onto North Davis Street

Navigation decision point

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$12.56 one way

$25.12 round trip

$3.94/gal 25.4 MPG avg 28 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.32 $13.77 $27.54
premium $4.93 $15.72 $31.43
diesel $5.60 $17.86 $35.71

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$13

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$38–$63

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 28.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.

Driving Electric?

About $9 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 24.3 0 $8.51 $3.89
Efficient EV 20.3 0 $7.09 $3.24
EV Truck/SUV 32.4 0 $11.34 $5.18

Gas CO2

28 kg

EV CO2

9 kg (68% 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 Sep 2, 2026

Origin

South Bend, IN

Evening in South Bend on Friday

Local time

7:15 PM

EDT

Current temp

73°F

Mostly Clear

SW 5 mph 3% chance Live forecast

Heat Advisory

Heat Advisory issued September 1 at 10:07PM EDT until September 3 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Indianapolis IN

Heat Advisory

Heat Advisory issued September 1 at 9:03PM CDT until September 2 at 9:00PM CDT by NWS Chicago IL

Destination

Walton, IN

Evening in Walton on Friday

Local time

7:15 PM

EDT

Current temp

73°F

Clear

SW 5 mph 1% chance Live forecast

Heat Advisory

Heat Advisory issued September 1 at 10:07PM EDT until September 3 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Indianapolis IN

Heat Advisory

Heat Advisory issued September 1 at 9:03PM CDT until September 2 at 9:00PM CDT by NWS Chicago IL

61°F

Plymouth, IN

41 mi in

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

Very similar conditions

Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.

Road read

1h 50m 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.

What kind of drive is this?

81 mi in 1h 50m — 55% highway, the rest on surface roads. Biggest road: US 31.

55% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 44.8 mi on US 31.

How Hard Is This Drive?

1/10

This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near SR 933; BUS US 31 / North Michigan Street.

Driving Effort 1/10

Very easy - short and simple to drive

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

The drive from South Bend, IN to Walton, IN is easy. At 1h 50m with 55% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: near the start (SR 933; BUS US 31 / North Michigan Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (North Michigan Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 3.3 miles (BUS US 31 / South Michigan Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

867 ft 686 ft

Total Climb

361 ft

Total Descent

280 ft

Highest Point

867 ft

~40.5 mi in

Elevation Range

181 ft

About the Cities

Starting in South Bend, IN

Full guide →

Founded 1865

South Bend is in Northern Indiana. The city's name is drawn from the fact that it's situated on the southernmost bend in the St. Joseph River. Together with neighboring Mishawaka they form a continuous urban area of about 325,000 (2020). South Bend is the home of the University of Notre Dame, but is also the former home of many large companies such as Studebaker, Oliver Chilled Plow, and Singer. The area is now home to Crowe-Chizek, AM General (which makes military vehicles.), Bosch, Honeywell, and Woodwind & Brasswind. The city hopes to grow with the undertaking of a new nano-technology campus near the city, which has already brought new contracts for factories and businesses around the city of Southbend.

Top landmarks

  • • St. Casimir Parish, South Bend — church building in South Bend, United States of America
  • • Studebaker National Museum — museum in South Bend, Indiana, United States
  • • Tippecanoe Place — historic house in Indiana, United States

Arriving in Walton, IN

Full guide →

City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 50m. Total distance: 81 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 50m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (55%). Straightforward navigation.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 44.8 miles on US 31. 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.

The main spots that need attention: near the start (SR 933; BUS US 31 / North Michigan Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (North Michigan Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 3.3 miles (BUS US 31 / South Michigan Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Walton, IN 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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