Lakeville, MN to Taylors Falls, MN is 73.5 miles and takes about 1h 29m via I 35E and I 35, with a fuel budget near $12 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Minnesota, connecting two points in the Midwest region. Expect a drive that's mostly highway, making for a straightforward trip. With a short duration and manageable distance, this route is ideal for a quick excursion or a segment of a larger journey.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 35E
42.4 mi
50m
Lake Boulevard
20.6 mi
24m
I 35
2.6 mi
2m
Kenwood Trail /Richard J. Ames Memorial Highway
1.6 mi
2m
Kenwood Trail
1.2 mi
2m
Moberg Trail
1.1 mi
1m
I 694
0.8 mi
<1m
Kenwood Trail / Richard J. Ames Memorial Highway
0.7 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
I 35E
— 42.4 mi, about 50m
Traffic on I-35
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 28 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~4,652 veh/hr typical
Quietest
2 AM
~226 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
20.6×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 48 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 Taylors Falls, 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 right at fork onto I 35E
16 mi·18 min·I 35E
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35E
2.7 mi·4 min·I 35E
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35E
0.4 mi·35 sec·I 35E
14
Merge onto I 35E; I 94
350 ft·5 sec·Purple Heart Memorial Highway
15
Take the exit onto I 35E
5.2 mi·6 min·I 35E
Exit 242BToward I 35E North, US 10 WestUse the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Keep slight right at fork onto US 10
0.3 mi·19 sec·US 10
Exit 113-114Toward US 10 West, I 694 West, I 694 EastUse the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Take the exit
0.5 mi·35 sec
Exit 114Toward I 35E North, I 694 EastUse the slight right lane.
18
Merge onto I 694
0.8 mi·59 sec·I 694
19
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35E
18 mi·19 min·I 35E
Toward I 35E North: DuluthUse the slight left lane.
20
Keep slight right at fork onto US 8
14 mi·17 min·Lake Boulevard
Toward US 8: Taylors Falls
21
Enter roundabout onto US 8
133 ft·1 sec·Lake Boulevard
22
Continue on US 8
4.5 mi·5 min·Lake Boulevard
23
Enter roundabout onto Lake Boulevard
148 ft·1 sec·Lake Boulevard
24
Continue on Lake Boulevard
1.8 mi·2 min·Lake Boulevard
25
Continue on US 8; MN 95
0.4 mi·28 sec·Saint Croix Trail
26
Continue on US 8; MN 95
1.1 mi·1 min·Moberg Trail
27
Turn left onto MN 95
140 ft·7 sec·Bench Street
28
Turn right onto 1st Street
40 ft·1 sec·1st Street
29
Arrive at destination
1st Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
The midpoint is around 36.7 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 20
5 decision points cluster between mile 4.5 and 33.3 — 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
8
26.6 mi into trip|~35m in|I 35E
Take the exit onto I 35E toward I 35E North, US 10 West
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 242B
Toward I 35E North, US 10 West
9
31.8 mi into trip|~41m in|US 10
Keep slight right at fork onto US 10 toward US 10 West, I 694 West, I 694 East
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 113-114
Toward US 10 West, I 694 West, I 694 East
8
32.1 mi into trip|~42m in
Take the exit toward I 35E North, I 694 East
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 114
Toward I 35E North, I 694 East
7
33.3 mi into trip|~43m in|I 35E
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35E toward I 35E North: Duluth
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward I 35E North: Duluth
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$12.36 one way
$24.73 round trip
$4.27/gal25.4 MPG avg26 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.60
$13.32
$26.63
premium
$5.04
$14.57
$29.15
diesel
$5.64
$16.32
$32.64
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$12
Estimated CO2 emission: 25.7 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-05-11.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging
· 0 stops
· 65% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
22.1
0
$7.72
$3.53
Efficient EV
18.4
0
$6.43
$2.94
EV Truck/SUV
29.4
0
$10.29
$4.70
Gas CO2
26 kg
EV CO2
9 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 10, 2026
Origin
Lakeville, MN
Night
in Lakeville on Friday
Local time
11:07 PM
CDT
Current temp
59°F
Mostly Sunny
NNW 5 to 15 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued May 10 at 5:26AM CDT by NWS Duluth MN
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued May 10 at 3:37AM CDT until May 10 at 9:00AM CDT by NWS Grand Forks ND
Destination
Taylors Falls, MN
Night
in Taylors Falls on Friday
Local time
11:07 PM
CDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
67°F
Centerville, MN
37 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
9 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
1h 29m 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 primarily on highways, with 63% of the 73.5 miles on major roads. You'll experience a stretch of 42.4 miles on I 35E, which is the longest continuous highway section. The route transitions from highway cruising to surface roads as you approach your destination. Expect a fairly direct path with fewer complex intersections.
63% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
29 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 42.4 mi on I 35E.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 35E and Lake Boulevard. 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 73.5 miles you will encounter 20 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 26.6 miles (I 35E): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 31.8 miles (US 10): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Chisago County is a county in the Twin Cities region of Minnesota.
Its principal settlements are:
Taylors Falls, which abuts the St. Croix River which separates Minnesota and Wisconsin.
North Branch
Chisago City, a northern suburb of the Twin Cities in the Chisago Lakes area, comprising Lindstrom and Center City.
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 29m. Total distance: 73.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 29m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (63%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 42.4 miles on I 35E. 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 Taylors Falls, 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 26.6 miles (I 35E): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 31.8 miles (US 10): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Taylors Falls, MN before heading back.
