Origin
Spearfish, SD
Late night in Spearfish on Tuesday
Local time
4:58 AM
MDT
Current temp
48°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Spearfish, SD to Rapid City, SD
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
51m
Distance
47.9 mi
77 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 48m
★
6 AM
0h 52m
8 AM
1h 0m
10 AM
0h 55m
12 PM
0h 54m
3 PM
0h 55m
5 PM
1h 0m
8 PM
0h 49m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Spearfish, SD
Wikimedia Commons
Rapid City, SD
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Connecting Spearfish to Rapid City is a straightforward 48-mile journey that typically takes about 43 minutes. Since you are staying entirely within the Great Plains region of South Dakota, you won't experience major shifts in climate or landscape. This trip is perfectly suited for a single-day excursion, meaning you do not need to worry about booking overnight accommodations. With fuel costs estimated at just $7, it is an economical route for travelers moving between these two hubs. Because the transit time is under an hour, you have plenty of flexibility to plan your departure time based on your own schedule rather than rushing to beat the sunset.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 90 | 45 mi | 45m |
| I 190 | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| East Jackson Boulevard | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Mount Rushmore Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Omaha Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| North Main Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 90
— 45 mi, about 45m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Spearfish, SD and Rapid City, 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
14 mi
·
14 min
·
I 90; US 14; US 85
6
Continue on I 90; US 14; SD 34
7.6 mi
·
7 min
·
I 90; US 14; SD 34
7
Continue on I 90; US 14; SD 79
23 mi
·
23 min
·
I 90; US 14; SD 79
8
Take the exit onto I 190
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
I 190
Toward I 190: Mount Rushmore, Downtown
9
Turn left onto US 16; SD 44
0.2 mi
·
39 sec
·
Omaha Street
Use the right lane.
10
Turn right onto US 16
0.2 mi
·
45 sec
·
Mount Rushmore Road
Use the right lane.
11
Arrive at destination
US 16
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
24 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 23.9 miles from Spearfish, SD, 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 75 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 47.6 — 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
45.9 mi into trip
|
~48m in
|
I 190
Take the exit onto I 190 toward I 190: Mount Rushmore, Downtown
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 190: Mount Rushmore, Downtown
4
47.4 mi into trip
|
~50m in
|
US 16; SD 44 / Omaha Street
Turn left onto US 16; SD 44 / Omaha Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
7
47.6 mi into trip
|
~51m in
|
US 16 / Mount Rushmore Road
Turn right onto US 16 / Mount Rushmore Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.49 one way
$14.98 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
17 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $8.22 | $16.44 |
| premium | $4.89 | $9.22 | $18.44 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.58 | $21.15 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 16.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.4 | 0 | $5.03 | $2.30 |
| Efficient EV | 12 | 0 | $4.19 | $1.92 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 19.2 | 0 | $6.71 | $3.07 |
Gas CO2
17 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (65% 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
Rapid City, SD
Late night in Rapid City on Tuesday
Local time
4:58 AM
MDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
48°F
Sturgis, SD
24 mi in
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
4 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
51m 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 turn-heavy local drive as you navigate your way out of Spearfish and toward your destination. You will primarily utilize North Main Street and East Jackson Boulevard before transitioning onto I-90 East for the remainder of the transit. Unlike long-haul interstate routes, this drive keeps you engaged with local road segments, making it feel less like a monotonous highway grind. Because the highway share is 0 percent, your experience behind the wheel will be defined by local traffic patterns rather than high-speed cruising. Stay alert through the winding sections of the local streets, as the character of the road is more technical than a standard freeway sprint.
97% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
11 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 45 mi on I 90.
How Hard Is This Drive?
2/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 90 and I 190. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near East Jackson Boulevard.
Driving Effort
2/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Spearfish, SD to Rapid City, SD is easy. At 51m with 97% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
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 45.9 miles (I 190): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 51m. Total distance: 47.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
51m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (97%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 45 miles on I 90. 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 45.9 miles (I 190): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Mount Rushmore National Memorial. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Rapid City, 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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Rapid City, SD
More trips to Rapid City, SD
Explore more options from Spearfish, SD or browse trips ending in Rapid City, SD.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse SD road trips.