South Lake Tahoe, CA → Great Falls, MT · Long-distance move

Movers from South Lake Tahoe to Great Falls

About 868 road miles heading northeast. Typical two-bedroom cost $4,830–$7,190, delivery in 2–5 days, 11 carriers on the South Lake Tahoe side and 28 in Great Falls.

868 miroad distance
15 h 40 mindriving time
2–5 daysdelivery window
$4,830–$7,1902-bedroom estimate

Photo: Montanabw · CC BY-SA 3.0

Open navigation Google Maps Apple Maps Waze

Route summary

From: South Lake Tahoe, California
To: Great Falls, Montana
Road distance: ≈ 868 miles (735 straight-line)
Drive time: 15 h 40 min
Delivery window: 2–5 days
Move type: Interstate – FMCSA authority required
Movers at origin: 11 (7 interstate)
Movers at destination: 28 (21 interstate)

Reverse: Great Falls → South Lake Tahoe

The route from South Lake Tahoe, CA to Great Falls, MT covers roughly 868 miles by road, a northeast-bound trip that falls into the long-distance move category for pricing purposes.

At this distance carriers price by shipment weight and mileage rather than by the hour. A two-bedroom home (around 5,000 lb of goods) typically costs $4,830 to $7,190 with a full-service mover, and delivery usually takes 2 to 5 days after pickup because long-haul trucks consolidate several households per trip. Driving it yourself takes about 15 h 40 min.

On the South Lake Tahoe side there are 11 household-goods carriers registered with the FMCSA in and around the city (7 of them authorized for interstate work), and 28 around Great Falls (21 interstate). For an interstate move you can book from either end; movers near the origin handle loading and are usually the better first call, while a destination-side company can be useful if you need storage or delivery-day help in Great Falls.

South Lake Tahoe has a population of about 21,000 and Great Falls about 60,000. The two cities have comparable density (2,119 and 2,613 people per square mile), so loading and unloading conditions are usually similar at both ends. Labor and living costs run lower in Montana than in California, which tends to make destination-side services such as unpacking or storage cheaper than the same services back home.

Cost of moving from South Lake Tahoe to Great Falls

Full-service estimate for 868 miles, by home size
Home size	Est. weight	Low	Typical	High
Studio	2,000 lb	$1,930	$2,360	$2,880
1 Bedroom	3,000 lb	$2,900	$3,540	$4,310
2 Bedrooms	5,000 lb	$4,830	$5,890	$7,190
3 Bedrooms	8,000 lb	$7,730	$9,430	$11,500
4+ Bedrooms	11,000 lb	$10,630	$12,960	$15,820

Rental truck (DIY)

$1,190–$1,680

One-way truck for the distance, mileage and fuel included; you load and drive.

Portable container

$1,790–$2,640

Container delivered, you load, company transports; transit is slower than a mover.

Full-service mover

$4,830–$7,190

Two-bedroom reference; crew loads, hauls and unloads.

Moving cost calculator

Distance is pre-filled for South Lake Tahoe, CA → Great Falls, MT. Adjust the other options to see your range.

—to—

Typical full-service range.

Estimates use market baselines described on the cost guide; your quotes will vary by inventory, access and date.

Moving companies for this route

Near South Lake Tahoe (origin)

Mv Trucking

Licensed interstate

Legal name: Mvt Express

USDOT: 2507468
MC: 869399
Based in: South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150 (6 mi from center)
Service: Long-distance
Fleet: 5 trucks, 5 drivers
USDOT registered: 2014

Call (530) 318-5981 Route Verify on FMCSA

Lfod Logistics

Licensed interstate

USDOT: 3940458
MC: 1463269
Based in: Zephyr Cove, NV 89448 (6 mi from center)
Service: Long-distance
Fleet: 1 truck, 1 drivers
USDOT registered: 2022

Call (775) 799-3268 Route Verify on FMCSA

Clayton Witte

Interstate carrier

USDOT: 9020658
Based in: South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150 (6 mi from center)
Service: Local & long-distance
Fleet: 1 truck, 12 drivers
USDOT registered: 2026

Call (540) 292-4356 Route Verify on FMCSA

Rouse Trucking LLC

Licensed interstate

USDOT: 4412017
MC: 1733322
Based in: Gardnerville, NV 89460 (10 mi from center)
Service: Long-distance
Fleet: 1 truck, 1 drivers
USDOT registered: 2025

Call (775) 364-4513 Route Verify on FMCSA

Wilson Trucking

Intrastate carrier

Legal name: Wilson Trucking Operations INC

USDOT: 1835654
MC: 665466
Based in: Gardnerville, NV 89460 (10 mi from center)
Service: Long-distance
Fleet: 8 trucks, 8 drivers
USDOT registered: 2008

Call (775) 265-2230 Route Verify on FMCSA

Carson Valley Movers

Licensed interstate Safety: Satisfactory

Legal name: Barry Elwood Jones

USDOT: 384361
MC: 228843
Based in: Gardnerville, NV 89410 (25 mi from center)
Service: Long-distance
Fleet: 8 trucks, 4 drivers
USDOT registered: 1990

Call (775) 782-7070 Route Verify on FMCSA

Manuel Jimenez Jr DBA South Lake Tahoe Towing

Licensed interstate

USDOT: 2678760
MC: 115986
Based in: Gardnerville, NV 89410 (25 mi from center)
Service: Local moves
Fleet: 2 trucks, 1 drivers
USDOT registered: 2015

Call (530) 523-3352 Route Verify on FMCSA

Best Way Movers

Intrastate carrier

Legal name: Ricky Richardson

USDOT: 3122663
MC: 105518
Based in: Somerset, CA 95684 (38 mi from center)
Service: Long-distance
Fleet: 4 trucks, 4 drivers
USDOT registered: 2018

Call (530) 622-0803 Route Verify on FMCSA

All 11 movers in South Lake Tahoe

Near Great Falls (destination)

Hi-Line Moving Services INC

Licensed interstate Safety: Satisfactory

USDOT: 877828
MC: 297732
Based in: Great Falls, MT 59405 (15 mi from center)
Service: Local & long-distance
Fleet: 45 trucks, 38 drivers
USDOT registered: 2000

Call (406) 455-8610 Route Verify on FMCSA

Easterseals-Goodwill Northern Rocky Mountain INC

Licensed interstate Safety: Satisfactory

USDOT: 3267561
MC: 1031004
Based in: Great Falls, MT 59401 (1 mi from center)
Service: Local & long-distance
Fleet: 30 trucks, 19 drivers
USDOT registered: 2019

Call (406) 761-3680 Route Verify on FMCSA

Suhr Transport

Licensed interstate Safety: Satisfactory

USDOT: 30168
MC: 46313
Based in: Great Falls, MT 59404 (9 mi from center)
Service: Long-distance
Fleet: 9 trucks, 4 drivers
USDOT registered: 1974

Call (406) 727-3200 Route Verify on FMCSA

Hi-Line Transfer & Storage INC

Interstate carrier

USDOT: 1081377
Based in: Great Falls, MT 59405 (15 mi from center)
Service: Long-distance
Fleet: 7 trucks, 1 drivers
USDOT registered: 2002

Call (406) 455-8635 Route Verify on FMCSA

Discover Moving & Storage INC

Licensed interstate

USDOT: 1232316
MC: 486062
Based in: Great Falls, MT 59405 (15 mi from center)
Service: Long-distance
Fleet: 4 trucks, 1 drivers
USDOT registered: 2004

Call (406) 453-0970 Route Verify on FMCSA

North Star Moving Services

Licensed interstate

Legal name: Colorado International Transport INC

USDOT: 561051
MC: 274909
Based in: Great Falls, MT 59405 (15 mi from center)
Service: Long-distance
Fleet: 2 trucks, 3 drivers
USDOT registered: 1994

Call (406) 732-2045 Route Verify on FMCSA

Art And Paul Moving And Storage

Licensed interstate

Legal name: Art And Paul Moving And Storage INC

USDOT: 602751
MC: 290282
Based in: Great Falls, MT 59405 (15 mi from center)
Service: Long-distance
Fleet: 2 trucks, 1 drivers
USDOT registered: 1995

Call (406) 455-8640 Route Verify on FMCSA

Fsw INC

Licensed interstate

USDOT: 3742363
MC: 1325255
Based in: Great Falls, MT 59401 (1 mi from center)
Service: Long-distance
Fleet: 1 truck, 1 drivers
USDOT registered: 2021

Call (406) 952-1005 Route Verify on FMCSA

All 28 movers in Great Falls

Tips for this move

Insist on a binding or binding-not-to-exceed estimate after an in-home or video survey.
Verify the carrier's USDOT and MC numbers on the FMCSA site before paying a deposit.
Ask how the delivery window is calculated and what the delay compensation is.
Declutter first: long-haul pricing is by weight, so every hundred pounds you sell or donate saves money.

Near South Lake Tahoe

Near Great Falls

Related routes

Other destinations from South Lake Tahoe

Other origins to Great Falls

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to move from South Lake Tahoe to Great Falls?

Typical full-service estimates for this route are $1,930 to $2,880 for a studio, $2,900 to $4,310 for a one-bedroom, $4,830 to $7,190 for a two-bedroom, $7,730 to $11,500 for a three-bedroom and $10,630 to $15,820 for four or more bedrooms. Packing, storage, stairs and specialty items add to these figures.

How far is Great Falls from South Lake Tahoe?

About 868 road miles (735 miles in a straight line). Driving without overnight stops takes roughly 15 h 40 min.

How long will the movers take to deliver?

Expect a delivery window of 2 to 5 days after pickup. Carriers give a spread rather than a fixed date because long-distance trucks carry several shipments; a dedicated truck or expedited service shortens the window for an extra fee.

Does my mover need interstate authority for this move?

Yes. Crossing from California into Montana makes this an interstate move, so the carrier must hold active FMCSA operating authority (an MC number) in addition to its USDOT number. The company cards on this page flag which carriers are authorized for interstate work.

Is it cheaper to rent a truck or use a container for South Lake Tahoe to Great Falls?

A one-way rental truck for this distance typically runs $1,190 to $1,680 including mileage and fuel, and a portable container about $1,790 to $2,640. Both save money versus a full-service crew but you do the loading, and container transit can take longer than a mover's delivery window.

When is the least expensive time to book this move?

Rates are highest in summer and around the last days of any month, when demand peaks. Mid-month, mid-week and winter dates are usually quoted below the standard rate. Booking four to eight weeks ahead gives you the widest choice of carriers on the South Lake Tahoe–Great Falls corridor.