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Trip from Whitefish, MT to Colstrip, MT

Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026

Drive Time

10h 38m

Distance

592.7 mi

954 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

2-day trip

Fuel Cost

$94

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 29 min
4 AM
10h 29m ★
6 AM
10h 38m
8 AM
10h 58m
10 AM
10h 45m
12 PM
10h 43m
3 PM
10h 46m
5 PM
10h 57m
8 PM
10h 33m

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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city in Flathead County, Montana, United States

Whitefish, MT

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Colstrip, MT, MT

Colstrip, MT

Alex Moliski

Trip Overview

The drive from Whitefish, MT to Colstrip, MT covers 592.7 miles and takes about 10h 38m behind the wheel. It usually feels better as a 2-day road trip than as one long push.

The route leans on I 90, I 15, MT 83 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is long-distance drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 222 miles on I 90. At current regular gas prices, budget about $93.92 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

296.3 miles from Whitefish, MT

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 5h 24m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 3 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

10h 38m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.

Drive Character

At 592.7 miles and 10h 38m of driving, this is a route where fuel stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single turn. The main roads are I 90 and I 15.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 29 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 90 is the longest continuous segment at about 222 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 90 and I 15. You will hit about 17 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 93 / East 2nd Street.

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 592.7 miles you will encounter 17 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: near the start (US 93 / East 2nd Street): Navigation decision point; at 11.9 miles (MT 548 / West Reserve Drive): Lane positioning matters here; at 16.6 miles (MT 35): Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 17 key points

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

5
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | US 93 / East 2nd Street

Turn left onto US 93 / East 2nd Street

Navigation decision point

6
11.9 mi into trip | ~16m in | MT 548 / West Reserve Drive

Turn left onto MT 548 / West Reserve Drive

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
6
16.6 mi into trip | ~24m in | MT 35

Turn left onto MT 35

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.
5
32.5 mi into trip | ~43m in | MT 83

Turn left onto MT 83

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
6
239.3 mi into trip | ~4h 26m in | I 15; I 90

Keep slight right at fork onto I 15; I 90

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

On the drive from Whitefish, MT to Colstrip, MT, road signs begin pointing toward Broadus along the way.

Broadus

527.1 mi in | ~9h 12m | via US 212

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 90 222 mi 3h 36m
I 15 110.8 mi 1h 51m
MT 83 91.1 mi 1h 43m
US 212 42.5 mi 50m
State Highway 141 32.5 mi 35m
MT 200 23.8 mi 25m
State Highway 39 22.2 mi 33m
MT 35 15.9 mi 18m
Longest stretch: I 90 — 222 mi, about 3h 36m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Whitefish, MT and Colstrip, MT.

1

Start on this road

168 ft · 17 sec · this road
2

Turn left onto US 93

0.1 mi · 24 sec · East 2nd Street
3

Turn right onto US 93

1.7 mi · 3 min · Spokane Avenue
4

Continue on US 93

3.2 mi · 4 min · US 93 South
5

Continue on US 93

6.8 mi · 8 min · US 93 North
6

Turn left onto MT 548

3.5 mi · 5 min · West Reserve Drive
Use the left lane.
7

Turn right onto Helena Flats Road

1.1 mi · 2 min · Helena Flats Road
8

Turn left onto MT 35

1.1 mi · 1 min · MT 35
Use the right lane.
9

Continue on MT 35

15 mi · 17 min · MT 35
Use the straight lane.
10

Turn left onto MT 83

91 mi · 1 hr 43 min · MT 83
Use the left lane.
11

Turn left onto MT 200

24 mi · 25 min · MT 200
12

Turn right onto MT 141

32 mi · 35 min · State Highway 141
13

Turn sharp right onto US 12

13 mi · 14 min · US 12
14

Turn left

0.5 mi · 42 sec
15

Continue on this road

0.2 mi · 13 sec · this road
16

Take the ramp

0.9 mi · 1 min
17

Merge onto I 90

45 mi · 42 min · I 90
18

Keep slight right at fork onto I 15; I 90

111 mi · 1 hr 51 min · I 15; I 90
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19

Continue on I 90; US 89; US 191

6.9 mi · 6 min · I 90; US 89; US 191
20

Continue on I 90; US 191

113 mi · 1 hr 53 min · I 90; US 191
21

Continue on I 90; US 87; US 212

3.1 mi · 3 min · I 90; US 87; US 212
22

Keep slight right at fork onto I 90; US 87; US 212

54 mi · 50 min · I 90; US 87; US 212
Toward I 90 East: Sheridan
23

Take the exit onto US 212

0.4 mi · 53 sec · US 212
Toward US 212 East: Little Bighorn Battlefield, Broadus
24

Turn left onto US 212

42 mi · 49 min · US 212
25

Enter roundabout onto MT 39

328 ft · 5 sec · Cheyenne Avenue
26

Continue on MT 39

0.5 mi · 42 sec · Cheyenne Avenue
27

Continue on MT 39

22 mi · 33 min · State Highway 39
28

Turn right onto Box Elder Avenue

0.4 mi · 1 min · Box Elder Avenue
29

Arrive at destination

Park Street

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 296.3 miles from Whitefish, MT, or about 5h 24m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 222 miles.

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 130 miles or 2h 33m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 296.3 miles or 5h 24m 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 296.3 miles or 5h 24m

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 9h 19m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Whitefish, 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 Whitefish, MT

Aim for roughly 296 miles and 5.3 hours of wheel time on this day.

Day 2

Finish the approach into Colstrip, MT

Aim for roughly 296 miles and 5.3 hours of wheel time on this day.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 130 miles from Whitefish, 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.
The longest stretch is on I 90 for about 222 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 296.3 mi from Whitefish, MT · 5h 24m into the drive

city in and the county seat of Powell County, Montana, United States

First major stop

Coffee and fuel

Deer Lodge, MT

196 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 and the county seat of Park County, Montana, United States

Second major stop

Overnight candidate

Livingston, MT

391 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 Livingston, MT

Popular next leg

Livingston, MT to Colstrip, MT

241.5 mi · 4h 22m

Overnight Options

Night 1

Deer Lodge, MT

296 mi · about 5.3h in

A practical overnight split lands near Deer Lodge, MT after about 296 miles or 5.3 hours of driving.

Find hotels

Pacing Suggestions

Missoula, MT

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 130 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Bozeman, MT

Meal break

The midpoint is around 296.3 miles from Whitefish, MT, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before I 90 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 222 miles.

Overnight split

Hotel stop

For a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 296 miles or 5.3 hours on the road.

Arriving in Colstrip, MT

The final approach into Colstrip, 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 Colstrip, MT.

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

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.

Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument

Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument

National Monument

This land is a place to honor and reflect on the sacrifices made here on June 25 and 26, 1876, when Lakota, Cheyenne, and Arapaho warriors fought against a deliberate attack by the U.S. Army's 7th Cav...

2 mi from route ~5 min detour $25 near mile 531.4
Park Closure: The Park is ONLY OPEN Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
View on nps.gov

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

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$93.92 one way

$187.84 round trip

$4.03/gal 25.4 MPG avg 207 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.22 $98.45 $196.90
premium $4.53 $105.73 $211.46
diesel $5.61 $130.86 $261.72

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$94

Hotel (1n)

$80–$140

Meals

$50–$100

Total

$224–$334

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 207.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $62 in charging · 2 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 177.8 2 $62.23 $28.45
Efficient EV 148.2 1 $51.86 $23.71
EV Truck/SUV 237.1 2 $82.98 $37.93

Gas CO2

207 kg

EV CO2

69 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

Whitefish, MT

Afternoon in Whitefish on Thursday

Local time

1:28 PM

MDT

Current temp

40°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Colstrip, MT

Afternoon in Colstrip on Thursday

Local time

1:28 PM

MDT

Current temp

73°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

71°F

Livingston, MT

391 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

33 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

10h 38m 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 Whitefish, MT to Colstrip, MT covers 592.7 miles and takes about 10h 38m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 90, I 15, MT 83. 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 296 miles on day one.
The midpoint is about 296.3 miles from Whitefish, MT. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $93.92 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.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 592.7 miles you will encounter 17 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: near the start (US 93 / East 2nd Street): Navigation decision point; at 11.9 miles (MT 548 / West Reserve Drive): Lane positioning matters here; at 16.6 miles (MT 35): Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Whitefish, MT to Colstrip, MT, road signs begin pointing toward Broadus along the way.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument.

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