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Trip from Cambridge, MN to Blaine, MN

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

36m

Distance

29.5 mi

47 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$4

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 9 min
4 AM
0h 34m ★
6 AM
0h 37m
8 AM
0h 43m
10 AM
0h 39m
12 PM
0h 38m
3 PM
0h 39m
5 PM
0h 43m
8 PM
0h 35m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Downtown Cambridge, MN, MN

Cambridge, MN

Tom Fisk

city in Anoka County, Minnesota, United States

Blaine, MN

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Cambridge to Blaine is 29.5 miles and takes about 36 minutes via Chip A. Imker Memorial Highway, with a fuel budget near $4 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within Minnesota, moving from the Midwest region to another part of the Midwest. The drive is a mixed bag, offering a straightforward path for a quick commute or a brief excursion. Given its short duration, it's ideal for a day trip or an easy leg of a longer journey. Plan for minimal travel time and a low fuel cost on this direct route.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Chip A. Imker Memorial Highway 18.2 mi 21m
MN 65 10.3 mi 12m
1st Avenue West 0.6 mi 1m
Central Avenue Northeast <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Chip A. Imker Memorial Highway — 18.2 mi, about 21m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Cambridge, MN and Blaine, MN.

1

Start on MN 95

0.6 mi · 1 min · 1st Avenue West
2

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 43 sec
3

Merge onto MN 65

18 mi · 21 min · Chip A. Imker Memorial Highway
Use the right lane.
4

Keep slight right at fork onto MN 65

10 mi · 12 min · MN 65
Use the left lane.
5

Turn left onto MN 65

103 ft · 10 sec · Central Avenue Northeast
6

Arrive at destination

MN 65

Heads-up: tricky spots

4 of 4

4 decision points cluster between mile 0.6 and 29.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

4
0.6 mi into trip | ~1m in

Take the ramp

Navigation decision point

5
1 mi into trip | ~2m in | MN 65 / Chip A. Imker Memorial Highway

Merge onto MN 65 / Chip A. Imker Memorial Highway

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.
6
19.2 mi into trip | ~23m in | MN 65

Keep slight right at fork onto MN 65

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
3
29.4 mi into trip | ~36m in | MN 65 / Central Avenue Northeast

Turn left onto MN 65 / Central Avenue Northeast

Navigation decision point

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$4.39 one way

$8.78 round trip

$3.78/gal 25.4 MPG avg 10 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.07 $4.73 $9.46
premium $4.53 $5.26 $10.53
diesel $5.61 $6.51 $13.03

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$4

Estimated CO2 emission: 10.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 8.9 0 $3.10 $1.42
Efficient EV 7.4 0 $2.58 $1.18
EV Truck/SUV 11.8 0 $4.13 $1.89

Gas CO2

10 kg

EV CO2

3 kg (70% 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 Apr 19, 2026

Origin

Cambridge, MN

Late night in Cambridge on Tuesday

Local time

5:59 AM

CDT

Current temp

33°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Blaine, MN

Late night in Blaine on Tuesday

Local time

5:59 AM

CDT

Current temp

59°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

26 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

36m 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?

This drive features a 35% highway share, meaning you'll encounter a good mix of faster roads and local streets. The longest uninterrupted stretch is 18.2 miles along the Chip A. Imker Memorial Highway, providing a solid period of consistent travel. You'll primarily navigate using the Chip A. Imker Memorial Highway and MN 65, with 1st Avenue West also playing a role closer to your destination. Expect the character of the drive to shift as you transition from more open highway driving to more developed areas.

35% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
6 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 18.2 mi on Chip A. Imker Memorial Highway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

3/10

This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.6 miles in.

Driving Effort 3/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a straightforward 36m drive. You will face about 4 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 0.6 miles: Navigation decision point; at 1 miles (MN 65 / Chip A. Imker Memorial Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 19.2 miles (MN 65): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 36m. Total distance: 29.5 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

36m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (35%). Straightforward navigation.

Scenic Drive

Mixed highway & surface route profile.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 18.2 miles on Chip A. Imker Memorial Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

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 0.6 miles: Navigation decision point; at 1 miles (MN 65 / Chip A. Imker Memorial Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 19.2 miles (MN 65): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Blaine, 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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