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Trip from Scottsbluff, NE to Valentine, NE

Drive Time

4h 18m

Distance

217.6 mi

350 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$33

one way

EV Charging

None

0 DC fast

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 40 min
4 AM
4h 5m ★
6 AM
4h 18m
8 AM
4h 45m
10 AM
4h 27m
12 PM
4h 25m
3 PM
4h 29m
5 PM
4h 43m
8 PM
4h 10m

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
Downtown Scottsbluff, NE, NE

Scottsbluff, NE

Diana GP

Downtown Valentine, NE, NE

Valentine, NE

alleksana

Trip Overview

The drive from Scottsbluff, NE to Valentine, NE covers 217.6 miles and takes about 4h 18m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on US Highway 20, Highway 71, Dodge Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 115.3 miles on US Highway 20. At current regular gas prices, budget about $33.05 one way before food or hotel costs.

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

108.8 miles from Scottsbluff, NE

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 8m into the drive .

Drive Character

This is a 4h 18m highway drive covering 217.6 miles, with most of the trip on US Highway 20 and Highway 71. The longest continuous stretch is about 115.3 miles on US Highway 20.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 17 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
US Highway 20 is the longest continuous segment at about 115.3 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US Highway 20 and Highway 71. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near West 20th Street.

Route Complexity 3/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

This is a straightforward 4h 18m drive. You will face about 7 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 (West 20th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (West Railway Street): Navigation decision point; at 99.3 miles (US 20; N-87 / South 1st Street): Navigation decision point.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 7 key points

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

4
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | West 20th Street

Turn right onto West 20th Street

Navigation decision point

4
0.2 mi into trip | ~0m in | West Railway Street

Turn right onto West Railway Street

Navigation decision point

4
99.3 mi into trip | ~1h 57m in | US 20; N-87 / South 1st Street

Turn right onto US 20; N-87 / South 1st Street

Navigation decision point

4
217.2 mi into trip | ~4h 17m in | US 83 / South Main Street

Turn left onto US 83 / South Main Street

Navigation decision point

4
217.6 mi into trip | ~4h 18m in | West 2nd Street

Turn left onto West 2nd Street

Navigation decision point

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
US Highway 20 115.3 mi 2h 15m
Highway 71 38.4 mi 44m
Dodge Road 28.7 mi 33m
State Highway 87 19.7 mi 22m
Highway 87 8.8 mi 10m
Avenue I 2.3 mi 4m
West 2nd Street 1.6 mi 3m
South 1st Street 1.1 mi 1m
Longest stretch: US Highway 20 — 115.3 mi, about 2h 15m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Scottsbluff, NE and Valentine, NE.

1

Start on Avenue C

54 ft · 4 sec · Avenue C
2

Turn right onto West 20th Street

0.2 mi · 35 sec · West 20th Street
3

Turn right onto West Railway Street

0.3 mi · 39 sec · West Railway Street
4

Turn right onto Avenue I

2.3 mi · 4 min · Avenue I
5

Continue on N-71

38 mi · 44 min · Highway 71
6

Continue on N-71

18 mi · 21 min · Dodge Road
7

Continue on N-2

0.8 mi · 1 min · Niobrara Street
8

Continue on L-7E

10 mi · 12 min · Dodge Road
9

Turn left onto N-87

8.8 mi · 10 min · Highway 87
10

Continue on N-87

20 mi · 22 min · State Highway 87
11

Turn right onto US 20; N-87

1.1 mi · 1 min · South 1st Street
12

Continue on US 20; N-87

10 mi · 11 min · US Highway 20
13

Continue on US 20

1.5 mi · 3 min · West 2nd Street
14

Continue on US 20

105 mi · 2 hr 3 min · US Highway 20
15

Turn left onto US 83

0.4 mi · 29 sec · South Main Street
16

Turn left onto West 2nd Street

110 ft · 4 sec · West 2nd Street
17

Arrive at destination

West 2nd Street

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 108.8 miles from Scottsbluff, NE, or about 2h 8m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 115.3 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 35m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 108.8 miles or 2h 8m 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 32m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Scottsbluff, NE 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 Scottsbluff, NE

This is one driving day of about 217.6 miles and 4h 18m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Scottsbluff, NE.
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 US Highway 20 for about 115.3 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 108.8 mi from Scottsbluff, NE · 2h 8m into the drive

Downtown Alliance, NE, NE

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Alliance, NE

109 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

Alliance, NE

Fuel and coffee

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

Alliance, NE

Meal break

The midpoint is around 108.8 miles from Scottsbluff, NE, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before US Highway 20 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 115.3 miles.

Arriving in Valentine, NE

The final approach into Valentine, NE 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 Valentine, NE.

After long uninterrupted mileage, take five minutes before the last urban segment to reset and refocus on exits, merges, and city traffic.

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

National Parks Near This Route

Worth a detour if your schedule allows.

Scotts Bluff National Monument

Scotts Bluff National Monument

National Monument

Towering 800 feet above the North Platte River, Scotts Bluff has served as a landmark for peoples from Native Americans to emigrants on the Oregon, California and Mormon Trails to modern travelers. Ri...

3 mi from route ~8 min detour Free
View on nps.gov
Agate Fossil Beds National Monument

Agate Fossil Beds National Monument

National Monument

In the early 1900s, paleontologists unearthed the Age of Mammals when they found full skeletons of extinct Miocene mammals in the hills of Nebraska -- species previously only known through fragments....

11 mi from route ~29 min detour Free near mile 30
View on nps.gov

Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$33.05 one way

$66.10 round trip

$3.86/gal 25.4 MPG avg 76 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.25 $36.44 $72.87
premium $4.80 $41.08 $82.16
diesel $5.64 $48.34 $96.69

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$33

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$58–$83

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 76.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $23 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 65.3 0 $22.85 $10.44
Efficient EV 54.4 0 $19.04 $8.70
EV Truck/SUV 87 1 $30.46 $13.93

Gas CO2

76 kg

EV CO2

25 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 data refreshed 3 days ago

Origin

Scottsbluff, NE

Late night in Scottsbluff on Monday

Local time

5:14 AM

MDT

Current temp

42°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Valentine, NE

Morning in Valentine on Monday

Local time

6:14 AM

CDT

Current temp

41°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Along the Route

38°F

Alliance, NE

109 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.

Time zone

1 hour later

The destination clock does not match departure time, so double-check hotel check-in windows and late arrival plans.

Temperature spread

1 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 18m 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Scottsbluff, NE to Valentine, NE covers 217.6 miles and takes about 4h 18m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are US Highway 20, Highway 71, Dodge Road. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 108.8 miles from Scottsbluff, NE. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $33.05 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. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
This is a straightforward 4h 18m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (West 20th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (West Railway Street): Navigation decision point; at 99.3 miles (US 20; N-87 / South 1st Street): Navigation decision point.
The route from Scottsbluff, NE to Valentine, NE does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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Return Trip

Valentine, NE to Scottsbluff, NE

Plan the drive back the other way.

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