Traveling from Baudette to Saint Cloud covers 255.4 miles of Minnesota terrain, a journey that typically takes about 5 hours and 21 minutes of drive time. Because this is a turn-heavy local drive rather than a high-speed interstate haul, you can comfortably complete the trip in a single day. Budgeting approximately $37 for fuel should cover your needs for the duration of the trek. You will be navigating via 51st Street Southwest, Highway 72, and Clark Avenue North to reach your destination. Since this route stays entirely within the Midwest, you won't experience significant regional shifts, but the transition from the northern reaches of the state toward Saint Cloud offers a steady change in scenery. It is a straightforward trip for those comfortable with local roads and ready for a full day behind the wheel.
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
127.7 miles from Baudette, MN
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 46m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US 10
64.2 mi
1h 13m
Highway 72 Northeast
43.2 mi
56m
State Highway 64 Southwest
33.7 mi
42m
State 64
28.6 mi
35m
Voyageur Highway
25.3 mi
32m
Washington Avenue South
13.7 mi
17m
State Highway 72
13.5 mi
17m
51st Street Southwest
11.8 mi
14m
Longest stretch:
US 10
— 64.2 mi, about 1h 13m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Baudette, MN and Saint Cloud, MN.
0.9 mi·1 min·State Highway 87 Southwest / State 64
25
Turn right onto MN 64
34 mi·42 min·State Highway 64 Southwest
26
At end of road, turn right onto MN 210
0.3 mi·20 sec·State Highway 210
27
At end of road, turn left onto US 10
60 mi·1 hr 8 min·US 10
Use the right lane.
28
Keep slight left at fork onto US 10
4.3 mi·5 min·US 10
29
Turn right onto East Saint Germain Street
0.7 mi·1 min·East Saint Germain Street
30
Continue on Veterans Bridge
0.2 mi·23 sec·Veterans Bridge
31
Continue on 1st Street North
0.2 mi·29 sec·1st Street North
32
Continue on 2nd Street North
393 ft·13 sec·2nd Street North
33
Turn left onto 8th Avenue North
253 ft·16 sec·8th Avenue North
34
Turn left onto Courthouse Square
7 ft·0 sec·Courthouse Square
35
Arrive at destination
Courthouse Square
Trip Plan
For a drive of this length, departing early in the morning is your best bet to ensure you arrive in Saint Cloud before nightfall, especially given the turn-heavy nature of the roads. You are allotted one stop for this trip, so plan to use it strategically to stretch your legs and refuel your vehicle. Keep a close eye on your navigation system, as the reliance on local roads like 51st Street Southwest and Clark Avenue North means you should be prepared for frequent directional changes. Since fuel costs are estimated at $37, check your tank before leaving Baudette to avoid unnecessary detours in smaller towns along the way. Staying alert and pacing your driving time will make this 5-hour and 21-minute trek much more manageable.
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 127.7 miles from Baudette, MN, or about 2h 46m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 64.2 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 56 miles or 1h 12m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 127.7 miles or 2h 46m 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 26m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Saint Cloud, MN than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Baudette, 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 Baudette, MN
This is one driving day of about 255.4 miles and 5h 21m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 56 miles from Baudette, 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 US 10 for about 64.2 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 17
5 decision points cluster between mile 1.8 and 255.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
1.8 mi into trip|~3m in|MN 72 / 51st Street Southwest
Turn right onto MN 72 / 51st Street Southwest
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
100.2 mi into trip|~2h 10m in|US 71 / Voyageur Highway
Enter roundabout onto US 71 / Voyageur Highway
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
5
106.4 mi into trip|~2h 18m in|US 71
Take the exit onto US 71 toward US 71 South, MN 197: Park Rapids, Bemidji
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 71 South, MN 197: Park Rapids, Bemidj...
5
190 mi into trip|~4h 4m in|US 10
At end of road, turn left onto US 10
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
255.4 mi into trip|~5h 21m in|8th Avenue North
Turn left onto 8th Avenue North
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$38.01 one way
$76.02 round trip
$3.78/gal25.4 MPG avg89 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.07
$40.95
$81.91
premium
$4.53
$45.57
$91.14
diesel
$5.61
$56.39
$112.78
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$38
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$63–$88
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 89.4 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $27 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
76.6
0
$26.82
$12.26
Efficient EV
63.9
0
$22.35
$10.22
EV Truck/SUV
102.2
1
$35.76
$16.35
Gas CO2
89 kg
EV CO2
30 kg (66% 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
Baudette, MN
Evening
in Baudette on Saturday
Local time
8:26 PM
CDT
Current temp
56°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Saint Cloud, MN
Evening
in Saint Cloud on Saturday
Local time
8:26 PM
CDT
Current temp
67°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
11 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
5h 21m 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 very different experience than a standard interstate cruise, as this path is entirely defined by local roads with zero highway share. The personality of this drive is decidedly turn-heavy, requiring your full attention as you navigate through various segments. Because you aren't dealing with fast-paced, multi-lane highways, the pace feels more intimate and connected to the local landscape. You will find that the road composition remains consistent throughout the 255.4-mile journey, demanding a steady hand and a patient approach. Prepare for a technical drive that keeps you engaged with the road rather than allowing you to zone out on a monotonous, straight stretch.
67% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
35 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 64.2 mi on US 10.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 10 and Highway 72 Northeast. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 1.8 miles in near MN 72 / 51st Street Southwest.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 5h 21m drive. You will face about 17 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.8 miles (MN 72 / 51st Street Southwest): Lane positioning matters here; at 100.2 miles (US 71 / Voyageur Highway): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 106.4 miles (US 71): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
1,510 ft1,037 ft
Total Climb
616 ft
Total Descent
667 ft
Highest Point
1,510 ft
~109.5 mi in
Elevation Range
473 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Baudette, MN to Saint Cloud, MN, road signs begin pointing toward Bemidji along the way.
Saint Cloud is a city in Central Minnesota with a population of 68,000 (2018). Although it may have few attractions to draw the tourist, it is a nexus of medical advances, particularly in orthopedics (St. Cloud Orthopedics Associates, for example). It is also a college town as it is home to St. Cloud State University and St Cloud Technical College. The College of St. Benedict and St. John's University are nearby.
The longest stretch is about 64.2 miles on US 10. 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.
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 1.8 miles (MN 72 / 51st Street Southwest): Lane positioning matters here; at 100.2 miles (US 71 / Voyageur Highway): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 106.4 miles (US 71): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Not recommended in a single day. At 5.4 hours each way, a round trip means 10.7 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Saint Cloud, MN before the return drive.
