Origin
Fort Benton, MT
Night in Fort Benton on Friday
Local time
10:04 PM
MDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Fort Benton, MT to Kalispell, MT
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
4h 35m
Distance
255.6 mi
411 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$41
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
4h 22m
★
6 AM
4h 36m
8 AM
5h 3m
10 AM
4h 45m
12 PM
4h 42m
3 PM
4h 47m
5 PM
5h 1m
8 PM
4h 28m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Fort Benton, MT
Wikimedia Commons
Kalispell, MT
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Fort Benton, MT to Kalispell, MT covers 255.6 miles and takes about 4h 35m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Main Street, 12th Street, Saint Charles Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $40.50 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
127.8 miles from Fort Benton, MT
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 17m into the drive .
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 35m. Total distance: 255.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 35m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 4h 35m drive with frequent turns across 255.6 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 29 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Main Street is one of the defining roads on this drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way.
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 35m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Fort Benton, MT to Kalispell, MT is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Main Street | — | — |
| 12th Street | — | — |
| Saint Charles Street | — | — |
| MT 386 | — | — |
| US 87 | — | — |
| MT 223 | — | — |
| 5th Street West | — | — |
| 5th Avenue North | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
Main Street
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Fort Benton, MT and Kalispell, MT.
1
Start on the route
79 ft
·
6 sec
·
the route
2
Turn right
194 ft
·
19 sec
3
Turn left onto Main Street
0.2 mi
·
54 sec
·
Main Street
4
Turn right onto 12th Street
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
12th Street
5
Turn left onto Saint Charles Street
384 ft
·
11 sec
·
Saint Charles Street
6
Continue on MT 386
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
MT 386
7
Turn right onto US 87
1.6 mi
·
1 min
·
US 87
8
Take the ramp left
131 ft
·
3 sec
9
Turn straight onto MT 223
52 mi
·
56 min
·
MT 223
10
Continue on 5th Street West
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
5th Street West
11
At the end of the road, turn left
42 mi
·
47 min
12
Turn right onto 5th Avenue North
453 ft
·
17 sec
·
5th Avenue North
13
Continue on West Roosevelt Highway
58 mi
·
1 hr 8 min
·
West Roosevelt Highway
14
Continue on East Central Avenue
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
East Central Avenue
15
Enter the roundabout and take exit 3 toward the route
246 ft
·
4 sec
·
the route
16
Exit the roundabout
72 mi
·
1 hr 19 min
17
Turn right
0.2 mi
·
1 min
18
At the end of the road, turn left onto Old US 2
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Old US 2
19
Turn right onto US Route 2
7.5 mi
·
10 min
·
US Route 2
20
Continue on US 2
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
US 2
21
Turn left
9.7 mi
·
12 min
22
At the end of the road, turn right
5.7 mi
·
7 min
23
Continue on US Route 2
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
US Route 2
24
Turn left onto Woodland Park Drive
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Woodland Park Drive
25
At the end of the road, turn right onto Conrad Drive
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
·
Conrad Drive
26
Continue on 2nd Street East
0.2 mi
·
39 sec
·
2nd Street East
27
Turn left onto 3rd Avenue East
367 ft
·
12 sec
·
3rd Avenue East
28
Turn right onto 3rd Street East
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
·
3rd Street East
29
Arrive at your 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 127.8 miles from Fort Benton, MT, or about 2h 17m into the drive.
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 56 miles or 1h in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 127.8 miles or 2h 17m 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 46m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Kalispell, MT than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Fort Benton, 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 Fort Benton, MT
This is one driving day of about 255.6 miles and 4h 35m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 56 miles from Fort Benton, 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.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 127.8 mi from Fort Benton, MT · 2h 17m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
128 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 56 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 127.8 miles from Fort Benton, MT, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Kalispell, MT
The final approach into Kalispell, 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 Kalispell, MT.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$40.50 one way
$81.01 round trip
$4.03/gal
25.4 MPG avg
89 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.22 | $42.46 | $84.91 |
| premium | $4.53 | $45.60 | $91.19 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $56.43 | $112.87 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$41
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$66–$91
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 89.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $27 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 76.7 | 0 | $26.84 | $12.27 |
| Efficient EV | 63.9 | 0 | $22.37 | $10.22 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 102.2 | 1 | $35.78 | $16.36 |
Gas CO2
89 kg
EV CO2
30 kg (66% 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
Kalispell, MT
Night in Kalispell on Friday
Local time
10:04 PM
MDT
Current temp
60°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
14 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 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 Fort Benton, MT to Kalispell, MT covers 255.6 miles and takes about 4h 35m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Main Street, 12th Street, Saint Charles Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 127.8 miles from Fort Benton, MT. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $40.50 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 35m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Fort Benton, MT to Kalispell, MT is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Fort Benton, MT to Kalispell, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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