Revealed: America’s Longest Restroom-Free Road Trips

When planning a road trip, ensuring a chance to answer Mother Nature’s calls is important and if you’re a driver affected by restroom anxiety, new research from car insurance expert MoneySuperMarket will help you uncover the most demanding road trips in the United States. The long routes without available facilities can make car journeys feel particularly stressful.

Using geospatial data, MoneySuperMarket’s research used geospatial data to map the longest stretches of U.S. highways without directly accessible public restrooms, including service areas, fuel stops and rest stations. The study showed nearly one in three (or 31 percent) of drivers suffer from restroom anxiety (a condition recognized by Anxiety UK), with the route results revealing just how tough America’s wide-open roads can be.

© MoneySuperMarket

Alicia Hempsted, car insurance expert, MoneySuperMarket, said, “For many people, restroom anxiety is a very real barrier to going on a long car journey. Anxiety experts warn that affected drivers can experience adrenaline surges and heightened stress when toilet facilities are few and far between, which can affect concentration. While some mental health conditions do need to be disclosed to car insurers, such as severe anxiety disorders or those that impair driving ability, toilet anxiety is not currently a formally recognized condition to declare. Route-planning apps and most modern cars now offer advanced navigation and connected services, making it easier to plan ahead and pre plan rest stops. This can help drivers feel more in control and focused, so they can make their journey with less stress.”

At the top of the rankings is the journey from Belfield, North Dakota, to Mitchell, South Dakota, an enormous 648 miles along Theodore Roosevelt Expressway. On average, the drive takes more than 10.5 hours, making it the toughest restroom-free road in the country.

In second place is Fall River, South Dakota, to Cairo, Nebraska, at 513 miles and lasting more than eight hours. Third is the 324-mile stretch from Scott City to Belleville, Kansas, lasting just more than five hours. Fourth place goes to Georgia’s Lavonia to Douglas route, at 306 miles. In the No. 5 spot is Guymon, Oklahoma, to Goddard, Kansas, at 294 miles and lasting nearly five hours across isolated farmland.

Rounding out the top 10 are:
6. Poplar, Montana, to Burlington, North Dakota, 284 miles
7. Sturgis to Vivian in South Dakota, 283 miles
8. Shoshoni to Rawlins in Wyoming, 282 miles
9. Montana’s Havre to Lubec Lake, 273 miles
10. Nevada’s Jackpot to Ely, 265 miles