Origin
French Lake, MN
Morning in French Lake on Sunday
Local time
9:52 AM
CDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from French Lake, MN to Plymouth, MN
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 2m
Distance
43 mi
69 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 58m
★
6 AM
1h 3m
8 AM
1h 13m
10 AM
1h 6m
12 PM
1h 5m
3 PM
1h 7m
5 PM
1h 12m
8 PM
1h 0m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
French Lake, MN
Tom Fisk
Plymouth, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
French Lake to Plymouth is 43 miles and takes about 1 hour 2 minutes via MN 55 and County Road 37 Northwest, with a fuel budget near $6 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within Minnesota, making it a straightforward drive from the Midwest region. Expect a mostly highway feel for the majority of your travel. It's a quick connection, perfect for a day trip or an easy leg of a longer journey.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| MN 55 | 34.2 mi | 50m |
| County Road 37 Northwest | 8.7 mi | 12m |
| County Road 3 Northwest | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
MN 55
— 34.2 mi, about 50m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between French Lake, MN and Plymouth, MN.
1
Start on CR 3
117 ft
·
8 sec
·
County Road 3 Northwest
2
Turn right onto CR 37
8.7 mi
·
12 min
·
County Road 37 Northwest
3
Turn right onto MN 55
10 mi
·
14 min
·
MN 55
Use the straight / left lanes.
4
Continue on MN 55
24 mi
·
34 min
·
MN 55
Use the straight lane.
5
Continue on MN 55
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
·
MN 55
6
Arrive at destination
MN 55
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
22 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 43 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 21.5 miles from French 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
2 of 22 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 8.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
3
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
CR 37 / County Road 37 Northwest
Turn right onto CR 37 / County Road 37 Northwest
Navigation decision point
5
8.8 mi into trip
|
~12m in
|
MN 55
Turn right onto MN 55
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.40 one way
$12.80 round trip
$3.78/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.07 | $6.90 | $13.79 |
| premium | $4.53 | $7.67 | $15.34 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.49 | $18.99 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 15 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.9 | 0 | $4.52 | $2.06 |
| Efficient EV | 10.8 | 0 | $3.76 | $1.72 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 17.2 | 0 | $6.02 | $2.75 |
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (67% 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
Plymouth, MN
Morning in Plymouth on Sunday
Local time
9:52 AM
CDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
46°F
Delano, MN
22 mi in
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
24 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 2m 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 is predominantly highway, with 80% of the 43 miles on main roads like MN 55. You'll experience a longest stretch of 34.2 miles on MN 55, which means extended cruising on this primary route. The transition to surface roads, County Road 37 Northwest and County Road 3 Northwest, will likely occur later in the drive as you approach your destination. Be prepared for a high number of exits and merges common to highway travel.
80% 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: 34.2 mi on MN 55.
How Hard Is This Drive?
1/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on MN 55 and County Road 37 Northwest. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near CR 37 / County Road 37 Northwest.
Driving Effort
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from French Lake, MN to Plymouth, MN is easy. At 1h 2m with 80% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (CR 37 / County Road 37 Northwest): Navigation decision point; at 8.8 miles (MN 55): Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Arriving in Plymouth, MN
Full guide →Plymouth is a city located in the heart of Minnesota. This city is a place that has a good solid community and friendly people. Plymouth has a lot to offer both its residents and its travelers. They are known for having affordable housing, low crime rates and most importantly an active outdoor culture. Plymouth was also Money Magazine's best place to live in 2008. If Plymouth was ranked as the number one place to live, it must be a really great place to travel to as well.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 2m. Total distance: 43 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 2m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (80%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 34.2 miles on MN 55. 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: near the start (CR 37 / County Road 37 Northwest): Navigation decision point; at 8.8 miles (MN 55): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Plymouth, 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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