Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 8, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 25m
Distance
71.1 mi
114 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$11
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
Shieldsville, MN
Tom Fisk
The drive from Blaine, MN to Shieldsville, MN covers 71.1 miles and takes about 1h 25m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on US 10, State Highway 21, Central Avenue Northeast for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 61.8 miles on US 10. At current regular gas prices, budget about $11.26 one way before food or hotel costs.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 10 | 61.8 mi | 1h 11m |
| State Highway 21 | 5.7 mi | 7m |
| Central Avenue Northeast | 1.9 mi | 2m |
| Shieldsville Boulevard | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| I 35 Business | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| 153rd Street West | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Geneva Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 60 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~4,040 veh/hr typical · worst 4,740
Quietest
2 AM
~239 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
16.9×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 82 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Blaine, MN and Shieldsville, MN.
Start on MN 65
Continue on MN 65
Take the exit
Merge onto US 10
Take the exit
Continue on I 35 Business
At end of road, turn left onto MN 21; I 35 ALT
Continue on MN 21
Turn left onto 153rd Street West
At end of road, turn left onto CR 10
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
36 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 16 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 35.5 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 10 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 61.8 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 0 and 71.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Continue onto MN 65 / Central Avenue Northeast
Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward US 10 East
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Merge onto US 10
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward MN 21
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
At end of road, turn left onto CR 10 / Geneva Avenue
Navigation decision point
Regular Gas
$11.26 one way
$22.52 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.28 | $11.99 | $23.98 |
| premium | $4.85 | $13.57 | $27.14 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $15.67 | $31.35 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 24.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 21.3 | 0 | $7.47 | $3.41 |
| Efficient EV | 17.8 | 0 | $6.22 | $2.84 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 28.4 | 0 | $9.95 | $4.55 |
Gas CO2
25 kg
EV CO2
8 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 Tuesday
Local time
1:45 AM
CDT
Current temp
66°F
Partly Cloudy
Destination
Late night in Shieldsville on Tuesday
Local time
1:45 AM
CDT
Current temp
65°F
Partly Cloudy
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.
71.1 mi in 1h 25m, mostly highway — 61.8 mi of that is on US 10.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 10 and State Highway 21. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near MN 65 / Central Avenue Northeast.
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Blaine, MN to Shieldsville, MN is easy. At 1h 25m with 95% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (MN 65 / Central Avenue Northeast): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 2.2 miles (US 10): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
548 ft
Total Descent
355 ft
Highest Point
1,096 ft
~71.1 mi in
Elevation Range
396 ft
Founded 1877
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 25m. Total distance: 71.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 25m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (95%). Straightforward navigation.
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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