How far is Whitefish, MT from Red Lodge, MT?

The driving distance from Whitefish, MT to Red Lodge, MT is about 473.7 miles (762.4 km), with a travel time of about 08h 31m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 328 miles (527.8 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 17h 03m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM MDT.
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
473.73 mi
08h 31m
Flight
327.95 mi
527.79 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Whitefish.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
327.95 mi
Kilometers
527.79 km
Flight Time
00h 39m

Driving Distance

Road route
473.73 mi
Kilometers
762.39 km
Drive Time
08h 31m

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 08h 31m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Red Lodge
Thu, Apr 23, 3:53 AM MDT
Return by in Whitefish
Thu, Apr 23, 12:25 PM MDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Whitefish
2026-04-22T19:22
Arrive Red Lodge
Thu, Apr 23, 3:53 AM MDT
Route Timing
08h 31m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM MDT
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
2:32 PM to 4:02 PM MDT

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

Leave by
6:56 PM MDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 08h 00m at the destination.
Back in Whitefish
8:00 PM MDT
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
Butte
MT

Consolidated city-county in Montana, United States

From Whitefish
236.6 mi
04h 15m
To Red Lodge
237.2 mi
04h 15m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
59°F
Wednesday

Chance Light Rain then Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Wed, Apr 22 6:00 AM MDT
Wind
2 to 6 mph NNW
Destination
62°F
Wednesday

Rain Showers Likely

Starts
Wed, Apr 22 6:00 AM MDT
Wind
6 to 20 mph SW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Whitefish and Red Lodge.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Whitefish and Red Lodge.

  1. 1

    Start on the route

    51 m · 18 sec

  2. 2

    Turn left onto East 2nd Street

    536 ft · 24 sec · East 2nd Street

  3. 3

    Turn right onto Spokane Avenue

    1.7 mi · 4 min · Spokane Avenue

  4. 4

    Continue on US 93 South

    3.2 mi · 4 min · US 93 South

  5. 5

    Continue on US 93 North

    6.8 mi · 8 min · US 93 North

  6. 6

    Turn left onto West Reserve Drive

    3.5 mi · 6 min · West Reserve Drive

  7. 7

    Turn right onto Helena Flats Road

    1.1 mi · 2 min · Helena Flats Road

  8. 8

    Turn left

    1.1 mi · 2 min

  9. 9

    Continue straight

    14.7 mi · 17 min

  10. 10

    Turn left

    91.1 mi · 1 hr 44 min

  11. 11

    Turn left

    23.8 mi · 26 min

  12. 12

    Turn right onto State Highway 141

    32.5 mi · 35 min · State Highway 141

  13. 13

    Turn sharp right

    12.9 mi · 14 min

  14. 14

    Turn left

    2539 ft · 43 sec

  15. 15

    Continue straight

    802 ft · 14 sec

  16. 16

    Take the ramp straight

    1.4 km · 2 min

  17. 17

    Merge slight left

    45 mi · 42 min

  18. 18

    Keep slight right

    110.8 mi · 1 hr 51 min

  19. 19

    Continue straight

    6.9 mi · 6 min

  20. 20

    Continue straight

    68.4 mi · 1 hr 4 min

  21. 21

    Take the exit slight right toward MT 78: Columbus

    1672 ft · 41 sec

  22. 22

    Turn right

    1.2 km · 1 min

  23. 23

    At the end of the road, turn right onto East Pike Avenue

    1140 ft · 44 sec · East Pike Avenue

  24. 24

    Turn left onto Pratten Street

    675 ft · 23 sec · Pratten Street

  25. 25

    Continue on State Highway 78

    13.5 mi · 17 min · State Highway 78

  26. 26

    Continue on North Woodard Avenue

    1.2 km · 2 min · North Woodard Avenue

  27. 27

    Continue on State Highway 78

    31.6 mi · 38 min · State Highway 78

  28. 28

    Continue on 3rd Street

    2562 ft · 1 min · 3rd Street

  29. 29

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 1 toward North Broadway Avenue

    7 m · 1 sec · North Broadway Avenue

  30. 30

    Exit the roundabout onto North Broadway Avenue

    1 km · 2 min · North Broadway Avenue

  31. 31

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · South Broadway Avenue

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Whitefish and Red Lodge.

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
31 steps
15 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
5
1 merges, 4 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
6.5 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
State Highway 141
265 mi · 56%
State Highway 78
45.1 mi · 10%
Helena Flats Road
15.9 mi · 3%
US 93 North
6.84 mi · 1%
West Reserve Drive
3.51 mi · 1%
US 93 South
3.23 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

State Highway 141

Keep slight right

111 mi · 01h 51m

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
08h 31m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
17h 04m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+145.7 mi
328 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Butte
04h 15m from Whitefish
Leave By
6:56 PM MDT
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Chance Light Rain then Showers And Thunderstorms leaving Whitefish and Rain Showers Likely near Red Lodge.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Whitefish to Red Lodge?

The road trip is about 473.7 miles (762.4 km) and usually takes 08h 31m 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?

Butte is a useful midpoint, sitting about 236.6 miles from Whitefish and 237.2 miles from Red Lodge.

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

The direct path is about 328 miles (527.8 km), while the road route adds roughly 145.7 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 MDT. 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 $65.09 one way or $130.18 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 148.6 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Chance Light Rain then Showers And Thunderstorms around Whitefish and Rain Showers Likely near Red Lodge.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Whitefish and Red Lodge. Straight-line distance: 327.95 mi (527.79 km).

Whitefish

#1 Whitefish

City in Flathead County, Montana, United States

Population8,713
Coordinates48.4110800, -114.3376300
Altitude923
CountryUnited States
Red Lodge

#2 Red Lodge

City in Montana, United States

Population2,359
Coordinates45.1857800, -109.2468200
Altitude1697
CountryUnited States
Start: Whitefish (-114.33763, 48.41108)
End: Red Lodge (-109.24682, 45.18578)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 762 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)15h 47m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)11h 50m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)09h 28m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)07h 53m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)06h 46m
80 mph (129 km/h)05h 54m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
16.72 gal
63.28 L · about $65.09
Round trip
$130.18
33.44 gal · 126.56 L
Estimated CO2
148.6 kg one way
Round trip: 297.2 kg / 655 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.89 $65.09 $130.18
Mid-grade $4.23 $70.74 $141.48
Premium $4.55 $76.06 $152.12
Diesel $5.41 $90.49 $180.98

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 Montana · Apr 23, 2026

There is no time difference between Whitefish and Red Lodge. The current time is 19:22:02.

Distance to Other Cities

Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.

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