Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 4, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
2h 15m
Distance
106.3 mi
171 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$17
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Blaine, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Lake Crystal, MN
Tom Fisk
The drive from Blaine, MN to Lake Crystal, MN covers 106.3 miles and takes about 2h 15m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on US 169, MN 100, Central Avenue Northeast for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 75.3 miles on US 169. At current regular gas prices, budget about $16.83 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
53.1 miles from Blaine, MN
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 9m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 169 | 75.3 mi | 1h 31m |
| MN 100 | 15.3 mi | 19m |
| Central Avenue Northeast | 6.3 mi | 9m |
| Louisville Road | 2 mi | 3m |
| I 694 | 1.8 mi | 2m |
| I 494 | 1.5 mi | 1m |
| North Main Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| 147th Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 7 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
2 PM
~3,446 veh/hr typical
Quietest
2 AM
~246 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
14×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 4 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Blaine, MN and Lake Crystal, MN.
Start on MN 65
Continue on MN 65
Continue on MN 65
Take the exit
Merge onto I 694
Take the exit
Continue on MN 100
Take the exit
Merge onto I 494; MN 5
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto US 169
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Continue on CR 78
Turn right onto Louisville Road
Turn right onto 147th Street
Turn left onto Red Rock Drive
Take the ramp
Merge onto US 169
Continue on US 169
Continue on US 169
Continue on US 169; MN 99
Continue on US 169; MN 60
Take the exit onto CR 76
Continue on CR 76
Turn right onto CR 74
Arrive at destination
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
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 23 miles or 30m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 53.1 miles or 1h 9m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 51m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Lake Crystal, MN than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Blaine, 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 Blaine, MN
This is one driving day of about 106.3 miles and 2h 15m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
53 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.
A short stop after about 23 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 53.1 miles from Blaine, MN, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before US 169 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 75.3 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
5 decision points cluster between mile 8.7 and 40.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Take the exit toward MN 100
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward I 494 West, MN 5 West
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward US 169 South, US 169 North
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward MN 41, CR 78: Chestnut Boulevard
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork toward CR 78: Chestnut Boulevard
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$16.83 one way
$33.66 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.28 | $17.92 | $35.85 |
| premium | $4.85 | $20.29 | $40.58 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $23.43 | $46.86 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$17
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$42–$67
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 37.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $11 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 31.9 | 0 | $11.16 | $5.10 |
| Efficient EV | 26.6 | 0 | $9.30 | $4.25 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 42.5 | 0 | $14.88 | $6.80 |
Gas CO2
37 kg
EV CO2
12 kg (68% 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Late night in Blaine on Friday
Local time
4:33 AM
CDT
Current temp
66°F
Mostly Clear
Destination
Late night in Lake Crystal on Friday
Local time
4:33 AM
CDT
Current temp
68°F
Mostly Clear then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
64°F
Jordan, MN
53 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
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
106.3 mi in 2h 15m, mostly highway — 75.3 mi of that is on US 169.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 169 and MN 100. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 8.7 miles in.
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 18 significant decision points across 106.3 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 8.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 24.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 26.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
608 ft
Total Descent
514 ft
Highest Point
998 ft
~106.3 mi in
Elevation Range
259 ft
Founded 1877
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 15m. Total distance: 106.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 15m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (88%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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