Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 5, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 15m
Distance
63.4 mi
102 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Bloomington, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Clearwater, MN
Tom Fisk
The drive from Bloomington, MN to Clearwater, MN covers 63.4 miles and takes about 1h 15m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 94, I 494, I 35W for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 37.9 miles on I 94. At current regular gas prices, budget about $10.04 one way before food or hotel costs.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 94 | 37.9 mi | 40m |
| I 494 | 21.7 mi | 27m |
| I 35W | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| State Highway 24 | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Ash Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| CR 75 | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Lowerbluff Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| West 90th Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 40 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~3,218 veh/hr typical · worst 4,035
Quietest
2 AM
~172 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
18.7×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 99 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Bloomington, MN and Clearwater, MN.
Start on West 90th Street
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 35W
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto I 494; MN 5
Keep slight left at fork onto I 494; MN 5
Keep slight left at fork
Continue on I 94
Keep slight left at fork onto I 94
Take the exit
Turn right onto MN 24
Turn left onto CR 75
Turn right onto Ash Street
Turn left onto Lowerbluff Street
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
32 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 14 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 31.7 miles from Bloomington, MN, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
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 23.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Take the ramp toward I 35W North
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
Take the exit toward I 494 East, MN 5 East
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 I 494 West, MN 5 West
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork onto I 494; MN 5
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork toward I 94 West: Saint Cloud
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$10.04 one way
$20.08 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.28 | $10.69 | $21.38 |
| premium | $4.85 | $12.10 | $24.20 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $13.98 | $27.95 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 22.2 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 | 19 | 0 | $6.66 | $3.04 |
| Efficient EV | 15.9 | 0 | $5.55 | $2.54 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 25.4 | 0 | $8.88 | $4.06 |
Gas CO2
22 kg
EV CO2
7 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
Night in Bloomington on Friday
Local time
10:25 PM
CDT
Current temp
80°F
Partly Sunny
Destination
Night in Clearwater on Friday
Local time
10:25 PM
CDT
Current temp
81°F
Mostly Sunny
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.
63.4 mi in 1h 15m, mostly highway — 37.9 mi of that is on I 94.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 94 and I 494. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive.
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 63.4 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: Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 1.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
341 ft
Total Descent
205 ft
Highest Point
1,005 ft
~54.4 mi in
Elevation Range
180 ft
Founded 1843
Bloomington, Minnesota is a suburb of Minneapolis. It is near the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP IATA) and home to the Mall of America, the United States' largest shopping mall. Bloomington has a population of 89,000 people (as of 2021). Bloomington was established as a post–World War II housing boom suburb connected to Minneapolis's urban street grid, and is served by two major freeways: Interstate 35W and Interstate 494.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 15m. Total distance: 63.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 15m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (96%). 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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