The drive from Glasgow, MT to Great Falls, MT covers 271.8 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, North 1st Street East, Lewis and Clark Trail for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is mixed drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 107.3 miles on US 87.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $43.07 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
135.9 miles from Glasgow, MT
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 35m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 8m. Total distance: 271.8 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 Glasgow, MT to Great Falls, MT covers 271.8 miles and takes about 5h 8m, 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 15 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 107.3 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 US 2 / 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 7 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 (US 2 / 1st Avenue North): Navigation decision point; at 161.5 miles (US 87): Lane positioning matters here; at 270.9 miles (2nd Avenue North): Navigation decision point.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 7 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0 mi into trip|~0m in|US 2 / 1st Avenue North
Turn left onto US 2 / 1st Avenue North
Navigation decision point
6
161.5 mi into trip|~3h 4m in|US 87
Turn left onto US 87
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
4
270.9 mi into trip|~5h 6m in|2nd Avenue North
Turn right onto 2nd Avenue North
Navigation decision point
4
271.2 mi into trip|~5h 7m in|5th Street North
Turn left onto 5th Street North
Navigation decision point
5
271.7 mi into trip|~5h 8m in|4th Street South
Turn left onto 4th Street South
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US 87
107.3 mi
1h 58m
North 1st Street East
92.2 mi
1h 44m
Lewis and Clark Trail
40.3 mi
46m
Highway 2
28.9 mi
32m
9th Street North
1 mi
2m
Old Havre Highway
0.8 mi
<1m
5th Street North
0.5 mi
<1m
2nd Avenue North
0.3 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
US 87
— 107.3 mi, about 1h 58m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Glasgow, MT and Great Falls, MT.
1
Start on MT 42
38 ft·7 sec·6th Street North
2
Turn left onto US 2
0.2 mi·12 sec·1st Avenue North
3
Continue on US 2
29 mi·32 min·Highway 2
4
Continue on US 2
40 mi·46 min·Lewis and Clark Trail
5
Continue on US 2
92 mi·1 hr 44 min·North 1st Street East
Use the left lane.
6
Turn left onto US 87
107 mi·1 hr 58 min·US 87
Use the left lane.
7
Continue on US 87
297 ft·5 sec·15th Street Northeast
8
Turn right onto Old Havre Highway
0.8 mi·59 sec·Old Havre Highway
9
Continue on 10th Street Northeast
0.2 mi·19 sec·10th Street Northeast
10
Continue on 9th Street North
1.0 mi·2 min·9th Street North
11
Turn right onto 2nd Avenue North
0.3 mi·38 sec·2nd Avenue North
12
Turn left onto 5th Street North
0.5 mi·44 sec·5th Street North
13
Turn right onto 4th Avenue South
429 ft·24 sec·4th Avenue South
14
Turn left onto 4th Street South
229 ft·10 sec·4th Street South
15
Arrive at destination
4th Street South
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 135.9 miles from Glasgow, MT, or about 2h 35m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 107.3 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 60 miles or 1h 8m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 135.9 miles or 2h 35m 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 12m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Great Falls, MT than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Glasgow, 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 Glasgow, MT
This is one driving day of about 271.8 miles and 5h 8m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 60 miles from Glasgow, 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 107.3 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 135.9 mi from Glasgow, MT
· 2h 35m into the drive
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$43.07 one way
$86.14 round trip
$4.03/gal25.4 MPG avg95 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.22
$45.15
$90.29
premium
$4.53
$48.49
$96.97
diesel
$5.61
$60.01
$120.02
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$43
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$68–$93
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 95.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
EV Charging Along Route
11 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
Other: 2
Tesla: 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
81.5
1
$28.54
$13.05
Efficient EV
68
0
$23.78
$10.87
EV Truck/SUV
108.7
1
$38.05
$17.40
Gas CO2
95 kg
EV CO2
32 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
Glasgow, MT
Morning
in Glasgow on Saturday
Local time
8:59 AM
MDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Great Falls, MT
Morning
in Great Falls on Saturday
Local time
8:59 AM
MDT
Current temp
68°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
3 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 Glasgow, MT to Great Falls, MT covers 271.8 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, North 1st Street East, Lewis and Clark Trail. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 135.9 miles from Glasgow, MT. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $43.07 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 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 2 / 1st Avenue North): Navigation decision point; at 161.5 miles (US 87): Lane positioning matters here; at 270.9 miles (2nd Avenue North): Navigation decision point.
The route from Glasgow, MT to Great Falls, 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.
