Origin
Brooklyn Park, MN
Afternoon in Brooklyn Park on Sunday
Local time
4:55 PM
CDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Brooklyn Park, MN to Big Lake, MN
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
41m
Distance
30.9 mi
50 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 38m
★
6 AM
0h 41m
8 AM
0h 48m
10 AM
0h 44m
12 PM
0h 43m
3 PM
0h 44m
5 PM
0h 48m
8 PM
0h 39m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Brooklyn Park, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Big Lake, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This straightforward 30.9-mile drive from Brooklyn Park, MN, to Big Lake, MN, is easily manageable within a single day, taking approximately 41 minutes. It's a short hop through the Midwest, staying within Minnesota the entire time. With a projected fuel cost of $5, this trip is quite budget-friendly. The route predominantly utilizes major highways, making it a convenient option for a quick excursion or a segment of a larger journey. You'll find this drive to be practical and efficient, perfect for when you need to get from point A to point B without much fuss.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I-94 W | 12.6 mi | 13m |
| I 94 | 6 mi | 6m |
| County Road 81 | 3.3 mi | 5m |
| State Highway 25 | 2.8 mi | 5m |
| MN-610 | 2.1 mi | 2m |
| Brooklyn Boulevard | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| Bottineau Boulevard | 1.2 mi | 1m |
| Pine Street | 0.8 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
I-94 W
— 12.6 mi, about 13m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Brooklyn Park, MN and Big Lake, MN.
1
Start on CR 14
34 ft
·
5 sec
·
Zane Avenue North
2
Turn left onto CR 152
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Brooklyn Boulevard
3
Turn right onto CR 81
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Bottineau Boulevard
Use the left lane.
4
Continue on CR 81
3.3 mi
·
5 min
·
County Road 81
5
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
Toward MN 610 West
6
Merge onto MN 610
2.1 mi
·
2 min
·
MN-610
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Merge onto I 94
13 mi
·
13 min
·
I-94 W
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork onto I 94
6.0 mi
·
6 min
·
I 94
9
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
10
Turn right onto MN 25
0.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Pine Street
11
Continue on MN 25
2.8 mi
·
5 min
·
State Highway 25
12
Turn left onto US 10; MN 25
266 ft
·
43 sec
·
Jefferson Boulevard
13
Turn uturn onto US 10; MN 25
125 ft
·
3 sec
·
Jefferson Boulevard
14
Arrive at destination
US 10; MN 25
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 95 decision points cluster between mile 1.4 and 30.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
1.4 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
CR 81 / Bottineau Boulevard
Turn right onto CR 81 / Bottineau Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
4
5.9 mi into trip
|
~9m in
Take the exit toward MN 610 West
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward MN 610 West
5
6.2 mi into trip
|
~10m in
|
MN 610 / MN-610
Merge onto MN 610 / MN-610
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
8.3 mi into trip
|
~12m in
|
I 94 / I-94 W
Merge onto I 94 / I-94 W
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
30.9 mi into trip
|
~41m in
|
US 10; MN 25 / Jefferson Boulevard
Turn uturn onto US 10; MN 25 / Jefferson Boulevard
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.60 one way
$9.20 round trip
$3.78/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.07 | $4.95 | $9.91 |
| premium | $4.53 | $5.51 | $11.03 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.82 | $13.64 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.3 | 0 | $3.24 | $1.48 |
| Efficient EV | 7.7 | 0 | $2.70 | $1.24 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.4 | 0 | $4.33 | $1.98 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (64% 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.
Destination
Big Lake, MN
Afternoon in Big Lake on Sunday
Local time
4:55 PM
CDT
Current temp
43°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
4 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
41m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a highway-focused experience for this journey, with 76% of the drive on main roads like I-94 W and County Road 81. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 12.6 miles on I-94 W, offering a consistent pace. While primarily highway, the route does incorporate county roads, providing a slight shift in scenery and speed as you progress. This isn't a winding, scenic byway, but rather a functional drive designed for efficient travel between these two Minnesota locations.
76% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 12.6 mi on I-94 W.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I-94 W and I 94. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.4 miles in near CR 81 / Bottineau Boulevard.
Driving Effort
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 9 decision points packed into just 30.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 41m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.4 miles (CR 81 / Bottineau Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 5.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 6.2 miles (MN 610 / MN-610): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 41m. Total distance: 30.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
41m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (76%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 12.6 miles on I-94 W. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Big Lake, MN before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 1.4 miles (CR 81 / Bottineau Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 5.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 6.2 miles (MN 610 / MN-610): 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 Big Lake, MN before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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