The drive from Billings, MT to Conrad, MT covers 280.3 miles and takes about 5h 8m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on US 87, First Special Service Force Memorial Highway, US 12 for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is highway-focused drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 83.6 miles on US 87.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $44.42 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
140.1 miles from Billings, MT
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 39m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 8m. Total distance: 280.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
This is a 5h 8m highway drive covering 280.3 miles, with most of the trip on US 87 and First Special Service Force Memorial Highway. The longest continuous stretch is about 83.6 miles on US 87.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 28 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
US 87 is the longest continuous segment at about 83.6 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 87 and First Special Service Force Memorial Highway. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near I 90 Business / 1st Avenue North.
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 8m drive. You will face about 16 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (I 90 Business / 1st Avenue North): Navigation decision point; at 0.5 miles (MT 3 / North 27th Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 46.2 miles (US 12; MT 3): Navigation decision point.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 16 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0.2 mi into trip|~0m in|I 90 Business / 1st Avenue North
Turn left onto I 90 Business / 1st Avenue North
Navigation decision point
6
0.5 mi into trip|~1m in|MT 3 / North 27th Street
Turn right onto MT 3 / North 27th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
46.2 mi into trip|~55m in|US 12; MT 3
At end of road, turn left onto US 12; MT 3
Navigation decision point
5
195.1 mi into trip|~3h 38m in
Enter roundabout
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
5
219.7 mi into trip|~4h 9m in|I 15 Business / Park Drive North
At end of road, turn left onto I 15 Business / Park Drive North
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US 87
83.6 mi
1h 30m
First Special Service Force Memorial Highway
57.1 mi
54m
US 12
45.1 mi
50m
MT 3
41.1 mi
47m
US 191
39.2 mi
42m
2nd Avenue North
4.3 mi
7m
Iowa Avenue
2.5 mi
2m
North 27th Street
2.1 mi
3m
Longest stretch:
US 87
— 83.6 mi, about 1h 30m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Billings, MT and Conrad, MT.
1
Start on I 90 Business
0.1 mi·25 sec·Montana Avenue
2
Turn left onto North 23rd Street
372 ft·21 sec·North 23rd Street
3
Turn left onto I 90 Business
0.3 mi·1 min·1st Avenue North
4
Turn right onto MT 3
2.1 mi·3 min·North 27th Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
Enter roundabout onto MT 3
236 ft·3 sec·MT 3
6
Continue on MT 3
3.1 mi·3 min·MT 3
7
Enter roundabout onto MT 3
144 ft·2 sec·MT 3
8
Continue on MT 3
25 mi·28 min·MT 3
9
Continue on MT-3
2.5 mi·2 min·Iowa Avenue
10
Continue on MT 3
12 mi·14 min·MT 3
11
At end of road, turn left onto US 12; MT 3
45 mi·50 min·US 12; MT 3
12
Turn right onto US 191; MT 3
39 mi·42 min·US 191; MT 3
13
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
14
Turn slight right
0.3 mi·20 sec
15
Enter roundabout
172 ft·2 sec
16
Continue
0.1 mi·7 sec
17
Continue on US 87; US 89; MT 3; MT 200
19 mi·20 min·US 87; US 89; MT 3; MT 200
18
Turn right onto US 87 Bypass
0.9 mi·1 min·57th Street South
19
Turn left onto 2nd Avenue North
4.3 mi·7 min·2nd Avenue North
20
At end of road, turn left onto I 15 Business
240 ft·4 sec·Park Drive North
21
Turn right onto I 15 Business
0.2 mi·23 sec·1st Avenue North
22
Continue on I 15 Business
0.2 mi·17 sec·First Avenue North Bridge
23
Continue on I 15 Business
1.4 mi·1 min·Central Avenue West
24
Take the exit onto I 15 Business
0.2 mi·32 sec·I 15 Business
25
Merge onto I 15; US 89; MT 200
57 mi·54 min·First Special Service Force Memorial Highway
26
Take the exit
0.4 mi·53 sec
27
Turn sharp left onto I 15 Business
1.0 mi·1 min·I 15 Business
28
Arrive at destination
I 15 Business
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 140.1 miles from Billings, MT, or about 2h 39m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 83.6 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 62 miles or 1h 12m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 140.1 miles or 2h 39m 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 19m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Conrad, MT than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Billings, 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 Billings, MT
This is one driving day of about 280.3 miles and 5h 8m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 62 miles from Billings, 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 US 87 for about 83.6 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 140.1 mi from Billings, MT
· 2h 39m into the drive
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$44.42 one way
$88.84 round trip
$4.03/gal25.4 MPG avg98 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.22
$46.56
$93.12
premium
$4.53
$50.00
$100.00
diesel
$5.61
$61.89
$123.77
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$44
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$69–$94
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 98.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
EV Charging Along Route
10 DC fast chargers
· Coverage: excellent
Tesla Destination Charger
Great Falls, Montana
Tesla Destination
1 DCFC
Tesla Supercharger
Great Falls, Montana
Tesla
1 DCFC
Blink Charging Station
Great Falls, Montana
Blink
1 DCFC
ChargePoint Charging Station
Great Falls, Montana
ChargePoint
1 DCFC
TurnOnGreen Charging Station
Great Falls, Montana
Other
1 DCFC
Blink Charging Station
Great Falls, Montana
Blink
1 DCFC
EV Connect Charging Station
Great Falls, Montana
EV Connect
1 DCFC
ChargePoint Charging Station
Great Falls, Montana
ChargePoint
1 DCFC
ChargePoint: 3
Tesla Destination: 2
Blink: 2
Tesla: 1
Other: 1
EV Connect: 1
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $29 in charging
· 1 stop
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
84.1
1
$29.43
$13.45
Efficient EV
70.1
0
$24.53
$11.21
EV Truck/SUV
112.1
1
$39.24
$17.94
Gas CO2
98 kg
EV CO2
33 kg (66% 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
Billings, MT
Late night
in Billings on Saturday
Local time
5:50 AM
MDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Conrad, MT
Late night
in Conrad on Saturday
Local time
5:50 AM
MDT
Current temp
66°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
65°F
Lewistown, MT
140 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
8 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
5h 8m 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 Billings, MT to Conrad, MT covers 280.3 miles and takes about 5h 8m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are US 87, First Special Service Force Memorial Highway, US 12. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 140.1 miles from Billings, MT. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $44.42 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 8m drive. You will face about 16 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (I 90 Business / 1st Avenue North): Navigation decision point; at 0.5 miles (MT 3 / North 27th Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 46.2 miles (US 12; MT 3): Navigation decision point.
The route from Billings, MT to Conrad, 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.
