Origin
Apple Valley, MN
Night in Apple Valley on Saturday
Local time
11:38 PM
CDT
Current temp
66°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Apple Valley, MN to Blaine, MN
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
47m
Distance
36.5 mi
59 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 43m
★
6 AM
0h 47m
8 AM
0h 55m
10 AM
0h 50m
12 PM
0h 49m
3 PM
0h 50m
5 PM
0h 55m
8 PM
0h 45m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Apple Valley, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Blaine, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 36.5-mile drive from Apple Valley, MN to Blaine, MN is a straightforward trip within the Midwest region, perfect for a single day. Expect the journey to take about 47 minutes, with a modest fuel cost of around $5. The route primarily utilizes I-35W and Cedar Avenue, offering a mixed driving experience. Since it's a short distance, you won't need to worry about overnight stays; this trip is designed for convenience and efficiency. It's an easy option for a quick cross-metro excursion.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 35W | 17.6 mi | 22m |
| Cedar Avenue | 11.8 mi | 14m |
| US 10 | 2.8 mi | 3m |
| Central Avenue Northeast | 1.8 mi | 2m |
| Crosstown Highway | 1.4 mi | 1m |
| County Road 42 | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 35W
— 17.6 mi, about 22m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Apple Valley, MN and Blaine, MN.
1
Start on CR 42
35 ft
·
6 sec
·
County Road 42
2
Turn right onto CR 23
12 mi
·
14 min
·
Cedar Avenue
Use the left lane.
3
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
Toward MN 62 West
Use the right lane.
4
Merge onto MN 62
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Crosstown Highway
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
Toward I 35W North
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Merge onto I 35W
4.6 mi
·
6 min
·
I 35W
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight right at fork onto I 35W
5.6 mi
·
7 min
·
I 35W
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
25 sec
Exit 22B
Toward MN 36
Use the slight right lane.
9
Merge onto I 35W
0.3 mi
·
19 sec
·
I 35W
10
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35W
7.1 mi
·
8 min
·
I 35W
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight right at fork onto US 10
2.8 mi
·
3 min
·
US 10
Toward US 10 West
Use the slight right lane.
12
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
Toward MN 65: Central Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight left at fork
222 ft
·
6 sec
14
Turn right onto MN 65
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Central Avenue Northeast
Use the left lane.
15
Arrive at destination
MN 65
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
18 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 36.5 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 18.3 miles from Apple Valley, MN, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 135 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 31.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
CR 23 / Cedar Avenue
Turn right onto CR 23 / Cedar Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
11.8 mi into trip
|
~15m in
Take the exit toward MN 62 West
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward MN 62 West
7
13.4 mi into trip
|
~17m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 35W North
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 35W North
7
23.9 mi into trip
|
~31m in
Take the exit toward MN 36
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 22B
Toward MN 36
7
31.6 mi into trip
|
~40m in
|
US 10
Keep slight right at fork onto US 10 toward US 10 West
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward US 10 West
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.43 one way
$10.86 round trip
$3.78/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.07 | $5.85 | $11.71 |
| premium | $4.53 | $6.51 | $13.03 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.06 | $16.12 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11 | 0 | $3.83 | $1.75 |
| Efficient EV | 9.1 | 0 | $3.19 | $1.46 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 14.6 | 0 | $5.11 | $2.34 |
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (69% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Blaine, MN
Night in Blaine on Saturday
Local time
11:38 PM
CDT
Current temp
29°F
Partly Cloudy
WNW 15 mph
0% chance
Live forecast
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
37 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
47m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
Your drive will feature a significant portion on highways, with 56% of the total mileage on interstates and major roads like I-35W and US 10. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 17.6 miles on I-35W, providing a good opportunity for steady progress. This route offers a mixed drive, meaning you'll experience both faster-paced highway segments and potentially some slower sections as you navigate through different parts of the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area. The road character shifts as you move from suburban environments to more developed urban areas.
56% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 17.6 mi on I 35W.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near CR 23 / Cedar Avenue.
Driving Effort
10/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 13 decision points packed into just 36.5 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 47m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (CR 23 / Cedar Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 11.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 13.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 47m. Total distance: 36.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
47m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (56%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 17.6 miles on I 35W. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Blaine, MN before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (CR 23 / Cedar Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 11.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 13.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Blaine, MN before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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