Brooklyn Park, MN to Royalton, MN is 74.3 miles and takes about 1 hour 31 minutes via US 10 and I-94 W, with a fuel budget near $13 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a straightforward trip within Minnesota, connecting two points in the Midwest. The drive is predominantly on major highways, making it a quick and efficient transit between these locations. It's a good option if you need to get from the Twin Cities area further north without a lengthy travel day. Plan for a simple, direct route with minimal complexity.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
37.2 miles from Brooklyn Park, MN
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 47m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US 10
42.3 mi
49m
I-94 W
12.6 mi
13m
I 94
6 mi
6m
County Road 81
3.3 mi
5m
MN-610
2.1 mi
2m
165th Avenue Southeast
1.8 mi
2m
Park Boulevard Southeast
1.4 mi
1m
Brooklyn Boulevard
1.4 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
US 10
— 42.3 mi, about 49m
Traffic on I-94
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 14 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~3,766 veh/hr typical
· worst 4,539
Quietest
2 AM
~197 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
19.1×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 47 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 Brooklyn Park, MN and Royalton, 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
0.1 mi·19 sec·State Highway 25
12
Turn left onto County Road 11
0.7 mi·53 sec·County Road 11
13
Continue on Park Boulevard Southeast
1.4 mi·1 min·Park Boulevard Southeast
14
Continue on 165th Avenue Southeast
1.8 mi·2 min·165th Avenue Southeast
15
Turn left onto US 10
42 mi·49 min·US 10
16
Turn right onto CH 26; IC F
101 ft·2 sec·West Centre Street
17
Arrive at destination
CH 26; IC F
Trip Plan
Since this trip is only about 74 miles and should take under two hours, you have a lot of flexibility. Leaving anytime morning or afternoon works well, and you likely won't need scheduled stops for rest. Aim to depart Brooklyn Park when you feel ready, perhaps after morning rush hour if you're heading out of the immediate metro area. With a fuel cost estimated at $13, it’s a budget-friendly drive. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge as you head north on US 10, as services can become more spread out once you're off the interstate.
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.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 37.2 miles from Brooklyn Park, MN, or about 47m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 42.3 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 16 miles or 20m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 37.2 miles or 47m 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 17m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Royalton, MN than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Brooklyn Park, MN so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Brooklyn Park, MN
This is one driving day of about 74.3 miles and 1h 31m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 16 miles from Brooklyn Park, MN.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on US 10 for about 42.3 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 10
5 decision points cluster between mile 1.4 and 20.9 — 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.
4
20.9 mi into trip|~26m in|I 94
Keep slight left at fork onto I 94
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$12.50 one way
$25.00 round trip
$4.27/gal25.4 MPG avg26 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.60
$13.46
$26.92
premium
$5.04
$14.73
$29.46
diesel
$5.64
$16.50
$32.99
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$13
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$38–$63
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 26 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-05-11.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging
· 0 stops
· 65% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
22.3
0
$7.80
$3.57
Efficient EV
18.6
0
$6.50
$2.97
EV Truck/SUV
29.7
0
$10.40
$4.76
Gas CO2
26 kg
EV CO2
9 kg (65% 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
Brooklyn Park, MN
Late night
in Brooklyn Park on Saturday
Local time
12:41 AM
CDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Royalton, MN
Late night
in Royalton on Saturday
Local time
12:41 AM
CDT
Current temp
45°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
23 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
1h 31m 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 85% of this 74.3-mile drive on highways, primarily I-94 W and US 10. The longest stretch without a major turn or exit will be 42.3 miles on US 10. Most of the route features rural cruising on well-maintained roads. You'll transition from highway speeds on I-94 to US 10 for the latter portion of the trip.
85% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 42.3 mi on US 10.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 10 and I-94 W. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 1.4 miles in near CR 81 / Bottineau Boulevard.
Driving Effort6/10
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 74.3 miles you will encounter 10 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: 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.
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 31m. Total distance: 74.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 31m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (85%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 42.3 miles on US 10. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 4 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.
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 Royalton, 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 Royalton, MN before heading back.
