Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Oct 25, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 27m
Distance
68.5 mi
110 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$11
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Hill City, MN
Tom Fisk
McGrath, MN
Tom Fisk
Hill City to McGrath is 68.5 miles and takes about 1 hour 27 minutes via Voyageur Highway and State Highway 65, with a fuel budget near $11 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Minnesota, traveling through the Midwest region. Most of this route is on well-maintained highways, making for a straightforward drive. It's a short enough trip to complete in a single day, leaving you with plenty of time to explore your destination upon arrival.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Voyageur Highway | 26.9 mi | 34m |
| State Highway 65 | 26.2 mi | 32m |
| State Highway 210 | 14 mi | 17m |
| West Highway 210 | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| South 1st Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Hill City, MN and McGrath, MN.
Start on US 169
Turn left
Keep slight right at fork
Merge onto US 169
Turn left onto MN 210
Continue on MN 210
Take the exit onto MN 65
Turn left onto South 1st Street
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
34 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.
A short stop after about 15 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 34.2 miles from Hill City, 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.
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.6 and 68.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Keep slight right at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Merge onto US 169 / Voyageur Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining
Turn left onto MN 210 / State Highway 210
Navigation decision point
Take the exit onto MN 65 / State Highway 65
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Turn left onto South 1st Street
Navigation decision point
Regular Gas
$11.46 one way
$22.92 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.53 | $12.21 | $24.42 |
| premium | $5.11 | $13.78 | $27.56 |
| diesel | $6.28 | $16.93 | $33.85 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 24 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-19.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 20.6 | 0 | $7.19 | $3.29 |
| Efficient EV | 17.1 | 0 | $5.99 | $2.74 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 27.4 | 0 | $9.59 | $4.38 |
Gas CO2
24 kg
EV CO2
8 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Night in Hill City on Saturday
Local time
9:06 PM
CDT
Current temp
57°F
Slight Chance Rain Showers
Destination
Night in McGrath on Saturday
Local time
9:06 PM
CDT
Current temp
57°F
Mostly Cloudy
42°F
Kimberly, MN
34 mi in
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
You'll be on highways for about 61% of this 68.5-mile trip. The longest stretch without needing to turn is 26.9 miles on Voyageur Highway. Expect a cruising feel for a significant portion of the drive, with the remaining miles on surface roads. This means you'll experience both higher-speed travel and more local road conditions.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Voyageur Highway and State Highway 65. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes around 0.6 miles in.
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Hill City, MN to McGrath, MN is easy. At 1h 27m with 61% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 0.6 miles (US 169 / Voyageur Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining; at 27 miles (MN 210 / State Highway 210): Navigation decision point.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
72 ft
Total Descent
163 ft
Highest Point
1,340 ft
Elevation Range
128 ft
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 27m. Total distance: 68.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 27m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (61%). Straightforward navigation.
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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