Origin
Sioux Falls, SD
Late night in Sioux Falls on Saturday
Local time
3:59 AM
CDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Sioux Falls, SD to Jefferson, SD
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 15m
Distance
74.5 mi
120 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$12
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 10m
★
6 AM
1h 16m
8 AM
1h 28m
10 AM
1h 20m
12 PM
1h 19m
3 PM
1h 21m
5 PM
1h 27m
8 PM
1h 12m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Sioux Falls, SD
Wikimedia Commons
Jefferson, SD
Tom Fisk
Trip Overview
The drive from Sioux Falls, SD to Jefferson, SD covers 74.5 miles and takes about 1h 15m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 29, I 229, West Dakota Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 64.9 miles on I 29. At current regular gas prices, budget about $11.65 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 15m. Total distance: 74.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 15m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (96%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 1h 15m highway drive covering 74.5 miles, with most of the trip on I 29 and I 229. The longest continuous stretch is about 64.9 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 15 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 64.9 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 29 and I 229. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near East 8th Street.
Driving Effort
5/10
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 74.5 miles you will encounter 11 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 0.1 miles (East 8th Street): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.3 miles (North Lowell Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.7 miles (I 229): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 11 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
East 8th Street
At end of road, turn left onto East 8th Street
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
4
0.3 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
North Lowell Avenue
Turn right onto North Lowell Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
0.7 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
I 229
Merge onto I 229
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
5
7.1 mi into trip
|
~9m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 29 South
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I 29 South
5
74.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 15m in
|
South 3rd Street
Turn right onto South 3rd Street
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 29 | 64.9 mi | 1h 1m |
| I 229 | 6.5 mi | 7m |
| West Dakota Street | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Main Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| East 8th Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| North Lowell Avenue | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| North Chicago Avenue | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| East 10th Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 29
— 64.9 mi, about 1h 1m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Sioux Falls, SD and Jefferson, SD.
1
Start on North Chicago Avenue
0.1 mi
·
29 sec
·
North Chicago Avenue
2
At end of road, turn left onto East 8th Street
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
·
East 8th Street
3
Turn right onto North Lowell Avenue
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
·
North Lowell Avenue
4
Turn left onto I 229 Business; SD 42
434 ft
·
19 sec
·
East 10th Street
5
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
Toward I 229 South
6
Merge onto I 229
6.3 mi
·
7 min
·
I 229
Use the slight right lane.
7
Keep slight left at fork
1.2 mi
·
2 min
Toward I 29 South
8
Continue on I 229
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
·
I 229
9
Merge onto I 29
65 mi
·
1 hr 1 min
·
I 29
10
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
21 sec
Toward Jefferson
11
Turn left onto 330th Street
400 ft
·
8 sec
·
330th Street
12
Continue on West Dakota Street
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
West Dakota Street
13
Turn right onto CR 1B
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
·
Main Street
14
Turn right onto South 3rd Street
56 ft
·
2 sec
·
South 3rd Street
15
Arrive at destination
South 3rd Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 37.2 mi from Sioux Falls, SD · 39m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
37 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 16 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 37.2 miles from Sioux Falls, SD, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before I 29 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 64.9 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.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$11.65 one way
$23.29 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
26 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $12.79 | $25.58 |
| premium | $4.89 | $14.34 | $28.67 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $16.45 | $32.90 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$12
Estimated CO2 emission: 26.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 22.3 | 0 | $7.82 | $3.58 |
| Efficient EV | 18.6 | 0 | $6.52 | $2.98 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 29.8 | 0 | $10.43 | $4.77 |
Gas CO2
26 kg
EV CO2
9 kg (65% 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
Jefferson, SD
Late night in Jefferson on Saturday
Local time
3:59 AM
CDT
Current temp
77°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
30 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
1h 15m 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 Sioux Falls, SD to Jefferson, SD covers 74.5 miles and takes about 1h 15m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 29, I 229, West Dakota 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 37.2 miles from Sioux Falls, SD. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $11.65 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 74.5 miles you will encounter 11 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 0.1 miles (East 8th Street): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.3 miles (North Lowell Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.7 miles (I 229): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Sioux Falls, SD to Jefferson, SD 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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