Origin
Whitefish, MT
Late night in Whitefish on Sunday
Local time
1:54 AM
MDT
Current temp
40°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Whitefish, MT to Bigfork, MT
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
50m
Distance
35.3 mi
57 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 46m
★
6 AM
0h 50m
8 AM
0h 58m
10 AM
0h 53m
12 PM
0h 52m
3 PM
0h 53m
5 PM
0h 58m
8 PM
0h 48m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Whitefish, MT
Wikimedia Commons
Bigfork, MT
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Whitefish to Bigfork is 35.3 miles and takes about 50 minutes via MT 35, with a fuel budget near $6 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within the Mountain West region of Montana, offering a straightforward connection between two nearby communities. Given its brief duration, this drive is ideal for travelers looking to make a quick transfer or explore a local area without a significant time commitment. The route is predominantly highway, making it an efficient way to get from point A to point B.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| MT 35 | 18.1 mi | 23m |
| US 93 North | 6.8 mi | 8m |
| West Reserve Drive | 3.5 mi | 5m |
| US 93 South | 3.2 mi | 4m |
| Spokane Avenue | 1.7 mi | 3m |
| Helena Flats Road | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| Grand Drive | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| East 2nd Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
MT 35
— 18.1 mi, about 23m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Whitefish, MT and Bigfork, MT.
1
Start on this road
168 ft
·
17 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left onto US 93
0.1 mi
·
24 sec
·
East 2nd Street
3
Turn right onto US 93
1.7 mi
·
3 min
·
Spokane Avenue
4
Continue on US 93
3.2 mi
·
4 min
·
US 93 South
5
Continue on US 93
6.8 mi
·
8 min
·
US 93 North
6
Turn left onto MT 548
3.5 mi
·
5 min
·
West Reserve Drive
Use the left lane.
7
Turn right onto Helena Flats Road
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Helena Flats Road
8
Turn left onto MT 35
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
MT 35
Use the right lane.
9
Continue on MT 35
17 mi
·
21 min
·
MT 35
Use the straight lane.
10
Turn left onto Holt Drive
434 ft
·
19 sec
·
Holt Drive
11
Continue on Grand Drive
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Grand Drive
12
Turn left onto Cascade Avenue
173 ft
·
7 sec
·
Cascade Avenue
13
Arrive at destination
Cascade Avenue
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
18 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 35 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 17.6 miles from Whitefish, MT, 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 16.6 — 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
|
US 93 / East 2nd Street
Turn left onto US 93 / East 2nd Street
Navigation decision point
4
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 93 / Spokane Avenue
Turn right onto US 93 / Spokane Avenue
Navigation decision point
6
11.9 mi into trip
|
~16m in
|
MT 548 / West Reserve Drive
Turn left onto MT 548 / West Reserve Drive
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
4
15.5 mi into trip
|
~22m in
|
Helena Flats Road
Turn right onto Helena Flats Road
Navigation decision point
6
16.6 mi into trip
|
~24m in
|
MT 35
Turn left onto MT 35
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.59 one way
$11.19 round trip
$4.03/gal
25.4 MPG avg
12 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.22 | $5.86 | $11.73 |
| premium | $4.53 | $6.30 | $12.59 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.79 | $15.59 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10.6 | 0 | $3.71 | $1.69 |
| Efficient EV | 8.8 | 0 | $3.09 | $1.41 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 14.1 | 0 | $4.94 | $2.26 |
Gas CO2
12 kg
EV CO2
4 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.
Destination
Bigfork, MT
Late night in Bigfork on Sunday
Local time
1:54 AM
MDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
61°F
Evergreen, MT
18 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
6 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
50m 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?
This drive is mostly highway, with 80% of the 35.3 miles on roads like US 93 North and MT 35. You'll encounter your longest stretch of continuous highway at 18.1 miles on MT 35. Expect a cruising feel for the majority of the trip, transitioning to surface roads as you approach your destination. The profile is mostly highway, so you'll see a steady flow of traffic and fewer opportunities for frequent stops.
80% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 18.1 mi on MT 35.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on MT 35 and US 93 North. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 93 / East 2nd Street.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 50m drive. You will face about 7 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 (US 93 / East 2nd Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (US 93 / Spokane Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 11.9 miles (MT 548 / West Reserve Drive): Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 50m. Total distance: 35.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
50m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (80%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 18.1 miles on MT 35. 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 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 (US 93 / East 2nd Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (US 93 / Spokane Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 11.9 miles (MT 548 / West Reserve Drive): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Bigfork, MT 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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