Origin
Bismarck, ND
Evening in Bismarck on Friday
Local time
7:53 PM
CDT
Current temp
70°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Bismarck, ND to Park River, ND
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
4h 31m
Distance
250 mi
402 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$39
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
4h 18m
★
6 AM
4h 32m
8 AM
4h 59m
10 AM
4h 41m
12 PM
4h 38m
3 PM
4h 42m
5 PM
4h 57m
8 PM
4h 24m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Bismarck, ND
Wikimedia Commons
Park River, ND
JUNLIN ZOU
Trip Overview
The drive from Bismarck, ND to Park River, ND covers 250 miles and takes about 4h 31m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 94, State Highway 32, US 83 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 73.6 miles on I 94. At current regular gas prices, budget about $39.08 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
125 miles from Bismarck, ND
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h into the drive .
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 31m. Total distance: 250 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 31m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (98%). Straightforward navigation.
Drive Character
This is a 4h 31m highway drive covering 250 miles, with most of the trip on I 94 and State Highway 32. The longest continuous stretch is about 73.6 miles on I 94.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 24 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 94 is the longest continuous segment at about 73.6 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 94 and State Highway 32. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near ND 1804 / North 9th 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 4h 31m drive. You will face about 12 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 (ND 1804 / North 9th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.8 miles (ND 1804 / East Boulevard Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1.9 miles (US 83): Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 12 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
ND 1804 / North 9th Street
Turn left onto ND 1804 / North 9th Street
Navigation decision point
4
0.8 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
ND 1804 / East Boulevard Avenue
Turn right onto ND 1804 / East Boulevard Avenue
Navigation decision point
7
1.9 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
US 83
Take the ramp onto US 83 toward Fargo
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward Fargo
5
125.2 mi into trip
|
~2h in
Take the exit toward ND 1 North: Rogers
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 283
Toward ND 1 North: Rogers
5
217.1 mi into trip
|
~3h 51m in
|
ND 32 / State Highway 32
Turn left onto ND 32 / State Highway 32
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 94 | 73.6 mi | 1h 9m |
| State Highway 32 | 54.7 mi | 1h 3m |
| US 83 | 49.7 mi | 47m |
| State Highway 1 | 37 mi | 43m |
| State Highway 45 | 17.3 mi | 20m |
| United States Highway 2 | 5.5 mi | 5m |
| State Highway 17 | 4.5 mi | 5m |
| State Highway 200 | 2.6 mi | 3m |
Longest stretch:
I 94
— 73.6 mi, about 1h 9m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Bismarck, ND and Park River, ND.
1
Start on East Rosser Avenue
0.2 mi
·
47 sec
·
East Rosser Avenue
2
Turn left onto ND 1804
0.6 mi
·
53 sec
·
North 9th Street
3
Turn right onto ND 1804
227 ft
·
3 sec
·
East Boulevard Avenue
4
Continue on ND 1804
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
State Street
5
Take the ramp onto US 83
50 mi
·
47 min
·
US 83
Toward Fargo
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Continue on I 94
74 mi
·
1 hr 9 min
·
I 94
7
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Exit 283
Toward ND 1 North: Rogers
8
Turn left onto ND 1
28 mi
·
32 min
·
State Highway 1
9
Continue on ND 1
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Wheat Street
10
Continue on ND 1
8.8 mi
·
10 min
·
State Highway 1
11
Turn right onto ND 200
2.6 mi
·
3 min
·
State Highway 200
12
Turn left onto ND 45
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
9th Street Southeast
13
Continue on ND 45
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
9th Street Northeast
14
Continue on ND 45
6.6 mi
·
7 min
·
State Highway 45
15
Continue on ND 45
11 mi
·
12 min
·
State Highway 45
16
Turn left onto ND 32
5.2 mi
·
6 min
·
State Highway 32
17
Continue on ND 32
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
4th Street South
18
Continue on ND 32
22 mi
·
26 min
·
State Highway 32
19
Turn right onto US 2; ND 32
5.5 mi
·
5 min
·
United States Highway 2
20
Turn left onto ND 32
27 mi
·
31 min
·
State Highway 32
Use the left lane.
21
Turn right onto ND 17
4.5 mi
·
5 min
·
State Highway 17
22
Continue on ND 17
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Park Street West
23
Turn left
139 ft
·
10 sec
24
Arrive at destination
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 125 miles from Bismarck, ND, or about 2h into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 73.6 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 55 miles or 54m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 125 miles or 2h in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 38m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Park River, ND than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Bismarck, 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 Bismarck, ND
This is one driving day of about 250 miles and 4h 31m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 55 miles from Bismarck, 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 I 94 for about 73.6 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 125 mi from Bismarck, ND · 2h into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
125 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 55 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 125 miles from Bismarck, ND, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before I 94 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 73.6 miles.
Arriving in Park River, ND
The final approach into Park River, ND 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 Park River, ND.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$39.08 one way
$78.17 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
88 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $42.91 | $85.83 |
| premium | $4.89 | $48.11 | $96.22 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $55.20 | $110.39 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$39
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$64–$89
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 87.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $26 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 75 | 0 | $26.25 | $12.00 |
| Efficient EV | 62.5 | 0 | $21.88 | $10.00 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 100 | 1 | $35.00 | $16.00 |
Gas CO2
87 kg
EV CO2
29 kg (67% less)
Plan for 0 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.
Destination
Park River, ND
Evening in Park River on Friday
Local time
7:53 PM
CDT
Current temp
39°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
31 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
4h 31m 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 Bismarck, ND to Park River, ND covers 250 miles and takes about 4h 31m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 94, State Highway 32, US 83. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 125 miles from Bismarck, ND. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $39.08 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 4h 31m drive. You will face about 12 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (ND 1804 / North 9th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.8 miles (ND 1804 / East Boulevard Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1.9 miles (US 83): Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Bismarck, ND to Park River, ND 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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