How far is Mesa, AZ from Sturgis, SD?

The driving distance from Mesa, AZ to Sturgis, SD is about 1255.4 miles (2020.3 km), with a travel time of about 22h 50m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 879.1 miles (1414.8 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 45h 40m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM MST.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
1255.32 mi
22h 50m
Flight
879.13 mi
1414.82 km direct

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Mesa.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
879.13 mi
Kilometers
1414.82 km
Flight Time
01h 46m

Driving Distance

Road route
1255.32 mi
Kilometers
2020.25 km
Drive Time
22h 50m

Gas Cost Calculator

Leave and Arrive Planner

Pick a departure time to see your estimated arrival and same-day return window.

Drive time stays fixed at 22h 50m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Sturgis
Mon, Nov 9, 7:22 AM MST
Return by in Mesa
Tue, Nov 10, 6:12 AM MST
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Mesa
2026-11-08T08:32
Arrive Sturgis
Mon, Nov 9, 7:22 AM MST
Route Timing
22h 50m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM MST
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
4:50 AM to 6:20 AM MST

Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.

Leave by
2:20 PM MST
Keeps a same-day return open with about 08h 00m at the destination.
Back in Mesa
8:00 PM MST
Overnight-style route

You are leaving earlier than the recommended window, which gives you extra margin for breaks and traffic.

Halfway Point

A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.

Mid-route stop
Raton
NM

City in New Mexico

From Mesa
622.2 mi
11h 25m
To Sturgis
633.1 mi
11h 25m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
82°F
Sunday

Sunny

Starts
Sun, Nov 8 6:00 AM MST
Wind
0 to 5 mph ENE
Destination
70°F
Sunday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Sun, Nov 8 6:00 AM MST
Wind
6 mph SW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Mesa and Sturgis.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Mesa and Sturgis.

  1. 1

    Start on South Diamond Avenue

    12 m · 7 sec · South Diamond Avenue

  2. 2

    Turn left onto East Diamond Avenue

    744 ft · 28 sec · East Diamond Avenue

  3. 3

    At the end of the road, turn right onto South 37th Street

    118 m · 19 sec · South 37th Street

  4. 4

    Turn left onto East Drummer Avenue

    149 m · 19 sec · East Drummer Avenue

  5. 5

    At the end of the road, turn right onto South Val Vista Drive

    1.4 km · 2 min · South Val Vista Drive

  6. 6

    Turn left onto East Main Street

    2 mi · 3 min · East Main Street

  7. 7

    Turn right onto North Gilbert Road

    6.2 mi · 10 min · North Gilbert Road

  8. 8

    Turn right onto Beeline Highway

    68.4 mi · 1 hr 20 min · Beeline Highway

  9. 9

    Turn right

    53 mi · 1 hr 11 min

  10. 10

    Turn left onto Highway 277

    1.9 mi · 3 min · Highway 277

  11. 11

    Continue on West 3rd Street North

    4.9 mi · 7 min · West 3rd Street North

  12. 12

    Turn left onto Heber-Holbrook Highway

    2.9 mi · 4 min · Heber-Holbrook Highway

  13. 13

    Turn straight onto Heber Road

    30.9 mi · 36 min · Heber Road

  14. 14

    Turn left onto Show Low-Holbrook Highway

    1.6 mi · 2 min · Show Low-Holbrook Highway

  15. 15

    Continue on Holbrook-Springerville Highway

    2841 ft · 57 sec · Holbrook-Springerville Highway

  16. 16

    Continue on Navajo Boulevard

    1.4 km · 2 min · Navajo Boulevard

  17. 17

    Take the exit right

    3058 ft · 1 min

  18. 18

    Merge slight left onto Purple Heart Trail

    230.8 mi · 3 hr 54 min · Purple Heart Trail

  19. 19

    Take the exit slight right toward I 25 North, I 25 South: Santa Fe, Las Cruces

    1838 ft · 41 sec

  20. 20

    Keep slight left to continue on I 25 North: Santa Fe

    1.3 km · 2 min

  21. 21

    Merge slight left onto Pan American Freeway

    326.9 mi · 5 hr 33 min · Pan American Freeway

  22. 22

    Continue on South Freeway

    10.4 mi · 13 min · South Freeway

  23. 23

    Continue on John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway

    12.9 mi · 13 min · John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway

  24. 24

    Continue on Ronald Reagan Highway

    23 mi · 24 min · Ronald Reagan Highway

  25. 25

    Continue on Monument Valley Freeway

    8.5 mi · 10 min · Monument Valley Freeway

  26. 26

    Continue on Ronald Reagan Highway

    70.1 mi · 1 hr 18 min · Ronald Reagan Highway

  27. 27

    Keep slight right to continue on North Valley Highway

    4.3 mi · 6 min · North Valley Highway

  28. 28

    Keep slight right to continue on North Valley Highway

    5.3 mi · 6 min · North Valley Highway

  29. 29

    Continue on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

    197 mi · 3 hr 11 min · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

  30. 30

    Take the exit slight right toward US 18 East, US 20 East: Lusk

    1450 ft · 40 sec

  31. 31

    Turn right onto US Highway 18/20

    18.2 mi · 20 min · US Highway 18/20

  32. 32

    Continue on US Highway 20

    23.3 mi · 25 min · US Highway 20

  33. 33

    Continue on West 8th Street

    882 ft · 32 sec · West 8th Street

  34. 34

    Turn left onto South Main Street

    1.4 km · 2 min · South Main Street

  35. 35

    Continue on US Highway 85

    121.7 mi · 2 hr 35 min · US Highway 85

  36. 36

    Continue on US Highway 14A

    7.2 mi · 11 min · US Highway 14A

  37. 37

    Turn straight onto South Main Street

    2252 ft · 38 sec · South Main Street

  38. 38

    Continue on Fairview Avenue

    1178 ft · 22 sec · Fairview Avenue

  39. 39

    Continue on Glendale Drive

    2586 ft · 33 sec · Glendale Drive

  40. 40

    Continue on US Highway 14A

    2.6 mi · 3 min · US Highway 14A

  41. 41

    Continue on Pioneer Way

    1.1 mi · 1 min · Pioneer Way

  42. 42

    Continue on Main Street

    9.3 mi · 11 min · Main Street

  43. 43

    Continue on Boulder Canyon Road

    1.1 mi · 1 min · Boulder Canyon Road

  44. 44

    Continue on Lazelle Street

    2.4 mi · 3 min · Lazelle Street

  45. 45

    Turn right onto Junction Avenue

    2100 ft · 45 sec · Junction Avenue

  46. 46

    Turn left onto Edmunds Street

    4 m · 1 sec · Edmunds Street

  47. 47

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Edmunds Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Mesa and Sturgis.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Long-distance drive

This route is long enough that fuel, rest stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single maneuver.

Directions
47 steps
17 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
5
2 merges, 3 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
3.7 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Pan American Freeway
327 mi · 26%
Purple Heart Trail
231 mi · 18%
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
197 mi · 16%
US Highway 85
122 mi · 10%
Ronald Reagan Highway
93.1 mi · 7%
Beeline Highway
68.4 mi · 5%
Longest Stretch

Pan American Freeway

Merge slight left onto Pan American Freeway

327 mi · 05h 33m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

Better with a longer stop

This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.

Drive Time
22h 50m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
45h 40m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+376.3 mi
879.1 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Raton
11h 25m from Mesa
Leave By
2:20 PM MST
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving Mesa and Mostly Sunny near Sturgis.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Mesa to Sturgis?

The road trip is about 1255.4 miles (2020.3 km) and usually takes 22h 50m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Raton is a useful midpoint, sitting about 622.2 miles from Mesa and 633.1 miles from Sturgis.

How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?

The direct path is about 879.1 miles (1414.8 km), while the road route adds roughly 376.3 extra miles because roads do not follow the straight air line.

When is the best time to leave for this route?

A good departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM MST. Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $191.60 one way or $383.20 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 393.7 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Sunny around Mesa and Mostly Sunny near Sturgis.

Stop Ideas Near Raton

Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Raton, so nearby transit and meeting points are shown instead.
Reviewed stop coverage is still thin around this midpoint, so practical transit waypoints are shown on the right.

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Raton.

RAIL

Raton

201 South First Street
RAIL

Trinidad

31 mi away
110 West Pine Street

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Mesa and Sturgis. Straight-line distance: 879.13 mi (1414.82 km).

Mesa

#1 Mesa

Suburb city of Phoenix, located in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States

Population0
Coordinates33.4017142, -111.7495822
Altitude388
CountryUnited States
Sturgis

#2 Sturgis

City in and county seat of Meade County, South Dakota, United States

Population6,978
Coordinates44.4097100, -103.5090800
Altitude1043
CountryUnited States
Start: Mesa (-111.749582, 33.401714)
End: Sturgis (-103.50908, 44.40971)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 2020 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)41h 49m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)31h 23m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)25h 06m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)20h 55m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)17h 56m
80 mph (129 km/h)15h 39m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
44.3 gal
167.68 L · about $191.60
Round trip
$383.20
88.6 gal · 335.36 L
Estimated CO2
393.7 kg one way
Round trip: 787.4 kg / 1736 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $4.33 $191.60 $383.20
Mid-grade $4.68 $207.24 $414.47
Premium $5.02 $222.21 $444.42
Diesel $6.25 $277.05 $554.10

Assumes 8.3 L/100 km (about 28.3 MPG). CO2 is an estimate and varies by vehicle, fuel blend, traffic, and terrain.

Prices in Arizona · Nov 07, 2026

There is no time difference between Mesa and Sturgis. The current time is 08:32:54.

Distance to Other Cities

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.