Origin
Clear Lake, MN
Morning in Clear Lake on Tuesday
Local time
7:04 AM
CDT
Current temp
38°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Clear Lake, MN to Blaine, MN
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
59m
Distance
47.7 mi
77 km
Drive Score
5/10
Practical drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 55m
★
6 AM
0h 59m
8 AM
1h 9m
10 AM
1h 3m
12 PM
1h 2m
3 PM
1h 3m
5 PM
1h 9m
8 PM
0h 57m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Clear Lake, MN
Tom Fisk
Blaine, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This straightforward 47.7-mile drive from Clear Lake to Blaine, Minnesota, is easily manageable in about 59 minutes, making it an ideal day trip. With 95% of the journey on highways, you'll find it to be a quick and efficient route. The estimated fuel cost is around $7, which is quite budget-friendly for a trip of this nature. Given its short duration and highway focus, this drive is perfect for a single day, allowing for flexibility in your schedule. You'll be staying within the Midwest region for this entire Minnesota excursion.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 10 | 45.1 mi | 55m |
| Central Avenue Northeast | 1.9 mi | 2m |
| Center Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
US 10
— 45.1 mi, about 55m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Clear Lake, MN and Blaine, MN.
1
Start on MN 24
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
·
Center Street
2
Turn right onto US 10
42 mi
·
52 min
·
US 10
Use the left lane.
3
Keep slight left at fork onto US 10
2.8 mi
·
3 min
·
US 10
4
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
1 min
Toward MN 65: Central Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Turn left onto MN 65
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Central Avenue Northeast
Use the left lane.
6
Arrive at destination
MN 65
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
24 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.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 23.8 miles from Clear Lake, 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.
Heads-up: tricky spots
4 of 44 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 45.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 10
Turn right onto US 10
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
4
42.5 mi into trip
|
~52m in
|
US 10
Keep slight left at fork onto US 10
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
6
45.3 mi into trip
|
~55m in
Take the exit toward MN 65: Central Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward MN 65: Central Avenue
6
45.7 mi into trip
|
~56m in
|
MN 65 / Central Avenue Northeast
Turn left onto MN 65 / Central Avenue Northeast
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.10 one way
$14.20 round trip
$3.78/gal
25.4 MPG avg
17 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.07 | $7.65 | $15.30 |
| premium | $4.53 | $8.51 | $17.02 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.53 | $21.06 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 16.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.3 | 0 | $5.01 | $2.29 |
| Efficient EV | 11.9 | 0 | $4.17 | $1.91 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 19.1 | 0 | $6.68 | $3.05 |
Gas CO2
17 kg
EV CO2
6 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.
Destination
Blaine, MN
Morning in Blaine on Tuesday
Local time
7:04 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
21 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
59m 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 the majority of this 47.7-mile trip, with 95% of your travel occurring on major roads. You'll spend a good portion of the drive on US 10, which forms the longest uninterrupted stretch at 45.1 miles. This means you'll likely encounter consistent speeds and a predictable driving environment for most of the journey. The route is designed for efficiency, prioritizing speed and directness over varied terrain or winding backroads.
95% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
6 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 45.1 mi on US 10.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 10 and Central Avenue Northeast. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near US 10.
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 59m 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 0.2 miles (US 10): Lane positioning matters here; at 42.5 miles (US 10): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 45.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 59m. Total distance: 47.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
59m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (95%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 45.1 miles on US 10. 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 0.2 miles (US 10): Lane positioning matters here; at 42.5 miles (US 10): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 45.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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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