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Trip from Kalispell, MT to Baker, MT

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

12h 20m

Distance

647.4 mi

1,042 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

2-day trip

Fuel Cost

$103

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 33 min
4 AM
12h 9m ★
6 AM
12h 20m
8 AM
12h 42m
10 AM
12h 28m
12 PM
12h 26m
3 PM
12h 29m
5 PM
12h 41m
8 PM
12h 14m

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

seat of Flathead County, Montana, United States

Kalispell, MT

Wikimedia Commons

city in and county seat of Fallon County, Montana, United States

Baker, MT

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Kalispell, MT to Baker, MT covers 647.4 miles and takes about 12h 20m behind the wheel. It usually feels better as a 2-day road trip than as one long push.

The route leans on 3rd Avenue East, 2nd Street East, Conrad Drive for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is long-distance drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $102.59 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Best split across 2 days

Treat the return leg as its own travel day rather than an afterthought.

Break Rhythm

3 planned breaks

Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.

Midpoint

323.7 miles from Kalispell, MT

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 6h 10m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 3 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

12h 20m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.

Scenic Drive

Long-distance drive route profile.

Drive Character

At 647.4 miles and 12h 20m of driving, this is a route where fuel stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single turn. The main roads are 3rd Avenue East and 2nd Street East.

Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 49 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
3rd Avenue East is one of the defining roads on this drive.

How Hard Is This Drive?

At 12h 20m, this is a long-haul route where pacing matters more than any single turn. Navigation is simple, but the total wheel time makes endurance and break timing the real challenge.

Driving Effort 4/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

Navigation is easy, but the length (12h 20m) means fatigue is the real challenge. The route is 0% highway with very few tricky spots, so this is more about pacing than navigation skill.

Where does it get tricky?

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

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
3rd Avenue East
2nd Street East
Conrad Drive
Woodland Park Drive
Route 2
Highway 35
US 2
the route

Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.

Longest stretch: 3rd Avenue East — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Kalispell, MT and Baker, MT.

1

Start on 3rd Street West

0.2 mi · 39 sec · 3rd Street West
2

Turn left onto 3rd Avenue East

367 ft · 12 sec · 3rd Avenue East
3

Turn right onto 2nd Street East

0.2 mi · 34 sec · 2nd Street East
4

Continue on Conrad Drive

0.3 mi · 45 sec · Conrad Drive
5

Turn left onto Woodland Park Drive

0.4 mi · 1 min · Woodland Park Drive
6

Turn right onto US Route 2

1.2 mi · 2 min · US Route 2
7

Turn straight onto State Highway 35

2.4 mi · 3 min · State Highway 35
8

Continue straight

3.3 mi · 4 min
9

Turn left

9.7 mi · 12 min
10

At the end of the road, turn right onto US 2

1.7 mi · 2 min · US 2
11

Continue on US Route 2

80 mi · 1 hr 30 min · US Route 2
12

Enter the roundabout and take exit 1 toward the route

23 ft · the route
13

Exit the roundabout

3.7 mi · 6 min
14

Turn straight

68 mi · 1 hr 16 min
15

Enter the roundabout and take exit 3 toward 1st Street Southwest

525 ft · 19 sec · 1st Street Southwest
16

Exit the rotary onto 1st Street Southwest

108 ft · 2 sec · 1st Street Southwest
17

Turn straight onto Main Avenue South

0.7 mi · 1 min · Main Avenue South
18

Continue on United States Route 89

17 mi · 18 min · United States Route 89
19

Continue on 1st Road Southeast

15 mi · 15 min · 1st Road Southeast
20

At the end of the road, turn left

7.9 mi · 9 min
21

Take the exit slight right toward I 15 South: Great Falls

0.3 mi · 32 sec · I 15 South: Great Falls
22

Merge slight left onto First Special Service Force Memorial Highway

9.5 mi · 8 min · First Special Service Force Memorial Highway
23

Take the exit slight right toward I 15 Business

0.2 mi · 31 sec · I 15 Business
24

Turn left onto Central Avenue West

1.5 mi · 1 min · Central Avenue West
25

Continue on First Avenue North Bridge

0.2 mi · 18 sec · First Avenue North Bridge
26

Continue on 1st Avenue North

1.2 mi · 2 min · 1st Avenue North
27

Turn right onto 14th Street North

0.8 mi · 1 min · 14th Street North
28

Turn left onto 10th Avenue South

23 mi · 25 min · 10th Avenue South
29

Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward the route

223 ft · 3 sec · the route
30

Exit the roundabout

0.3 mi · 21 sec
31

Turn straight

64 mi · 1 hr 9 min
32

Continue straight

15 mi · 15 min
33

Turn straight onto Truck Bypass

2.6 mi · 3 min · Truck Bypass
34

Continue on 1st Avenue North

0.3 mi · 37 sec · 1st Avenue North
35

Turn left onto East Main Street

0.4 mi · 1 min · East Main Street
36

Continue on Northeast Main Street

1.1 mi · 2 min · Northeast Main Street
37

Continue on US Highway 87

196 mi · 3 hr 34 min · US Highway 87
38

Continue straight

43 mi · 46 min
39

Continue straight

522 ft · 15 sec
40

Take the ramp left

0.2 mi · 29 sec
41

Merge slight left

30 mi · 27 min
42

Take the exit slight right toward MT 261: Wibaux, Baker

0.4 mi · 48 sec · MT 261: Wibaux, Baker
43

Turn right

272 ft · 6 sec
44

Continue on 2nd Avenue North

0.2 mi · 17 sec · 2nd Avenue North
45

Turn right onto State Highway 7

44 mi · 1 hr 5 min · State Highway 7
46

Continue on Main Street

0.3 mi · 27 sec · Main Street
47

Turn right onto West Montana Avenue

0.4 mi · 44 sec · West Montana Avenue
48

Turn left onto 6th Street West

328 ft · 15 sec · 6th Street West
49

Arrive at your destination

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.

Evening Departure

This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.

This drive is better paced as a 2-day trip.
Plan roughly 3 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 323.7 miles from Kalispell, MT, or about 6h 10m into the drive.

Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.

Departure

Before you leave

Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.

First stop

Around 142 miles or 2h 42m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 323.7 miles or 6h 10m in

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

Overnight split

Day 1 wrap after about 323.7 miles or 6h 10m

Stop before fatigue turns the last few hours into a grind. You want day two to start fresh, not just resumed.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 11h 11m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Kalispell, 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.

+

Pick one backup stop option before the midpoint in case traffic changes your pacing.

+

Treat this as a 2-day road trip and book the overnight stop before the busiest arrival window.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Kalispell, MT

Aim for roughly 324 miles and 6.2 hours of wheel time on this day.

Day 2

Finish the approach into Baker, MT

Aim for roughly 324 miles and 6.2 hours of wheel time on this day.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 142 miles from Kalispell, MT.
This route usually feels better as a 2-day drive than as one long push.
Plan about 3 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 323.7 mi from Kalispell, MT · 6h 10m into the drive

Downtown North Browning, MT, MT

First major stop

Coffee and fuel

North Browning, MT

214 mi into the route

Best for: Coffee, fuel, and an easy first stretch

This is a natural early stop once the first hours of the drive are behind you.

city in and county seat of Fergus County, Montana, United States

Second major stop

Overnight candidate

Lewistown, MT

427 mi into the route

Best for: Hotel check-in, dinner, and a fresh start

This lines up well with a realistic day-end stop if you are breaking the drive into stages.

Find hotels in Lewistown, MT

Overnight Options

Night 1

Great Falls, MT

324 mi · about 6.2h in

A practical overnight split lands near Great Falls, MT after about 324 miles or 6.2 hours of driving.

Find hotels

Pacing Suggestions

Evergreen, MT

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 142 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Great Falls, MT

Meal break

The midpoint is around 323.7 miles from Kalispell, MT, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Overnight split

Hotel stop

For a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 324 miles or 6.2 hours on the road.

Final-third reset

Rest stop

Plan one more short stretch-and-water break in the final third of the drive so the last arrival window feels easier.

Arriving in Baker, MT

The final approach into Baker, 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 Baker, MT.

On a multi-day trip, keep the last day a little lighter so you reach Baker, MT with some flexibility left in the schedule.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$102.59 one way

$205.18 round trip

$4.03/gal 25.4 MPG avg 227 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.22 $107.53 $215.07
premium $4.53 $115.49 $230.97
diesel $5.61 $142.94 $285.88

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$103

Hotel (1n)

$80–$140

Meals

$50–$100

Total

$233–$343

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 226.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $68 in charging · 2 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 194.2 2 $67.98 $31.08
Efficient EV 161.9 1 $56.65 $25.90
EV Truck/SUV 259 3 $90.64 $41.43

Gas CO2

227 kg

EV CO2

76 kg (67% less)

Plan for 2 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

Kalispell, MT

Late night in Kalispell on Saturday

Local time

3:12 AM

MDT

Current temp

60°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Baker, MT

Late night in Baker on Saturday

Local time

3:12 AM

MDT

Current temp

72°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

65°F

Lewistown, MT

427 mi in

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.

For long drives, weather on day two can matter just as much as conditions at departure, so check the whole travel window rather than only the first day.

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

12h 20m on the road

This is long enough that the arrival forecast matters almost as much as departure conditions. Recheck both ends before you roll.

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

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Kalispell, MT to Baker, MT covers 647.4 miles and takes about 12h 20m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are 3rd Avenue East, 2nd Street East, Conrad Drive. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.

Yes. This route is usually more comfortable as a 2-day drive. A sensible stopping point is after roughly 324 miles on day one.

The midpoint is about 323.7 miles from Kalispell, MT. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $102.59 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.

Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour. This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.

Plan about 3 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.

Navigation is easy, but the length (12h 20m) means fatigue is the real challenge. The route is 0% highway with very few tricky spots, so this is more about pacing than navigation skill.

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

The route from Kalispell, MT to Baker, 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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