Stevensville, MT to Livingston, MT is 256.3 miles and takes about 4h 23m via Jeannette Rankin Memorial Highway and I 15, with a fuel budget near $41 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive takes you across Montana's Mountain West region, offering a mix of interstate cruising and scenic highway travel. With a recommended one-day duration, it's a manageable trip for those looking to connect two points in the state without an overnight stay. Plan for roughly 53% of your travel to be on highways, making it a straightforward route for most vehicles.
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
128.2 miles from Stevensville, MT
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 12m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Jeannette Rankin Memorial Highway
115.1 mi
1h 49m
I 15
108.3 mi
1h 48m
US 93
23.7 mi
29m
Brooks Street
3.3 mi
4m
I 90 Business
2.8 mi
4m
Stevi Cutoff Road
1.2 mi
2m
West Park Street
0.4 mi
1m
South 6th Street East
0.4 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Jeannette Rankin Memorial Highway
— 115.1 mi, about 1h 49m
Traffic on I-90
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 16 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~493 veh/hr typical
· worst 665
Quietest
2 AM
~35 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
14.1×
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 Stevensville, MT and Livingston, MT.
1
Start on East 3rd Street
78 ft·5 sec·East 3rd Street
2
Turn right onto S-269
0.2 mi·42 sec·Main Street
3
Continue on S-269
1.2 mi·2 min·Stevi Cutoff Road
4
Turn right onto US 93
24 mi·29 min·US 93
Use the straight lane.
5
Continue on Brooks Street
3.3 mi·4 min·Brooks Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
Continue on US 12
356 ft·16 sec·South Higgins Avenue
Use the left lane.
7
Turn right onto US 12
0.4 mi·36 sec·South 6th Street East
8
Turn left onto Arthur Avenue
0.2 mi·13 sec·Arthur Avenue
9
Continue on US 12
0.2 mi·15 sec·Madison Street
10
Take the exit onto US 12
0.2 mi·26 sec·US 12
11
Turn left onto I 90 Bus; US 12
435 ft·5 sec·Van Buren Street
12
Take the exit onto I 90 Business; US 12
0.2 mi·29 sec·I 90 Business; US 12
13
Merge onto I 90; US 12; MT 200
115 mi·1 hr 49 min·Jeannette Rankin Memorial Highway
14
Keep slight right at fork onto I 15; I 90
108 mi·1 hr 48 min·I 15; I 90
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Take the exit onto I 90 Business
0.2 mi·32 sec·I 90 Business
Toward I 90 Business: Livingston
16
Turn left onto I 90 Business
2.4 mi·3 min·I 90 Business
17
Turn left onto I 90 Business
0.4 mi·1 min·West Park Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
18
Arrive at destination
I 90 Business
Trip Plan
This route is easily doable in a single day, so you have flexibility on when to depart. Aiming for a morning start will give you plenty of daylight for the 4h 23m drive. The longest stretch without a major highway is 115.1 miles on the Jeannette Rankin Memorial Highway, so keep an eye on your fuel level as you pass through that section. With a fuel cost estimated around $41, it's an economical trip, but it's always wise to top off before heading out.
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 128.2 miles from Stevensville, MT, or about 2h 12m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 115.1 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 56 miles or 1h 4m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 128.2 miles or 2h 12m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 34m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Livingston, MT than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Stevensville, MT 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 Stevensville, MT
This is one driving day of about 256.3 miles and 4h 23m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 56 miles from Stevensville, MT.
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 Jeannette Rankin Memorial Highway for about 115.1 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 12
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 255.9 — 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|S-269 / Main Street
Turn right onto S-269 / Main Street
Navigation decision point
6
1.5 mi into trip|~2m in|US 93
Turn right onto US 93
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
4
28.6 mi into trip|~37m in|US 12 / South 6th Street East
Turn right onto US 12 / South 6th Street East
Navigation decision point
6
145 mi into trip|~2h 28m in|I 15; I 90
Keep slight right at fork onto I 15; I 90
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
255.9 mi into trip|~4h 21m in|I 90 Business / West Park Street
Turn left onto I 90 Business / West Park Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$39.95 one way
$79.90 round trip
$3.96/gal25.4 MPG avg90 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.17
$42.11
$84.22
premium
$4.47
$45.15
$90.29
diesel
$4.80
$48.39
$96.79
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$40
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$65–$90
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 89.7 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $27 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
76.9
0
$26.91
$12.30
Efficient EV
64.1
0
$22.43
$10.25
EV Truck/SUV
102.5
1
$35.88
$16.40
Gas CO2
90 kg
EV CO2
30 kg (67% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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 18, 2026
Origin
Stevensville, MT
Late night
in Stevensville on Sunday
Local time
4:16 AM
MDT
Current temp
58°F
Patchy Fog
S 1 mph2% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Livingston, MT
Late night
in Livingston on Sunday
Local time
4:16 AM
MDT
Current temp
58°F
Chance Rain Showers
WSW 6 mph31% chanceLive forecast
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
4h 23m 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?
You'll spend about half the time on highways, with 53% of the 256.3-mile trip on roads like I 15. The Jeannette Rankin Memorial Highway accounts for the longest continuous stretch at 115.1 miles, which is a good indicator of some rural cruising sections. Expect a mixed driving experience, transitioning between faster highway speeds and potentially slower surface roads.
53% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 115.1 mi on Jeannette Rankin Memorial Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 12 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near S-269 / Main Street.
Driving Effort5/10
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 256.3 miles you will encounter 12 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 (S-269 / Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.5 miles (US 93): Lane positioning matters here; at 28.6 miles (US 12 / South 6th Street East): Navigation decision point.
Livingston is a city in the Yellowstone Country of Montana. It is the northern entrance to Yellowstone National Park. Livingston is commonly called "The Gateway City" because it was the original entrance to Yellowstone.
Top landmarks
•The Murray Hotel — historic hotel in Livingston, Montana, USA
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 23m. Total distance: 256.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 23m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (53%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 115.1 miles on Jeannette Rankin Memorial Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 12 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.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
Mostly yes along the main roads, but rural stretches through MT 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 (S-269 / Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.5 miles (US 93): Lane positioning matters here; at 28.6 miles (US 12 / South 6th Street East): Navigation decision point.
Possible but tiring. At 4.4 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 8.8 hours — manageable with a long break at Livingston, MT, but most travelers stay overnight.
