Eagan, MN to Bemidji, MN is 233 miles and takes about 4h 47m via US 10 and State Highway 64, with a fuel budget near $35 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This route stays within the Midwest, traversing Minnesota for its entirety. It's a straightforward trip, mostly on highways, making it a good option if you need to get from point A to point B efficiently. You'll encounter one planned stop, so consider that when timing your departure. The total distance is manageable for a single day of driving.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
116.5 miles from Eagan, MN
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 21m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US 10
85.9 mi
1h 39m
State Highway 64 Southwest
33.7 mi
42m
State 64
28.6 mi
35m
I 494
24.8 mi
30m
I 94
22.6 mi
24m
US 71
15.5 mi
20m
State Highway 200
4.6 mi
5m
Cedar Avenue
4.1 mi
4m
Longest stretch:
US 10
— 85.9 mi, about 1h 39m
Traffic on I-94
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 20 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~4,135 veh/hr typical
· worst 4,804
Quietest
2 AM
~220 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
18.8×
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 Eagan, MN and Bemidji, MN.
1
Start on CR 31
222 ft·6 sec·Pilot Knob Road
2
Turn left onto CR 30
2.0 mi·3 min·Diffley Road
Use the left lane.
3
Enter roundabout onto CR 30
100 ft·2 sec·Diffley Road
4
Continue on CR 30
0.5 mi·1 min·Diffley Road
5
Take the ramp
304 ft·8 sec
Toward MN 77 North: Cedar Avenue
6
Turn slight right
0.3 mi·34 sec
7
Merge onto MN 77
4.1 mi·4 min·Cedar Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi·25 sec
Toward I 494 West, MN 5 WestUse the right lane.
9
Merge onto I 494; MN 5
8.8 mi·11 min·I 494; MN 5
Use the straight / right lanes.
10
Keep slight left at fork onto I 494; MN 5
16 mi·19 min·I 494; MN 5
Use the straight / right lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork
0.6 mi·49 sec
Exit 27Toward I 94 West: Saint CloudUse the slight left / slight right lanes.
12
Continue on I 94
17 mi·18 min·I 94
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight left at fork onto I 94
6.0 mi·6 min·I 94
14
Take the exit
0.4 mi·52 sec
15
Turn right onto MN 25
0.8 mi·2 min·Pine Street
16
Continue on MN 25
0.1 mi·19 sec·State Highway 25
17
Turn left onto County Road 11
0.7 mi·53 sec·County Road 11
18
Continue on Park Boulevard Southeast
1.4 mi·1 min·Park Boulevard Southeast
19
Continue on 165th Avenue Southeast
1.8 mi·2 min·165th Avenue Southeast
20
Turn left onto US 10
54 mi·1 hr 3 min·US 10
21
Keep slight left at fork onto US 10
32 mi·35 min·US 10
22
Turn right onto MN 210
0.3 mi·35 sec·State Highway 210
23
Turn left onto MN 64
34 mi·42 min·State Highway 64 Southwest
24
At end of road, turn left onto MN 64; MN 87
0.9 mi·1 min·State Highway 87 Southwest / State 64
25
Continue on MN 64; MN 87
13 mi·16 min·State 64
26
Continue on MN 64
0.9 mi·1 min·Marie Avenue Southeast
27
Turn right onto MN 34; MN 64
0.6 mi·55 sec·Broadway Street East
28
Turn left onto MN 64
16 mi·19 min·State 64
29
At end of road, turn left onto MN 200
4.6 mi·5 min·State Highway 200
30
Continue on US 71
16 mi·20 min·US 71
31
Turn left onto MN 197
1.3 mi·2 min·Paul Bunyan Drive Southeast
Use the straight / right lanes.
32
Continue on MN 197
0.3 mi·46 sec·Bemidji Avenue North
33
Turn left onto 6th Street Northwest
193 ft·13 sec·6th Street Northwest
34
Turn left
47 ft·3 sec
35
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
For this 4 hour and 47 minute drive, leaving Eagan in the morning is recommended to maximize daylight. With a single recommended stop, you can easily complete this trip in one day. Keep an eye on your fuel, especially as you approach Bemidji, as the longest stretch without a clear stop point is over 85 miles. The estimated fuel cost is around $35, so factor that into your budget. Since it’s a single-day trip, you have the flexibility to adjust your departure time based on traffic or weather.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 116.5 miles from Eagan, MN, or about 2h 21m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 85.9 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 51 miles or 1h 2m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 116.5 miles or 2h 21m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 51m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Bemidji, MN than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Eagan, MN so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Eagan, MN
This is one driving day of about 233 miles and 4h 47m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 51 miles from Eagan, MN.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on US 10 for about 85.9 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 21
5 decision points cluster between mile 2 and 32 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
2 mi into trip|~3m in|CR 30 / Diffley Road
Enter roundabout onto CR 30 / Diffley Road
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
5
2.9 mi into trip|~5m in|MN 77 / Cedar Avenue
Merge onto MN 77 / Cedar Avenue
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
7 mi into trip|~10m in
Take the exit toward I 494 West, MN 5 West
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Toward I 494 West, MN 5 West
6
16 mi into trip|~21m in|I 494; MN 5
Keep slight left at fork onto I 494; MN 5
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
8
32 mi into trip|~41m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 94 West: Saint Cloud
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Exit 27
Toward I 94 West: Saint Cloud
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$39.20 one way
$78.39 round trip
$4.27/gal25.4 MPG avg82 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.60
$42.22
$84.43
premium
$5.04
$46.20
$92.39
diesel
$5.64
$51.73
$103.46
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$39
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$64–$89
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 81.5 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-05-11.
Driving Electric?
About $24 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
69.9
0
$24.47
$11.18
Efficient EV
58.3
0
$20.39
$9.32
EV Truck/SUV
93.2
1
$32.62
$14.91
Gas CO2
82 kg
EV CO2
27 kg (67% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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 10, 2026
Origin
Eagan, MN
Night
in Eagan on Friday
Local time
9:13 PM
CDT
Current temp
60°F
Sunny
NW 15 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Bemidji, MN
Night
in Bemidji on Friday
Local time
9:13 PM
CDT
Current temp
67°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
7 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
4h 47m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is mostly highway, with 81% of the 233 miles on high-speed roads. You'll experience a long stretch of 85.9 miles on US 10 before transitioning to surface roads. Expect to encounter more frequent exits and merges on the highway portions. The final segment will be on State Highway 64 Southwest and State 64, offering a change of pace from the main interstates.
81% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
35 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 85.9 mi on US 10.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 10 and State Highway 64 Southwest. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2 miles in near CR 30 / Diffley Road.
Driving Effort8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 21 significant decision points across 233 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2 miles (CR 30 / Diffley Road): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 2.9 miles (MN 77 / Cedar Avenue): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Eagan is a city of 69,000 people (2021) in Minnesota on the south bank of the Minnesota River, upstream from the confluence with the Mississippi River. It is a suburb in the southern part of the Twin Cities region.
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 47m. Total distance: 233 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 47m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (81%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 85.9 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 Bemidji, MN before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. There are 4 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 2 miles (CR 30 / Diffley Road): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 2.9 miles (MN 77 / Cedar Avenue): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Possible but tiring. At 4.8 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 9.6 hours — manageable with a long break at Bemidji, MN, but most travelers stay overnight.
