Valley City to Washburn is 171.3 miles and takes about 2h 52m via I 94, with a fuel budget near $27 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within North Dakota, traversing the Great Plains region. Expect a straightforward trip with a significant portion on the interstate, making it a practical option for getting from point A to point B efficiently. With only one stop suggested and a relatively short drive time, this route is ideal for a quick transit.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
85.6 miles from Valley City, ND
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 22m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 94
130.6 mi
2h 4m
State Street
37.5 mi
42m
West Main Street
1.9 mi
2m
4th Avenue
0.6 mi
1m
I 94 Business
0.3 mi
<1m
US 83
0.3 mi
<1m
7th Street
<0.1 mi
<1m
Main Avenue
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 94
— 130.6 mi, about 2h 4m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Valley City, ND and Washburn, ND.
1
Start on I 94 Business
1.9 mi·2 min·West Main Street
2
Take the ramp onto I 94 Business
0.3 mi·41 sec·I 94 Business
Toward I 94 West
3
Merge onto I 94; US 52
122 mi·1 hr 55 min·I 94; US 52
4
Continue on I 94; US 83
8.2 mi·8 min·I 94; US 83
5
Take the exit onto US 83
0.3 mi·43 sec·US 83
Toward US 83 North: Bismarck, Minot
6
Turn right onto US 83; ND 1804
2.1 mi·3 min·State Street
7
Keep slight right at fork onto US 83; ND 1804
35 mi·38 min·State Street
8
Turn left onto 4th Avenue
0.6 mi·1 min·4th Avenue
Use the left lane.
9
Turn left onto 7th Street
355 ft·17 sec·7th Street
10
Turn right onto Main Avenue
51 ft·1 sec·Main Avenue
11
Arrive at destination
Main Avenue
Trip Plan
Given the 2h 52m drive time, this is easily a same-day trip. You can comfortably depart anytime in the morning and still arrive with plenty of daylight. Plan for one stop to break up the drive, perhaps around the halfway point or a bit further along I 94 to maximize your highway time. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially before embarking on the 130.6-mile stretch on I 94, as services can be spaced out in this region. The $27 fuel cost is an estimate, so confirm current prices before you leave.
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.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 85.6 miles from Valley City, ND, or about 1h 22m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 130.6 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 38 miles or 37m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 85.6 miles or 1h 22m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 17m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Washburn, ND than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Valley City, ND 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 Valley City, ND
This is one driving day of about 171.3 miles and 2h 52m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 38 miles from Valley City, ND.
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 I 94 for about 130.6 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 8
5 decision points cluster between mile 1.9 and 171.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
3
1.9 mi into trip|~2m in|I 94 Business
Take the ramp onto I 94 Business toward I 94 West
Navigation decision point
Toward I 94 West
5
132.9 mi into trip|~2h 7m in|US 83
Take the exit onto US 83 toward US 83 North: Bismarck, Minot
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 83 North: Bismarck, Minot
4
135.3 mi into trip|~2h 12m in|US 83; ND 1804 / State Street
Keep slight right at fork onto US 83; ND 1804 / State Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
5
170.7 mi into trip|~2h 51m in|4th Avenue
Turn left onto 4th Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
4
171.3 mi into trip|~2h 52m in|Main Avenue
Turn right onto Main Avenue
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$26.78 one way
$53.56 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg60 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$29.40
$58.81
premium
$4.89
$32.97
$65.93
diesel
$5.61
$37.82
$75.64
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$27
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$52–$77
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 59.9 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $18 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
51.4
0
$17.99
$8.22
Efficient EV
42.8
0
$14.99
$6.85
EV Truck/SUV
68.5
0
$23.98
$10.96
Gas CO2
60 kg
EV CO2
20 kg (67% 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 Apr 20, 2026
Origin
Valley City, ND
Late night
in Valley City on Tuesday
Local time
4:01 AM
CDT
Current temp
48°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Washburn, ND
Late night
in Washburn on Tuesday
Local time
4:01 AM
CDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
48°F
Medina, ND
86 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
2 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
2h 52m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route is predominantly highway driving, with 77% of the travel on interstates. You'll experience a long stretch of 130.6 miles on I 94 before transitioning to surface roads, which include State Street and West Main Street. This means you'll encounter more local traffic and intersections as you approach your destination. The initial part of the drive will feel like typical rural interstate cruising.
77% 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: 130.6 mi on I 94.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 94 and State Street. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 1.9 miles in near I 94 Business.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 2h 52m drive. You will face about 8 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.9 miles (I 94 Business): Navigation decision point; at 132.9 miles (US 83): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 135.3 miles (US 83; ND 1804 / State Street): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
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 Valley City, ND to Washburn, ND, road signs begin pointing toward Minot along the way.
The longest stretch is about 130.6 miles on I 94. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 11 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 ND 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 1.9 miles (I 94 Business): Navigation decision point; at 132.9 miles (US 83): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 135.3 miles (US 83; ND 1804 / State Street): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Washburn, ND before heading back.
