This 231.1-mile journey from Havre, MT to Boulder, MT takes approximately 4 hours and 2 minutes to complete, making it a manageable one-day road trip. You'll navigate primarily on the First Special Service Force Memorial Highway and US 87, with a brief stint on 1st Street in Boulder. The estimated fuel cost for this drive is around $37. Both your origin and destination are within the Mountain West region, offering a consistent feel of open spaces and rugged terrain. This route is ideal for a single day, allowing you to reach Boulder without needing an overnight stop.
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
115.6 miles from Havre, MT
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 10m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
First Special Service Force Memorial Highway
114.7 mi
1h 50m
US 87
107.3 mi
1h 58m
1st Street
3.1 mi
3m
3rd Street Northwest
1.4 mi
1m
Central Avenue West
1.3 mi
1m
Old Havre Highway
0.8 mi
1m
MT 69
0.8 mi
1m
Smelter Avenue Northeast
0.5 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
First Special Service Force Memorial Highway
— 114.7 mi, about 1h 50m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Havre, MT and Boulder, MT.
1
Start on Montana Avenue
161 ft·11 sec·Montana Avenue
2
Turn left onto 5th Street
0.1 mi·39 sec·5th Street
3
Turn left onto 2nd Avenue
0.3 mi·1 min·2nd Avenue
4
Turn left onto US 2
3.1 mi·3 min·1st Street
Use the left lane.
5
Turn left onto US 87
107 mi·1 hr 58 min·US 87
Use the left lane.
6
Continue on US 87
297 ft·5 sec·15th Street Northeast
7
Turn right onto Old Havre Highway
0.8 mi·1 min·Old Havre Highway
8
Turn right onto Smelter Avenue Northeast
0.5 mi·42 sec·Smelter Avenue Northeast
9
Turn straight onto 3rd Street Northwest
1.4 mi·1 min·3rd Street Northwest
10
Turn right onto I 15 Business
1.3 mi·1 min·Central Avenue West
11
Turn sharp left
0.3 mi·34 sec
12
Merge onto I 15; US 89; MT 200
115 mi·1 hr 50 min·First Special Service Force Memorial Highway
13
Take the exit
0.2 mi·36 sec
Exit 164Toward MT 69: Boulder
14
Turn left onto MT 69
0.8 mi·1 min·MT 69
15
Turn right onto West Centennial Avenue
367 ft·16 sec·West Centennial Avenue
16
Arrive at destination
West Centennial Avenue
Trip Plan
Given the 4-hour duration, departing in the morning is recommended to allow ample daylight for your journey. With only one recommended stop, you have flexibility in pacing your drive. Keep an eye on your fuel levels, especially during the 114.7-mile stretch on the First Special Service Force Memorial Highway, as services might be less frequent. The estimated fuel cost of $37 is a helpful budgeting tool for this trip. Since this is a single-day drive, you can easily adjust your departure time based on your preferences.
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 115.6 miles from Havre, MT, or about 2h 10m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 114.7 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 51 miles or 58m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 115.6 miles or 2h 10m 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 21m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Boulder, MT than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Havre, 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 Havre, MT
This is one driving day of about 231.1 miles and 4h 2m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 51 miles from Havre, 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 First Special Service Force Memorial Highway for about 114.7 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 12
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 230 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip|~0m in|5th Street
Turn left onto 5th Street
Navigation decision point
6
0.5 mi into trip|~2m in|US 2 / 1st Street
Turn left onto US 2 / 1st Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
3.6 mi into trip|~5m in|US 87
Turn left onto US 87
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
115.1 mi into trip|~2h 9m in
Turn sharp left
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
5
230 mi into trip|~4h in
Take the exit toward MT 69: Boulder
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 164
Toward MT 69: Boulder
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$36.62 one way
$73.24 round trip
$4.03/gal25.4 MPG avg81 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.22
$38.39
$76.77
premium
$4.53
$41.22
$82.45
diesel
$5.61
$51.02
$102.05
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$37
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$62–$87
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 80.9 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $24 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
69.3
0
$24.27
$11.09
Efficient EV
57.8
0
$20.22
$9.24
EV Truck/SUV
92.4
1
$32.35
$14.79
Gas CO2
81 kg
EV CO2
27 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.
Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026
Origin
Havre, MT
Afternoon
in Havre on Saturday
Local time
1:57 PM
MDT
Current temp
67°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Boulder, MT
Afternoon
in Boulder on Saturday
Local time
1:57 PM
MDT
Current temp
59°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
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
4h 2m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a mixed drive on this route, with about 47% of your travel occurring on highways. The longest uninterrupted stretch spans 114.7 miles on the First Special Service Force Memorial Highway, offering a good opportunity to settle in. As you progress, the road character will likely shift from broader highway sections to potentially more local road conditions as you approach your destination. This blend means you'll experience varied driving, from steady cruising to navigating through different types of terrain.
47% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 114.7 mi on First Special Service Force Memorial Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
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 5th Street.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 4h 2m 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: near the start (5th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.5 miles (US 2 / 1st Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.6 miles (US 87): Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 2m. Total distance: 231.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
The longest stretch is about 114.7 miles on First Special Service Force Memorial Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
Mostly yes along the main roads, but rural stretches through MT can have sparse or no coverage. Before you leave, download offline Google Maps or Apple Maps for the route, and consider downloading music or podcasts instead of streaming. If you depend on data for navigation, keep a paper backup of the turn-by-turn directions.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (5th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.5 miles (US 2 / 1st Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.6 miles (US 87): Lane positioning matters here.
Possible but tiring. At 4.0 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 8.1 hours — manageable with a long break at Boulder, MT, but most travelers stay overnight.
