Blaine to Wells is 120.6 miles and takes about 2h 32m via US 10 and State Highway 60, with a fuel budget near $20 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Minnesota, moving you south from the Midwest region. With 66% of the route on highways, expect a mix of efficient travel and more local cruising. It's a straightforward, single-day trip, perfect if you're looking for a relatively short haul with minimal fuss.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
60.3 miles from Blaine, MN
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 11m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US 10
64 mi
1h 14m
State Highway 60
10.6 mi
13m
35th Street
9.4 mi
12m
Morristown Boulevard
7.8 mi
9m
East Elysian Lake Road
6.5 mi
8m
570th Avenue
6.5 mi
8m
20th Street
3 mi
4m
State Highway 83
2.6 mi
3m
Longest stretch:
US 10
— 64 mi, about 1h 14m
Traffic on I-35
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 30 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~3,968 veh/hr typical
· worst 4,635
Quietest
2 AM
~231 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
17.2×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 34 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Blaine, MN and Wells, MN.
1
Start on MN 65
26 ft·8 sec·Central Avenue Northeast
2
Continue on MN 65
1.9 mi·2 min·Central Avenue Northeast
Use the left lane.
3
Take the exit
0.3 mi·44 sec
Toward US 10 EastUse the straight / right lanes.
4
Merge onto US 10
64 mi·1 hr 14 min·US 10
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
5
Take the exit
0.2 mi·28 sec
Exit 56Toward MN 60
6
Keep slight left at fork
251 ft·8 sec
Exit 56Toward MN 60 West
7
Turn left onto MN 60; I 35 ALT
1.0 mi·1 min·Highway 60 West
Use the left / straight lanes.
8
Continue on MN 60; I 35 ALT
7.8 mi·9 min·Morristown Boulevard
9
Continue on MN 60
11 mi·13 min·State Highway 60
10
Turn left onto CR 3
6.5 mi·8 min·East Elysian Lake Road
11
Continue on CR 3
0.3 mi·26 sec·North Owen Street
12
Turn right onto CR 3
0.5 mi·1 min·East 1st Street
13
Turn left onto CR 3
0.4 mi·55 sec·North Main Street
14
Continue on CR 3
2.5 mi·3 min·30th Street
15
Turn straight onto CR 3
0.5 mi·41 sec·355th Avenue
16
Continue on CR 3
9.4 mi·12 min·35th Street
17
Continue on CR 3; CR 4
0.5 mi·1 min·Main Street
18
Turn left onto MN 83; CR 3
2.6 mi·3 min·State Highway 83
19
Turn right onto MN 30; CR 3
1.5 mi·1 min·State Highway 30
20
Turn left onto CR 3
3.0 mi·4 min·20th Street
21
Continue on CH 29
6.5 mi·8 min·570th Avenue
22
Continue on CH 29
0.5 mi·1 min·2nd Avenue Northwest
23
Turn right onto MN 109
120 ft·3 sec·1st Street Northwest
24
Arrive at destination
MN 109
Trip Plan
For this relatively short 2.5-hour drive, you can easily depart anytime and still arrive with plenty of daylight. Since the total fuel cost is estimated at $20 and the longest stretch is 64 miles, you likely won't need to stop for gas unless your tank is very low. Plan for one brief stop to break up the drive, perhaps around the halfway point. Keep an eye out for the transition from US 10 to State Highway 60, as this is where the road character changes.
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.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 60.3 miles from Blaine, MN, or about 1h 11m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 64 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 27 miles or 32m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 60.3 miles or 1h 11m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 2m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Wells, MN than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
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 120.6 miles and 2h 32m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 27 miles from Blaine, 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 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 13
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 66.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip|~0m in|MN 65 / Central Avenue Northeast
Continue onto MN 65 / Central Avenue Northeast
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
1.9 mi into trip|~3m in
Take the exit toward US 10 East
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Toward US 10 East
5
2.2 mi into trip|~3m in|US 10
Merge onto US 10
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
5
66.3 mi into trip|~1h 18m in
Take the exit toward MN 60
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 56
Toward MN 60
7
66.5 mi into trip|~1h 18m in
Keep slight left at fork toward MN 60 West
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Exit 56
Toward MN 60 West
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$20.29 one way
$40.58 round trip
$4.27/gal25.4 MPG avg42 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.60
$21.85
$43.70
premium
$5.04
$23.91
$47.82
diesel
$5.64
$26.77
$53.55
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$20
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$45–$70
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 42.2 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-05-11.
Driving Electric?
About $13 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
36.2
0
$12.66
$5.79
Efficient EV
30.2
0
$10.55
$4.82
EV Truck/SUV
48.2
0
$16.88
$7.72
Gas CO2
42 kg
EV CO2
14 kg (67% 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.
Forecast as of May 15, 2026
Origin
Blaine, MN
Afternoon
in Blaine on Friday
Local time
4:10 PM
CDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Wells, MN
Afternoon
in Wells on Friday
Local time
4:10 PM
CDT
Current temp
69°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
1 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
2h 32m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
You'll spend about 66% of this 120.6-mile drive on highways, with the longest continuous stretch being 64 miles on US 10. The transition to surface roads will likely occur as you approach and navigate through towns. Expect a good amount of rural cruising interspersed with more developed stretches as you encounter urban merging.
66% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
24 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 64 mi on US 10.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 10 and State Highway 60. You will hit about 13 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near MN 65 / Central Avenue Northeast.
Driving Effort5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 120.6 miles you will encounter 13 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
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.
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 32m. Total distance: 120.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 32m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (66%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 64 miles on US 10. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 3 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
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.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Wells, MN before heading back.
