Washburn to Valley City is 171.6 miles and takes about 2h 52m via US 83 and I 94, with a fuel budget near $27 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within North Dakota, crossing the Great Plains region. It's a straightforward drive that should be easy to complete in a single day. With most of the mileage on highways, this route is efficient for getting you from point A to point B. Consider this route if you're looking for a quick, no-frills connection between these two North Dakota locations.
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
85.8 miles from Washburn, ND
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 30m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US 83
84.9 mi
1h 26m
I 94
81.5 mi
1h 17m
State Street
2.4 mi
4m
West Main Street
1.8 mi
2m
4th Avenue
0.5 mi
1m
24th Avenue Southwest
0.2 mi
<1m
I 94 Business
0.2 mi
<1m
7th Street
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
US 83
— 84.9 mi, about 1h 26m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Washburn, ND and Valley City, ND.
1
Start on Main Avenue
51 ft·6 sec·Main Avenue
2
Turn left onto 7th Street
355 ft·17 sec·7th Street
3
Turn right onto 4th Avenue
0.5 mi·1 min·4th Avenue
4
Turn right onto US 83; ND 1804
35 mi·38 min·US 83; ND 1804
5
Keep slight right at fork onto US 83; ND 1804
2.4 mi·4 min·State Street
6
Turn left onto US 83
50 mi·47 min·US 83
Toward FargoUse the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Continue on I 94
82 mi·1 hr 17 min·I 94
8
Take the exit onto I 94 Business
0.2 mi·26 sec·I 94 Business
Exit 290Toward I 94 BUS: Valley City
9
Turn left onto I 94 Business
0.2 mi·16 sec·24th Avenue Southwest
10
At end of road, turn right onto I 94 Business
1.8 mi·2 min·West Main Street
11
Arrive at destination
I 94 Business
Trip Plan
This is a short, single-day drive, so you have a lot of flexibility with your departure time. Leaving in the morning will get you to Valley City with plenty of daylight remaining. The estimated fuel cost is around $27, so make sure you have enough gas before departing Washburn, as there's only one designated stop on this route. The longest stretch without a major road change is nearly 85 miles, so plan for a brief stop before that point if you like to stretch your legs periodically. Enjoy the efficient drive across the plains.
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 85.8 miles from Washburn, ND, or about 1h 30m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 84.9 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 44m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 85.8 miles or 1h 30m 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 22m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Valley City, ND than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Washburn, 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 Washburn, ND
This is one driving day of about 171.6 miles and 2h 52m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 38 miles from Washburn, 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 US 83 for about 84.9 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 0 and 169.6 — 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|7th Street
Turn left onto 7th Street
Navigation decision point
4
35.8 mi into trip|~40m in|US 83; ND 1804 / State Street
Keep slight right at fork onto US 83; ND 1804 / State Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
7
38.2 mi into trip|~44m in|US 83
Turn left onto US 83 toward Fargo
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward Fargo
5
169.5 mi into trip|~2h 49m in|I 94 Business
Take the exit onto I 94 Business toward I 94 BUS: Valley City
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 290
Toward I 94 BUS: Valley City
4
169.6 mi into trip|~2h 50m in|I 94 Business / 24th Avenue Southwest
Turn left onto I 94 Business / 24th Avenue Southwest
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$26.83 one way
$53.66 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg60 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$29.46
$58.91
premium
$4.89
$33.02
$66.05
diesel
$5.61
$37.89
$75.77
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: 60 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
51.5
0
$18.02
$8.24
Efficient EV
42.9
0
$15.01
$6.86
EV Truck/SUV
68.6
0
$24.02
$10.98
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
Washburn, ND
Late night
in Washburn on Tuesday
Local time
4:23 AM
CDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Valley City, ND
Late night
in Valley City on Tuesday
Local time
4:23 AM
CDT
Current temp
48°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 warmer 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?
You'll spend 97% of this 171.6-mile drive on highways, primarily US 83 and I 94. The longest continuous stretch on a single highway is 84.9 miles on US 83. Expect mostly rural cruising with fewer exits for extended periods. You'll transition to surface roads, like State Street, as you approach your destination.
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: 84.9 mi on US 83.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 83 and I 94. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near 7th Street.
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: near the start (7th Street): Navigation decision point; at 35.8 miles (US 83; ND 1804 / State Street): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 38.2 miles (US 83): Lane positioning matters here.
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 Washburn, ND to Valley City, ND, road signs begin pointing toward Fargo along the way.
The longest stretch is about 84.9 miles on US 83. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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: near the start (7th Street): Navigation decision point; at 35.8 miles (US 83; ND 1804 / State Street): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 38.2 miles (US 83): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Valley City, ND before heading back.
