Lakeville to Isanti is 65.6 miles and takes about 1 hour 24 minutes via I 35W and Central Avenue Northeast, with a fuel budget near $10 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Minnesota, traversing the Midwest region. The route offers a mix of highway cruising and surface road travel, making it a straightforward drive for a single day. You'll find it's a practical option for getting between these two points without a major time commitment.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 35W
29.4 mi
37m
Central Avenue Northeast
24.8 mi
30m
US 10
2.8 mi
3m
I 35
2.6 mi
2m
Kenwood Trail /Richard J. Ames Memorial Highway
1.6 mi
2m
Kenwood Trail
1.2 mi
2m
Kenwood Trail / Richard J. Ames Memorial Highway
0.7 mi
1m
202nd Street West / Richard J. Ames Memorial Highway
0.5 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 35W
— 29.4 mi, about 37m
Traffic on I-35
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 30 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~3,968 veh/hr typical
· worst 4,635
Quietest
2 AM
~231 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
17.2×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 34 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 Lakeville, MN and Isanti, MN.
1
Start on 207th Street West
22 ft·5 sec·207th Street West
2
Turn right onto Holyoke Avenue
0.4 mi·1 min·Holyoke Avenue
3
Enter roundabout onto CR 50
198 ft·3 sec·202nd Street West / Richard J. Ames Memorial Highway
4
Continue on CR 50
0.5 mi·50 sec·202nd Street West / Richard J. Ames Memorial Highway
5
Continue on CR 5
0.7 mi·1 min·Kenwood Trail / Richard J. Ames Memorial Highway
6
Continue on CR 5
1.6 mi·2 min·Kenwood Trail /Richard J. Ames Memorial Highway
7
Enter roundabout onto CR 5
125 ft·2 sec·Kenwood Trail
8
Continue on CR 5
1.2 mi·2 min·Kenwood Trail
Use the right lane.
9
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·23 sec
Toward I 35 NorthUse the right lane.
10
Merge onto I 35
2.6 mi·2 min·I 35
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35W
16 mi·20 min·I 35W
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight right at fork onto I 35W
5.6 mi·7 min·I 35W
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.3 mi·25 sec
Exit 22BToward MN 36Use the slight right lane.
14
Merge onto I 35W
0.3 mi·19 sec·I 35W
15
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35W
7.1 mi·8 min·I 35W
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Keep slight right at fork onto US 10
2.8 mi·3 min·US 10
Toward US 10 WestUse the slight right lane.
17
Take the exit
0.3 mi·34 sec
Toward MN 65: Central AvenueUse the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Keep slight left at fork
222 ft·6 sec
19
Turn right onto MN 65
25 mi·30 min·Central Avenue Northeast
Use the left lane.
20
Continue on MN 65
0.2 mi·28 sec·MN 65
21
Turn right onto East Main Street
0.5 mi·1 min·East Main Street
22
Arrive at destination
Main Street West
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
The midpoint is around 32.8 miles from Lakeville, 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
5 of 16
5 decision points cluster between mile 4.5 and 37 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
4.5 mi into trip|~7m in
Take the ramp toward I 35 North
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward I 35 North
6
7.3 mi into trip|~10m in|I 35W
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35W
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
6
23.7 mi into trip|~31m in|I 35W
Keep slight right at fork onto I 35W
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
29.3 mi into trip|~39m in
Take the exit toward MN 36
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 22B
Toward MN 36
7
37 mi into trip|~48m in|US 10
Keep slight right at fork onto US 10 toward US 10 West
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward US 10 West
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$11.04 one way
$22.07 round trip
$4.27/gal25.4 MPG avg23 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.60
$11.89
$23.77
premium
$5.04
$13.01
$26.01
diesel
$5.64
$14.56
$29.13
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 23 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-05-11.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging
· 0 stops
· 65% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
19.7
0
$6.89
$3.15
Efficient EV
16.4
0
$5.74
$2.62
EV Truck/SUV
26.2
0
$9.18
$4.20
Gas CO2
23 kg
EV CO2
8 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.
Forecast as of May 15, 2026
Origin
Lakeville, MN
Late night
in Lakeville on Saturday
Local time
3:49 AM
CDT
Current temp
87°F
Sunny
WSW 10 mph8% chanceLive forecast
Red Flag Warning
Red Flag Warning issued May 15 at 9:03AM CDT until May 15 at 9:00PM CDT by NWS Aberdeen SD
Red Flag Warning
Red Flag Warning issued May 15 at 3:38AM CDT until May 15 at 6:00PM CDT by NWS Sioux Falls SD
Destination
Isanti, MN
Late night
in Isanti on Saturday
Local time
3:49 AM
CDT
Current temp
85°F
Sunny
WSW 10 to 15 mph1% chanceLive forecast
Red Flag Warning
Red Flag Warning issued May 15 at 9:03AM CDT until May 15 at 9:00PM CDT by NWS Aberdeen SD
Red Flag Warning
Red Flag Warning issued May 15 at 3:38AM CDT until May 15 at 6:00PM CDT by NWS Sioux Falls SD
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 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 24m on the road
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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is a mixed highway and surface road experience, with 53% of the 65.6 miles on highways. You'll spend the longest stretch, 29.4 miles, on I 35W. Expect to transition from highway speeds to surface streets as you approach your destination. The density of exits on the highway portion means you'll be merging and exiting frequently.
53% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 29.4 mi on I 35W.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 4.5 miles in.
Driving Effort9/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 65.6 miles you will encounter 16 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 4.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 7.3 miles (I 35W): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 23.7 miles (I 35W): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
1,014 ft821 ft
Total Climb
223 ft
Total Descent
255 ft
Highest Point
1,014 ft
~4.7 mi in
Elevation Range
193 ft
Detours Along the Way
Tagged by where each one fits in your drive — first break, midpoint, final stretch.
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 24m. Total distance: 65.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 24m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (53%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 29.4 miles on I 35W. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 Isanti, MN before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
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 4.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 7.3 miles (I 35W): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 23.7 miles (I 35W): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Isanti, MN before heading back.
