Fairfax, MN to Woodbury, MN is 210.5 miles and takes about 4h 29m via State Highway 15, MN 23, and MN 27, with a fuel budget near $32 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Midwest region, connecting two points in Minnesota. The majority of your travel will be on well-maintained state highways, making for a straightforward drive. With only one recommended stop and a relatively short duration, this route is well-suited for a single-day excursion.
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
105.3 miles from Fairfax, MN
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 21m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
State Highway 15
70.7 mi
1h 31m
MN 23
52.5 mi
1h 2m
MN 27
33.6 mi
42m
Lincoln Avenue East
17.2 mi
23m
State Highway 210
15.4 mi
18m
3rd Street Southeast
14.6 mi
18m
Main Street South
1.7 mi
4m
Tamarack Boulevard West
1.5 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
State Highway 15
— 70.7 mi, about 1h 31m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Fairfax, MN and Woodbury, MN.
1
Start on Park Street North
46 ft·7 sec·Park Street North
2
Turn left onto MN 19
17 mi·23 min·Lincoln Avenue East
3
Turn left onto MN 15
22 mi·28 min·State Highway 15
4
Enter roundabout onto MN 15
117 ft·4 sec·State Highway 15
5
Continue on MN 15
1.5 mi·3 min·State Highway 15
Use the straight lane.
6
Continue on MN 15
1.7 mi·4 min·Main Street South
Use the straight lane.
7
Enter roundabout onto MN 15
106 ft·1 sec·Main Street North
8
Continue on MN 15
0.3 mi·32 sec·Main Street North
9
Continue on MN 15
47 mi·1 hr·State Highway 15
Use the straight lane.
10
Turn right onto MN 23
1.1 mi·2 min·Division Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
11
Continue on MN 23
0.9 mi·2 min·1st Street
12
Continue on MN 23
0.2 mi·23 sec·Division Street
13
Continue on MN 23
0.5 mi·1 min·2nd Street South
14
Continue on MN 23
0.2 mi·21 sec·Granite City Crossing
15
Continue on MN 23
15 mi·18 min·3rd Street Southeast
16
Enter roundabout onto MN 23
114 ft·1 sec·MN 23
17
Continue on MN 23
33 mi·37 min·MN 23
18
Turn left onto MN 23; MN 65
20 mi·24 min·MN 23; MN 65
19
Continue on MN 27; MN 65
34 mi·42 min·MN 27; MN 65
20
Turn right onto MN 210
7.8 mi·9 min·State Highway 210
21
Continue on MN 210
1.5 mi·1 min·Tamarack Boulevard West
22
Continue on MN 210
7.6 mi·8 min·State Highway 210
23
Turn left onto CR 127
0.2 mi·27 sec·Gisler Road
24
Arrive at destination
CR 127
Trip Plan
Given the 4-hour 29-minute estimated drive time, departing in the morning is recommended to allow for a comfortable pace and potential for an early arrival. With only one stop suggested, you have flexibility in choosing where to stretch your legs – consider a mid-point break around the halfway mark. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, as the estimated cost is $32; planning your fill-up before you leave or at a larger town along State Highway 15 is a good idea. Since this is a single-day trip, you can easily adjust your departure time based on your schedule.
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 105.3 miles from Fairfax, MN, or about 2h 21m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 70.7 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 46 miles or 1h 3m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 105.3 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 42m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Woodbury, MN than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Fairfax, 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 Fairfax, MN
This is one driving day of about 210.5 miles and 4h 29m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 46 miles from Fairfax, 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 State Highway 15 for about 70.7 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 9
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 107.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip|~0m in|MN 19 / Lincoln Avenue East
Turn left onto MN 19 / Lincoln Avenue East
Navigation decision point
4
39.5 mi into trip|~51m in|MN 15 / State Highway 15
Enter roundabout onto MN 15 / State Highway 15
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
4
42.7 mi into trip|~58m in|MN 15 / Main Street North
Enter roundabout onto MN 15 / Main Street North
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
4
90 mi into trip|~1h 59m in|MN 23 / Division Street
Turn right onto MN 23 / Division Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
4
107.4 mi into trip|~2h 24m in|MN 23
Enter roundabout onto MN 23
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$33.33 one way
$66.66 round trip
$4.02/gal25.4 MPG avg74 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.28
$35.49
$70.99
premium
$4.85
$40.18
$80.35
diesel
$5.60
$46.40
$92.80
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$33
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$58–$83
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 73.7 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $22 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
63.2
0
$22.10
$10.10
Efficient EV
52.6
0
$18.42
$8.42
EV Truck/SUV
84.2
1
$29.47
$13.47
Gas CO2
74 kg
EV CO2
25 kg (66% 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 Aug 14, 2026
Origin
Fairfax, MN
Late night
in Fairfax on Wednesday
Local time
1:13 AM
CDT
Current temp
77°F
Partly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
ESE 15 mph15% chanceLive forecast
Beach Hazards Statement
Beach Hazards Statement issued August 14 at 4:05AM CDT until August 14 at 9:00PM CDT by NWS Duluth MN
Destination
Woodbury, MN
Late night
in Woodbury on Wednesday
Local time
1:13 AM
CDT
Current temp
79°F
Mostly Sunny
E 5 to 10 mph1% chanceLive forecast
Beach Hazards Statement
Beach Hazards Statement issued August 14 at 4:05AM CDT until August 14 at 9:00PM CDT by NWS Duluth MN
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
2 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 29m 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 predominantly highway, with 82% of the route utilizing higher-speed roads. You'll experience a continuous stretch of 70.7 miles on State Highway 15, offering a good amount of uninterrupted cruising. Expect to transition to more local roads as you approach your destination, which can mean more varied speed limits and potentially more frequent intersections.
82% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
24 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 70.7 mi on State Highway 15.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on State Highway 15 and MN 23. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near MN 19 / Lincoln Avenue East.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 4h 29m drive. You will face about 9 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (MN 19 / Lincoln Avenue East): Navigation decision point; at 39.5 miles (MN 15 / State Highway 15): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 42.7 miles (MN 15 / Main Street North): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
The longest stretch is about 70.7 miles on State Highway 15. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (MN 19 / Lincoln Avenue East): Navigation decision point; at 39.5 miles (MN 15 / State Highway 15): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 42.7 miles (MN 15 / Main Street North): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
Possible but tiring. At 4.5 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 9.0 hours — manageable with a long break at Woodbury, MN, but most travelers stay overnight.
