Origin
Missoula, MT
Night in Missoula on Thursday
Local time
10:07 PM
MDT
Current temp
65°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Missoula, MT to Clancy, MT
Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026
Drive Time
2h 14m
Distance
126.1 mi
203 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$20
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
2h 5m
★
6 AM
2h 14m
8 AM
2h 33m
10 AM
2h 21m
12 PM
2h 19m
3 PM
2h 22m
5 PM
2h 32m
8 PM
2h 8m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Missoula, MT
Wikimedia Commons
Clancy, MT
Rafael Minguet Delgado
Trip Overview
The drive from Missoula, MT to Clancy, MT covers 126.1 miles and takes about 2h 14m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Jeannette Rankin Memorial Highway, US 12, First Special Service Force Memorial Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 67.9 miles on Jeannette Rankin Memorial Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $19.98 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.
Midpoint
63 miles from Missoula, MT
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 1m into the drive .
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 14m. Total distance: 126.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 14m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (35%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile.
Drive Character
The drive from Missoula, MT to Clancy, MT covers 126.1 miles and takes about 2h 14m, 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 17 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Jeannette Rankin Memorial Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 67.9 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 12 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.7 miles in near I 90 Business; US 12.
Driving Effort
6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 126.1 miles you will encounter 12 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.7 miles (I 90 Business; US 12): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 68.8 miles (US 12): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 114.4 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 12 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0.7 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
I 90 Business; US 12
Take the exit onto I 90 Business; US 12
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
7
68.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 6m in
|
US 12
Take the exit onto US 12 toward US 12 East: Garrison, Helena
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / right lanes.
Toward US 12 East: Garrison, Helena
5
114.4 mi into trip
|
~2h 1m in
Take the ramp toward Butte
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward Butte
5
125.4 mi into trip
|
~2h 12m in
Take the exit toward Clancy
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 182
Toward Clancy
5
126 mi into trip
|
~2h 13m in
|
North Main Street
Turn right onto North Main Street
Navigation decision point
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Missoula, MT and Clancy, MT, road signs point toward Helena and Butte.
Helena
68.8 mi in
|
~1h 6m
|
via US 12
Butte
114.4 mi in
|
~2h 1m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Jeannette Rankin Memorial Highway | 67.9 mi | 1h 4m |
| US 12 | 43.8 mi | 50m |
| First Special Service Force Memorial Highway | 10.7 mi | 10m |
| North Last Chance Gulch Street | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| East Broadway Street | 0.6 mi | <1m |
| Cedar Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| West Lyndale Avenue | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Railroad Way | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Jeannette Rankin Memorial Highway
— 67.9 mi, about 1h 4m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Missoula, MT and Clancy, MT.
1
Start on North Higgins Avenue
19 ft
·
7 sec
·
North Higgins Avenue
2
Turn left onto I 90 Bus; US 12 Bus
0.6 mi
·
58 sec
·
East Broadway Street
3
Turn left onto I 90 Bus; US 12
435 ft
·
5 sec
·
Van Buren Street
4
Take the exit onto I 90 Business; US 12
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
·
I 90 Business; US 12
5
Merge onto I 90; US 12; MT 200
68 mi
·
1 hr 4 min
·
Jeannette Rankin Memorial Highway
6
Take the exit onto US 12
44 mi
·
50 min
·
US 12
Toward US 12 East: Garrison, Helena
Use the straight / right lanes.
7
Continue on US 12
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
West Lyndale Avenue
8
Turn left onto I 15 Business
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
North Last Chance Gulch Street
Use the left lane.
9
Keep slight right at fork onto I 15 Business
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
·
North Last Chance Gulch Street
10
Continue on Cedar Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Cedar Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
11
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Toward Butte
Use the right lane.
12
Merge onto I 15; US 287
11 mi
·
10 min
·
First Special Service Force Memorial Highway
13
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Exit 182
Toward Clancy
14
Turn right onto Railroad Way
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
·
Railroad Way
15
Continue on East Clancy Street
0.1 mi
·
20 sec
·
East Clancy Street
16
Turn right onto North Main Street
149 ft
·
4 sec
·
North Main Street
17
Arrive at destination
North Main 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 63 miles from Missoula, MT, or about 1h 1m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 67.9 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 28 miles or 27m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 63 miles or 1h 1m 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 46m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Clancy, MT than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Missoula, 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 Missoula, MT
This is one driving day of about 126.1 miles and 2h 14m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 28 miles from Missoula, MT.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Jeannette Rankin Memorial Highway for about 67.9 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 63 mi from Missoula, MT · 1h 1m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
63 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 28 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 63 miles from Missoula, MT, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Jeannette Rankin Memorial Highway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 67.9 miles.
Arriving in Clancy, MT
The final approach into Clancy, 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 Clancy, 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
$19.98 one way
$39.96 round trip
$4.03/gal
25.4 MPG avg
44 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.22 | $20.95 | $41.89 |
| premium | $4.53 | $22.49 | $44.99 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $27.84 | $55.68 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$20
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$45–$70
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 44.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $13 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 37.8 | 0 | $13.24 | $6.05 |
| Efficient EV | 31.5 | 0 | $11.03 | $5.04 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 50.4 | 0 | $17.65 | $8.07 |
Gas CO2
44 kg
EV CO2
15 kg (66% 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.
Destination
Clancy, MT
Night in Clancy on Thursday
Local time
10:07 PM
MDT
Current temp
42°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
23 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
2h 14m 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 Missoula, MT to Clancy, MT covers 126.1 miles and takes about 2h 14m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Jeannette Rankin Memorial Highway, US 12, First Special Service Force Memorial Highway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 63 miles from Missoula, MT. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $19.98 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.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 126.1 miles you will encounter 12 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.7 miles (I 90 Business; US 12): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 68.8 miles (US 12): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 114.4 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
Between Missoula, MT and Clancy, MT, road signs point toward Helena and Butte.
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