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Trip from Madison, SD to Jefferson, SD

Drive Time

2h 6m

Distance

120.1 mi

193 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$18

one way

EV Charging

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station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 27 min
4 AM
1h 58m ★
6 AM
2h 7m
8 AM
2h 25m
10 AM
2h 13m
12 PM
2h 11m
3 PM
2h 14m
5 PM
2h 24m
8 PM
2h 1m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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Downtown Madison, SD, SD

Madison, SD

Mike Norris

Downtown Jefferson, SD, SD

Jefferson, SD

Tom Fisk

Trip Overview

The drive from Madison, SD to Jefferson, SD covers 120.1 miles and takes about 2h 6m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on I 29, SD Highway 34, Southeast 10th Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 99.7 miles on I 29. At current regular gas prices, budget about $18.24 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

0 planned breaks

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

Midpoint

60.1 miles from Madison, SD

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 7m into the drive .

Drive Character

This is a 2h 6m highway drive covering 120.1 miles, with most of the trip on I 29 and SD Highway 34. The longest continuous stretch is about 99.7 miles on I 29.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 16 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 29 is the longest continuous segment at about 99.7 miles.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

1,704 ft 1,528 ft

Total Climb

26 ft

Total Descent

176 ft

Highest Point

1,704 ft

~10 mi in

Elevation Range

176 ft

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 29 and SD Highway 34. Navigation is very simple — set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near SD 34 / Northeast 2nd Street.

Route Complexity 2/10

Very easy - short and simple to drive

The drive from Madison, SD to Jefferson, SD is easy. At 2h 6m with 96% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (SD 34 / Northeast 2nd Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (SD 34 / North Washington Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1.3 miles (SD 34 / Southeast 10th Street): Navigation decision point.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 9 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

4
0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | SD 34 / Northeast 2nd Street

Turn right onto SD 34 / Northeast 2nd Street

Navigation decision point

4
0.3 mi into trip | ~0m in | SD 34 / North Washington Avenue

Turn right onto SD 34 / North Washington Avenue

Navigation decision point

4
1.3 mi into trip | ~2m in | SD 34 / Southeast 10th Street

Turn left onto SD 34 / Southeast 10th Street

Navigation decision point

5
19.2 mi into trip | ~28m in | I 29

Merge onto I 29

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
120.1 mi into trip | ~2h 6m in | South 3rd Street

Turn right onto South 3rd Street

Navigation decision point

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 29 99.7 mi 1h 36m
SD Highway 34 15 mi 21m
Southeast 10th Street 1.1 mi 1m
North Washington Avenue 1 mi 1m
Southwest 3rd Street 0.8 mi 1m
West Dakota Street 0.8 mi 1m
Southeast 3rd Street 0.8 mi 1m
Main Street 0.2 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 29 — 99.7 mi, about 1h 36m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Madison, SD and Jefferson, SD.

1

Start on North Egan Avenue

384 ft · 16 sec · North Egan Avenue
2

Turn right onto SD 34

0.2 mi · 23 sec · Northeast 2nd Street
3

Turn right onto SD 34

1.0 mi · 1 min · North Washington Avenue
4

Turn left onto SD 34

1.1 mi · 1 min · Southeast 10th Street
5

Continue on SD 34

13 mi · 18 min · SD Highway 34
6

Continue on SD 34

0.8 mi · 1 min · Southwest 3rd Street
7

Continue on SD 34

0.8 mi · 1 min · Southeast 3rd Street
8

Continue on SD 34

1.9 mi · 2 min · SD Highway 34
9

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 38 sec
Toward I 29: Sioux Falls
10

Merge onto I 29

100 mi · 1 hr 36 min · I 29
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Take the exit

0.1 mi · 21 sec
Toward Jefferson
12

Turn left onto 330th Street

400 ft · 8 sec · 330th Street
13

Continue on West Dakota Street

0.8 mi · 1 min · West Dakota Street
14

Turn right onto CR 1B

0.2 mi · 25 sec · Main Street
15

Turn right onto South 3rd Street

56 ft · 2 sec · South 3rd Street
16

Arrive at destination

South 3rd Street

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.

Evening Departure

Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 60.1 miles from Madison, SD, or about 1h 7m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 99.7 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 80 miles or 1h 27m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 60.1 miles or 1h 7m in

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

Final approach

Final hour starts around 1h 44m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Madison, SD 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 Madison, SD

This is one driving day of about 120.1 miles and 2h 6m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Madison, SD.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.
The longest stretch is on I 29 for about 99.7 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 60.1 mi from Madison, SD · 1h 7m into the drive

Downtown Tea, SD, SD

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Tea, SD

60 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

Tea, SD

Fuel and coffee

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

Tea, SD

Meal break

The midpoint is around 60.1 miles from Madison, SD, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before I 29 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 99.7 miles.

Arriving in Jefferson, SD

The final approach into Jefferson, SD 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 Jefferson, SD.

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

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$18.24 one way

$36.48 round trip

$3.86/gal 25.4 MPG avg 42 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.25 $20.11 $40.22
premium $4.80 $22.67 $45.34
diesel $5.64 $26.68 $53.36

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$18

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$43–$68

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 42 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $13 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 36 0 $12.61 $5.76
Efficient EV 30 0 $10.51 $4.80
EV Truck/SUV 48 0 $16.81 $7.69

Gas CO2

42 kg

EV CO2

14 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 11 hours ago

Origin

Madison, SD

Evening in Madison on Sunday

Local time

6:04 PM

CDT

Current temp

82°F

Sunny

WSW 15 to 25 mph 10% chance Live forecast

Red Flag Warning

Red Flag Warning issued April 12 at 3:22AM MDT until April 12 at 9:00PM MDT by NWS Rapid City SD

Red Flag Warning

Red Flag Warning issued April 12 at 3:22AM MDT until April 12 at 9:00PM MDT by NWS Rapid City SD

Destination

Jefferson, SD

Evening in Jefferson on Sunday

Local time

6:04 PM

CDT

Current temp

87°F

Partly Sunny

SW 15 to 20 mph 7% chance Live forecast

Red Flag Warning

Red Flag Warning issued April 12 at 3:22AM MDT until April 12 at 9:00PM MDT by NWS Rapid City SD

Red Flag Warning

Red Flag Warning issued April 12 at 3:22AM MDT until April 12 at 9:00PM MDT by NWS Rapid City SD

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

5 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

2h 6m on the road

The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.

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

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Madison, SD to Jefferson, SD covers 120.1 miles and takes about 2h 6m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 29, SD Highway 34, Southeast 10th Street. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 60.1 miles from Madison, SD. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $18.24 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
The drive from Madison, SD to Jefferson, SD is easy. At 2h 6m with 96% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (SD 34 / Northeast 2nd Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (SD 34 / North Washington Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1.3 miles (SD 34 / Southeast 10th Street): Navigation decision point.
The route from Madison, SD to Jefferson, SD does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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