The drive from Big Timber, MT to Havre, MT covers 285.7 miles and takes about 5h 35m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on 15th Street North, US 87, East 1st Avenue for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is mixed drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 108.4 miles on 15th Street North.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $45.27 one way before food or hotel costs.
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
142.9 miles from Big Timber, MT
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 54m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 35m. Total distance: 285.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
The drive from Big Timber, MT to Havre, MT covers 285.7 miles and takes about 5h 35m, using a mix of highways and local roads.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 19 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
15th Street North is the longest continuous segment at about 108.4 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near I 90 Business; US 191 / East 1st Avenue.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 5h 35m drive. You will face about 11 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 (I 90 Business; US 191 / East 1st Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (US 191 / East 1st Avenue): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 44.1 miles (US 12; US 191 / 2nd Street Northwest): Navigation decision point.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 11 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0 mi into trip|~0m in|I 90 Business; US 191 / East 1st Avenue
Turn left onto I 90 Business; US 191 / East 1st Avenue
Navigation decision point
4
0.2 mi into trip|~0m in|US 191 / East 1st Avenue
Keep slight left at fork onto US 191 / East 1st Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
4
44.1 mi into trip|~1h 6m in|US 12; US 191 / 2nd Street Northwest
Turn right onto US 12; US 191 / 2nd Street Northwest
Navigation decision point
4
84.8 mi into trip|~1h 51m in|US 87; MT 3; MT 200
At end of road, turn left onto US 87; MT 3; MT 200
Navigation decision point
5
149.4 mi into trip|~3h 1m in
Enter roundabout
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
15th Street North
108.4 mi
2h
US 87
83.6 mi
1h 30m
East 1st Avenue
44.1 mi
1h 6m
US 191
39.2 mi
42m
River Drive North
3.4 mi
5m
US 2
3 mi
3m
57th Street South
1.6 mi
2m
3rd Street Northeast
0.8 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
15th Street North
— 108.4 mi, about 2h
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Big Timber, MT and Havre, MT.
1
Start on McLeod Street
16 ft·6 sec·McLeod Street
2
Turn left onto I 90 Business; US 191
0.2 mi·38 sec·East 1st Avenue
3
Keep slight left at fork onto US 191
44 mi·1 hr 5 min·East 1st Avenue
4
Turn right onto US 12; US 191
0.6 mi·57 sec·2nd Street Northwest
5
Continue on US 12; US 191
0.8 mi·1 min·3rd Street Northeast
6
Turn left onto US 191; MT 3
39 mi·42 min·US 191; MT 3
7
At end of road, turn left onto US 87; MT 3; MT 200
64 mi·1 hr 9 min·US 87; MT 3; MT 200
8
Turn slight right
0.3 mi·20 sec
9
Enter roundabout
172 ft·2 sec
10
Continue
0.1 mi·7 sec
11
Continue on US 87; US 89; MT 3; MT 200
19 mi·20 min·US 87; US 89; MT 3; MT 200
12
Turn right onto US 87 Bypass
1.6 mi·2 min·57th Street South
13
Continue on US 87 Bypass
3.4 mi·5 min·River Drive North
14
Turn right onto US 87
108 mi·2 hr·15th Street North
15
Turn right onto US 2
3.0 mi·3 min·US 2
16
Turn right onto 1st Avenue
0.3 mi·1 min·1st Avenue
17
Turn right onto 5th Street
421 ft·20 sec·5th Street
18
Turn right onto Montana Avenue
161 ft·7 sec·Montana Avenue
19
Arrive at destination
Montana Avenue
Trip Plan
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 142.9 miles from Big Timber, MT, or about 2h 54m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 108.4 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 63 miles or 1h 27m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 142.9 miles or 2h 54m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 37m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Havre, MT than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Big Timber, 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 Big Timber, MT
This is one driving day of about 285.7 miles and 5h 35m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 63 miles from Big Timber, 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 15th Street North for about 108.4 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 142.9 mi from Big Timber, MT
· 2h 54m into the drive
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$45.27 one way
$90.55 round trip
$4.03/gal25.4 MPG avg100 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.22
$47.46
$94.91
premium
$4.53
$50.96
$101.93
diesel
$5.61
$63.08
$126.16
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$45
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$70–$95
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 100 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
EV Charging Along Route
4 DC fast chargers
· Coverage: fair
Great Falls Hampton Inn - Tesla Supercharger
Great Falls, MT
Tesla
8 DCFC
The Fort - Tesla Supercharger
Big Timber, MT
Tesla
4 DCFC
Great Falls Subaru
Great Falls, MT
EV Connect
2 DCFC
Tilleman Motors
Havre, MT
EVGATEWAY
1 DCFC
Tesla: 2
EV Connect: 1
EVGATEWAY: 1
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $30 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
85.7
1
$30.00
$13.71
Efficient EV
71.4
0
$25.00
$11.43
EV Truck/SUV
114.3
1
$40.00
$18.28
Gas CO2
100 kg
EV CO2
33 kg (67% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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 15, 2026
Origin
Big Timber, MT
Late night
in Big Timber on Saturday
Local time
2:11 AM
MDT
Current temp
44°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Havre, MT
Late night
in Havre on Saturday
Local time
2:11 AM
MDT
Current temp
67°F
Unavailable
Live 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
23 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
5h 35m 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Big Timber, MT to Havre, MT covers 285.7 miles and takes about 5h 35m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are 15th Street North, US 87, East 1st Avenue. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 142.9 miles from Big Timber, MT. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $45.27 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
This is a straightforward 5h 35m drive. You will face about 11 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (I 90 Business; US 191 / East 1st Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (US 191 / East 1st Avenue): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 44.1 miles (US 12; US 191 / 2nd Street Northwest): Navigation decision point.
The route from Big Timber, MT to Havre, MT does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, NREL for EV charging, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
