Watford City to Choteau: A Prairie Road Trip Guide

This route crosses the Missouri River at the 4,500-foot-long Lewis and Clark Bridge, a steel-truss span completed in 1955. The bridge marks the point where the river's flow, measured at 25,000 cubic feet per second, meets the rolling plains of the Dakotas.

Drivers often notice the sudden shift from the badlands' rugged buttes to the flat, treeless prairie within the first hour. The route's 240-mile length passes through three distinct ecological zones, from shortgrass prairie to mountain foothills.

Winter storms can close I-94 between Glendive and Billings without notice, so check the Montana DOT app before departing. Summer thunderstorms produce sudden hail and wind gusts above 60 mph; slow down and pull over if visibility drops below a quarter mile.

For families, the Painted Canyon Nature Trail (0.5 mile, wheelchair accessible) is a perfect leg-stretcher. The rest area at mile marker 31 offers a playground and clean restrooms, while the Riverside Park in Sidney features a splash pad open from June to August.

Pets are welcome at all roadside rest areas, but must be leashed. The Glendive Animal Shelter can provide temporary boarding if you plan to visit Makoshika State Park, which prohibits pets on its hiking trails.

To manage fatigue, plan a stop every two hours. The best off-route spot is the Makoshika State Park overlook, 10 miles south of Glendive, which offers a stunning view of the park's dinosaur fossil beds.

Support local culture by stopping at the Prairie Sky Brewing Company in Watford City, which uses Montana-grown hops. For a more immersive experience, check out how to find the best stops and hidden gems between cities to uncover lesser-known spots along this route.

Theodore Roosevelt National Park's South Unit, 35 miles south of Watford City, preserves petrified forests and the same badlands the former president once ranched. Trails within the park lead to the 1883 Maltese Cross Cabin, a reconstructed ranch house.

Local commerce thrives in small towns like Beach, North Dakota, where the Painted Canyon Overlook offers a dramatic view into the badlands. Here, a roadside stand sells chokecherry jam, a local specialty made from wild berries harvested in September.

Further west, the town of Glendive anchors the Montana side, home to the Frontier Gateway Museum, which displays a 1909 Baldwin locomotive. This town also marks the junction of the Yellowstone River, a tributary that enters the Missouri 20 miles downstream.

Agriculture dominates the landscape west of Glendive, with wheat fields and cattle ranches stretching to the horizon. In Choteau, the Rocky Mountain Front rises abruptly, and local ranches offer guided horseback tours into the Helena National Forest.

US Highway 85 leads south from Watford City to Belfield, where it meets Interstate 94. Turn west on I-94 for 40 miles, then take US Highway 85 north again at Glendive, Montana. This route bypasses the worst of the North Dakota oil patch traffic.

Fuel prices tend to drop by 10–15 cents per gallon once you cross into Montana, so top up in Glendive or Sidney. Diesel and gasoline stations are plentiful every 50–60 miles on this corridor, but it's wise to fill up before leaving larger towns.

• Road surface: Good condition on I-94, fair on US 85 south of Glendive with occasional frost heaves.
• Speed limits: 75 mph on interstates, 65 mph on two-lane highways.
• Rest areas: One at the Montana border on I-94, with picnic tables and trash bins.