Trip from Great Falls, MT to Ennis, MT

Drive Time

3h 33m

Distance

197.9 mi

318 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$31

one way

EV Charging

station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 37 min

4 AM

3h 21m ★

6 AM

3h 34m

8 AM

3h 58m

10 AM

3h 42m

12 PM

3h 40m

3 PM

3h 44m

5 PM

3h 57m

8 PM

3h 26m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly

Google Maps Waze Apple Maps

Download GPX

Great Falls, MT

Tomás Asurmendi

Ennis, MT

John De Leon

Trip Overview

The drive from Great Falls, MT to Ennis, MT covers 197.9 miles and takes about 3h 33m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on 5th Avenue South, 5th Street South, 10th Avenue South for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $31.36 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Break Rhythm

1 planned break

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

98.9 miles from Great Falls, MT

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 46m into the drive .

Drive Character

Expect a 3h 33m drive with frequent turns across 197.9 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.

There are about 18 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.

5th Avenue South 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. Navigation is very simple — set it and forget it for most of the drive.

Route Complexity 1/10

Very easy - short and simple to drive

The drive from Great Falls, MT to Ennis, MT is easy. At 3h 33m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

Where does it get tricky?

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Great Falls, MT to Ennis, MT is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
5th Avenue South	Unavailable	Refreshing
5th Street South	Unavailable	Refreshing
10th Avenue South	Unavailable	Refreshing
Country Club Boulevard	Unavailable	Refreshing
First Special Service Force Memorial Highway	Unavailable	Refreshing
US 12 South	Unavailable	Refreshing
Prospect Avenue	Unavailable	Refreshing

Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.

Longest stretch: 5th Avenue South — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Great Falls, MT and Ennis, MT.

Start on 4th Street South

161 ft · 12 sec · 4th Street South

Turn left onto 5th Avenue South

427 ft · 21 sec · 5th Avenue South

Turn right onto 5th Street South

0.4 mi · 38 sec · 5th Street South

Turn right onto 10th Avenue South

0.7 mi · 1 min · 10th Avenue South

Continue on Country Club Boulevard

1.3 mi · 2 min · Country Club Boulevard

Keep slight left

0.7 mi · 1 min

Merge slight left onto First Special Service Force Memorial Highway

86 mi · 1 hr 22 min · First Special Service Force Memorial Highway

Take the exit slight right toward US 12 South, US 287 South: Townsend, Capitol Area

0.2 mi · 34 sec · US 12 South, US 287 South: Townsend, Capitol Area

Turn left onto Prospect Avenue

1.0 mi · 1 min · Prospect Avenue

Continue straight

3.6 mi · 5 min

Continue straight

0.3 mi · 26 sec

Continue straight

30 mi · 34 min

Continue straight

2.3 mi · 2 min

Continue straight

1.2 mi · 1 min

Continue straight

1.4 mi · 1 min

Continue straight

68 mi · 1 hr 16 min

At the end of the road, turn left

0.2 mi · 28 sec

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 98.9 miles from Great Falls, MT, or about 1h 46m 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 80 miles or 1h 26m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 98.9 miles or 1h 46m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 2h 55m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Ennis, MT than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

Open the route before leaving Great Falls, 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 Great Falls, MT

This is one driving day of about 197.9 miles and 3h 33m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Great Falls, 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 98.9 mi from Great Falls, MT · 1h 46m into the drive

Mid-route town

Meal stop

East Helena, MT

99 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

Helena, MT

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

East Helena, MT

Meal break

The midpoint is around 98.9 miles from Great Falls, MT, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Ennis, MT

The final approach into Ennis, 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 Ennis, 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

$31.36 one way

$62.72 round trip

$4.03/gal 25.4 MPG avg 69 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.23	$32.97	$65.93
premium	$4.53	$35.29	$70.57
diesel	$5.64	$43.97	$87.93

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$31

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$56–$81

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 69.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $21 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	59.4	$20.78	$9.50
Efficient EV	49.5	$17.32	$7.92
EV Truck/SUV	79.2	$27.71	$12.67

Gas CO2

69 kg

EV CO2

23 kg (67% less)

This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.

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 data refreshed 3 days ago

Origin

Great Falls, MT

Afternoon in Great Falls on Sunday

Local time

4:28 PM

MDT

Current temp

35°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Ennis, MT

Afternoon in Ennis on Sunday

Local time

4:28 PM

MDT

Current temp

47°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

12 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

3h 33m on the road

Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Great Falls, MT to Ennis, MT covers 197.9 miles and takes about 3h 33m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are 5th Avenue South, 5th Street South, 10th Avenue South. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 98.9 miles from Great Falls, MT. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $31.36 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. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

The drive from Great Falls, MT to Ennis, MT is easy. At 3h 33m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Great Falls, MT to Ennis, MT is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

The route from Great Falls, MT to Ennis, MT does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.