Origin
Spearfish, SD
Night in Spearfish on Saturday
Local time
10:14 PM
MDT
Current temp
73°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Spearfish, SD to Kirk, SD
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
29m
Distance
20.2 mi
32 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 27m
★
6 AM
0h 29m
8 AM
0h 34m
10 AM
0h 31m
12 PM
0h 31m
3 PM
0h 31m
5 PM
0h 34m
8 PM
0h 28m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Spearfish, SD
Wikimedia Commons
Kirk, SD
Luis Quintero
Trip Overview
This quick 20.2-mile drive from Spearfish to Kirk, South Dakota, will only take about 29 minutes, making it perfect for a day trip. You'll primarily be on highways, with 76% of the route being on major roads like US Highway 85, I-90, and US Highway 14A. Budget around $3 for fuel for this short hop. The drive is focused on efficient travel, moving you through the Great Plains region without significant detours. Given its short duration, it's an easy addition to a larger itinerary or a simple point-to-point journey.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US Highway 85 | 7.3 mi | 8m |
| I 90 | 5.2 mi | 5m |
| US Highway 14A | 2.6 mi | 2m |
| Pioneer Way | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| Main Street | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Mountain View Drive | 0.7 mi | 2m |
| East Jackson Boulevard | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Glendale Drive | 0.5 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
US Highway 85
— 7.3 mi, about 8m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Spearfish, SD and Kirk, SD.
1
Start on I 90 Business
85 ft
·
30 sec
·
North Main Street
2
Continue on I 90 Business
166 ft
·
9 sec
·
North Main Street
3
Turn right onto East Jackson Boulevard
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
East Jackson Boulevard
4
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
Toward I 90 East, US 85 South
5
Merge onto I 90; US 14; US 85
5.2 mi
·
5 min
·
I 90; US 14; US 85
6
Take the exit onto US 85
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
·
US 85
Toward US 85 South: Deadwood, Lead
7
Turn right onto US 85
7.3 mi
·
8 min
·
US Highway 85
8
At end of road, turn right onto US 14A; US 85
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Main Street
9
Continue on US 14A; US 85
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Pioneer Way
10
Continue on US 14A; US 85 Truck
2.6 mi
·
2 min
·
US Highway 14A
11
Continue on US 14A; US 85 Truck
0.5 mi
·
37 sec
·
Glendale Drive
12
Turn right onto Chicago Street
147 ft
·
6 sec
·
Chicago Street
13
Keep slight left at fork onto Chicago Street
350 ft
·
15 sec
·
Chicago Street
14
Continue on 3rd Street
0.2 mi
·
49 sec
·
3rd Street
15
Turn left onto Mountain View Drive
0.7 mi
·
2 min
·
Mountain View Drive
16
Turn left onto Grier Avenue
0.2 mi
·
42 sec
·
Grier Avenue
17
Turn left onto Lost Irishman Road
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Lost Irishman Road
18
Turn left
249 ft
·
18 sec
19
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 135 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 18.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
East Jackson Boulevard
Turn right onto East Jackson Boulevard
Navigation decision point
5
0.6 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Take the ramp toward I 90 East, US 85 South
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 90 East, US 85 South
5
6.1 mi into trip
|
~8m in
|
US 85
Take the exit onto US 85 toward US 85 South: Deadwood, Lead
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 85 South: Deadwood, Lead
5
13.7 mi into trip
|
~17m in
|
US 14A; US 85 / Main Street
At end of road, turn right onto US 14A; US 85 / Main Street
Navigation decision point
5
18.7 mi into trip
|
~23m in
|
Chicago Street
Keep slight left at fork onto Chicago Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.16 one way
$6.32 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
7 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $3.47 | $6.93 |
| premium | $4.89 | $3.89 | $7.77 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.46 | $8.92 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 7.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 71% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6.1 | 0 | $2.12 | $0.97 |
| Efficient EV | 5.1 | 0 | $1.77 | $0.81 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 8.1 | 0 | $2.83 | $1.29 |
Gas CO2
7 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (71% 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
Kirk, SD
Night in Kirk on Saturday
Local time
10:14 PM
MDT
Current temp
37°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
36 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
29m 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 highway-focused experience for most of this journey, with 76% of the 20.2 miles on major roadways. You'll encounter stretches on US Highway 85, I-90, and US Highway 14A, offering a mix of driving speeds. The longest uninterrupted segment you'll navigate is 7.3 miles on US Highway 85. This route prioritizes getting you to your destination efficiently, rather than focusing on winding backroads or particularly varied scenery.
76% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 7.3 mi on US Highway 85.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US Highway 85 and I 90. You will hit about 13 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near East Jackson Boulevard.
Driving Effort
5/10
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 20.2 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: near the start (East Jackson Boulevard): Navigation decision point; at 0.6 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 6.1 miles (US 85): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
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 Spearfish, SD to Kirk, SD, road signs begin pointing toward Lead along the way.
Lead
6.1 mi in
|
~8m
|
via US 85
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 29m. Total distance: 20.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
29m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (76%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 7.3 miles on US Highway 85. 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 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: near the start (East Jackson Boulevard): Navigation decision point; at 0.6 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 6.1 miles (US 85): 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 Kirk, SD 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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