Drive Time
8h 34m
Distance
566 mi
911 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
2-day trip
Fuel Cost
$77
one way
The drive from Baker, MT to Missoula, MT covers 566 miles and takes about 8h 34m behind the wheel. It usually feels better as a 2-day road trip than as one long push.
The route leans on I 90 West, US 12 West, Van Buren Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is long-distance drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $76.88 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Best split across 2 days
Treat the return leg as its own travel day rather than an afterthought.
Break Rhythm
2 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
283 miles from Baker, MT
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 4h 17m into the drive .
At 566 miles and 8h 34m of driving, this is a route where fuel stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single turn. The main roads are I 90 West and US 12 West.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 90 West | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| US 12 West | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Van Buren Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| East Broadway Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| North Higgins Avenue | Unavailable | Refreshing |
Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.
Step-by-step road directions between Baker, MT and Missoula, MT.
Start on 6th Street West
Turn left
Take the ramp left
Merge slight left
Continue straight
Continue straight
Continue straight
Keep slight left to continue on I 90 West: Missoula
Take the exit slight right toward US 12 West, I 90 Business
Enter the roundabout and take exit 3 toward Van Buren Street
Exit the roundabout onto Van Buren Street
Enter the roundabout and take exit 1 toward Van Buren Street
Exit the roundabout onto Van Buren Street
Turn right onto East Broadway Street
Turn right onto North Higgins Avenue
Arrive at your destination
Morning Departure
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Evening Departure
This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 125 miles or 1h 53m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 283 miles or 4h 17m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Overnight split
Day 1 wrap after about 283 miles or 4h 17m
Stop before fatigue turns the last few hours into a grind. You want day two to start fresh, not just resumed.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 7h 40m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Missoula, MT than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Baker, 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.
Pick one backup stop option before the midpoint in case traffic changes your pacing.
Treat this as a 2-day road trip and book the overnight stop before the busiest arrival window.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Baker, MT
Aim for roughly 283 miles and 4.3 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Missoula, MT
Aim for roughly 283 miles and 4.3 hours of wheel time on this day.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 283 mi from Baker, MT · 4h 17m into the drive
First major stop
Coffee and fuel
187 mi into the route
Best for: Coffee, fuel, and an easy first stretch
This is a natural early stop once the first hours of the drive are behind you.
Second major stop
Overnight candidate
374 mi into the route
Best for: Hotel check-in, dinner, and a fresh start
This lines up well with a realistic day-end stop if you are breaking the drive into stages.
Find hotels in Whitehall, MTNight 1
283 mi · about 4.3h in
A practical overnight split lands near Livingston, MT after about 283 miles or 4.3 hours of driving.
Find hotelsA short stop after about 125 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 283 miles from Baker, MT, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Overnight split
Hotel stopFor a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 283 miles or 4.3 hours on the road.
The final approach into Missoula, MT usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Missoula, MT.
On a multi-day trip, keep the last day a little lighter so you reach Missoula, MT with some flexibility left in the schedule.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Regular Gas
$76.88 one way
$153.76 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $3.85 | $85.79 | $171.58 |
| premium | $4.15 | $92.48 | $184.95 |
| diesel | $3.75 | $83.56 | $167.13 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$77
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$207–$317
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 198 kg one way.
Driving Electric?
About $59 in charging · 2 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 169.8 | 2 | $59.43 | $27.17 |
| Efficient EV | 141.5 | 1 | $49.53 | $22.64 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 226.4 | 2 | $79.24 | $36.22 |
Gas CO2
198 kg
EV CO2
66 kg (67% less)
Plan for 2 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. If you're planning ahead, check the forecast closer to your travel date.
Origin
Morning in Baker on Saturday
Local time
8:58 AM
MDT
Current temp
38°F
Forecast unavailable right now
Destination
Morning in Missoula on Saturday
Local time
8:58 AM
MDT
Current temp
33°F
Forecast unavailable right now
Along the Route
40°F
Billings, MT
187 mi in
30°F
Whitehall, MT
374 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.
For long drives, weather on day two can matter just as much as conditions at departure, so check the whole travel window rather than only the first day.
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
This is long enough that the arrival forecast matters almost as much as departure conditions. Recheck both ends before you roll.
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