This 256.3-mile journey from Babbitt, MN to Lakeville, MN will take approximately 4 hours and 8 minutes of driving time. Given the duration and distance, it's perfectly manageable as a single-day trip. You'll navigate primarily via Babbitt Road, Highway 70, and Ely-Babbitt Road. The estimated fuel cost for this drive is around $37. This route offers a turn-heavy local driving experience through the Midwest region of Minnesota. Planning for one stop along the way should be sufficient to break up the drive.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
129.7 miles from Babbitt, MN
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 42m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 35
109.7 mi
1h 57m
I 35W
44.3 mi
53m
US 53
42 mi
50m
Highway 21
24.5 mi
33m
MN 33
19.7 mi
26m
State Highway 169
6.1 mi
8m
Speaker Irvin N. Anderson Memorial Highway
5.5 mi
7m
Kenwood Trail /Richard J. Ames Memorial Highway
2.2 mi
3m
Longest stretch:
I 35
— 109.7 mi, about 1h 57m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Babbitt, MN and Lakeville, MN.
1
Start on South Drive
0.3 mi·47 sec·South Drive
2
Turn right onto Babbitt Road
0.4 mi·1 min·Babbitt Road
3
At end of road, turn left onto CH 70
0.2 mi·16 sec·County Highway 70
4
Continue on CH 70
0.7 mi·1 min·Ely-Babbitt Road
5
Continue on CH 21
13 mi·18 min·Highway 21
6
Continue on CH 21
0.4 mi·54 sec·County Highway 21
7
Continue on CH 21
11 mi·15 min·Highway 21
8
At end of road, turn left onto MN 169
6.1 mi·8 min·State Highway 169
9
Keep slight left at fork
0.6 mi·1 min
Toward US 53 South: Virginia
10
Continue on MN 169
0.3 mi·21 sec·MN 169
Toward US 53 South: Virginia
11
Merge onto US 53
5.5 mi·7 min·Speaker Irvin N. Anderson Memorial Highway
Use the straight lane.
12
Continue on US 53
4.6 mi·6 min·US 53
Use the straight lane.
13
Enter roundabout onto US 53
114 ft·1 sec·US 53
14
Continue on US 53
37 mi·43 min·US 53
Use the straight lane.
15
Take the exit onto MN 33
15 mi·18 min·MN 33
Use the straight lane.
16
Continue on MN 33
3.9 mi·7 min·MN 33
Use the straight lane.
17
Enter roundabout onto MN 33
77 ft·1 sec·MN 33
Toward I 35 South
18
Continue on MN 33
0.5 mi·40 sec·MN 33
Toward I 35 South
19
Merge onto I 35
110 mi·1 hr 57 min·I 35
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
20
Keep slight right at fork onto I 35W
44 mi·53 min·I 35W
Toward I 35W: MinneapolisUse the straight / right lanes.
21
Take the exit
0.2 mi·26 sec
Exit 85Toward CR 5, CR 50Use the slight right lane.
22
Turn left onto CR 5
1.3 mi·2 min·Kenwood Trail
Use the left / straight lanes.
23
Enter roundabout onto CR 5
127 ft·2 sec·Kenwood Trail /Richard J. Ames Memorial Highway
24
Continue on CR 5
2.2 mi·3 min·Kenwood Trail /Richard J. Ames Memorial Highway
25
Continue on CR 5
0.1 mi·16 sec·Kenwood Trai/Richard J. Ames Memorial Highway
26
Continue on CR 50
0.5 mi·48 sec·202nd Street West / Richard J. Ames Memorial Highway
Use the straight / right lanes.
27
Enter roundabout onto Holyoke Avenue
12 ft·0 sec·Holyoke Avenue
28
Continue on Holyoke Avenue
0.4 mi·1 min·Holyoke Avenue
29
Turn left onto 207th Street West
22 ft·0 sec·207th Street West
Use the left lane.
30
Arrive at destination
207th Street West
Trip Plan
Since this is a 4-hour, 8-minute drive, it’s best tackled in one go, making flexibility your friend. Aim to depart Babbitt in the morning to arrive in Lakeville with plenty of daylight. With only one recommended stop and no long highway stretches, you can be spontaneous about when and where you choose to rest. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially as you transition off Babbitt Road and onto Highway 70, as local roads can sometimes have longer distances between services than major interstates.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 129.7 miles from Babbitt, MN, or about 2h 42m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 109.7 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 57 miles or 1h 16m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 129.7 miles or 2h 42m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 11m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Lakeville, MN than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Babbitt, MN so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Babbitt, MN
This is one driving day of about 259.4 miles and 5h 10m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 57 miles from Babbitt, MN.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on I 35 for about 109.7 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 16
5 decision points cluster between mile 32.5 and 259.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
32.5 mi into trip|~46m in
Keep slight left at fork toward US 53 South: Virginia
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward US 53 South: Virginia
5
33.4 mi into trip|~47m in|US 53 / Speaker Irvin N. Anderson Memorial Highway
Merge onto US 53 / Speaker Irvin N. Anderson Memorial Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
7
210.3 mi into trip|~4h 9m in|I 35W
Keep slight right at fork onto I 35W toward I 35W: Minneapolis
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Toward I 35W: Minneapolis
8
254.6 mi into trip|~5h 2m in
Take the exit toward CR 5, CR 50
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 85
Toward CR 5, CR 50
6
259.4 mi into trip|~5h 10m in|207th Street West
Turn left onto 207th Street West
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$38.60 one way
$77.21 round trip
$3.78/gal25.4 MPG avg91 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.07
$41.60
$83.19
premium
$4.53
$46.28
$92.57
diesel
$5.61
$57.27
$114.54
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$39
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$64–$89
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 90.8 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $27 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
77.8
0
$27.24
$12.45
Efficient EV
64.9
0
$22.70
$10.38
EV Truck/SUV
103.8
1
$36.32
$16.60
Gas CO2
91 kg
EV CO2
30 kg (67% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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.
Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026
Origin
Babbitt, MN
Evening
in Babbitt on Saturday
Local time
8:28 PM
CDT
Current temp
61°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Lakeville, MN
Evening
in Lakeville on Saturday
Local time
8:28 PM
CDT
Current temp
45°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
63°F
Woodbury, MN
130 mi in
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
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
16 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
5h 10m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a 'turn-heavy local drive' on this route, with 0% of the journey on highways. This means you'll be on more intimate, less direct roads for the entire 256.3 miles. While there isn't a defined 'longest stretch' provided, the nature of local roads suggests frequent intersections and changes in speed limits. The drive will feel more like navigating through communities rather than a straightforward transit, so be prepared for a more engaged driving experience.
95% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
30 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 109.7 mi on I 35.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 35 and I 35W. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 32.5 miles in.
Driving Effort7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 16 significant decision points across 259.4 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 32.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 33.4 miles (US 53 / Speaker Irvin N. Anderson Memorial Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 210.3 miles (I 35W): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 10m. Total distance: 259.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 10m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (95%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 109.7 miles on I 35. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
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 Lakeville, MN before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 32.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 33.4 miles (US 53 / Speaker Irvin N. Anderson Memorial Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 210.3 miles (I 35W): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Not recommended in a single day. At 5.2 hours each way, a round trip means 10.4 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Lakeville, MN before the return drive.
