McGrath to Balsam is 46.8 miles and takes about 1 hour 4 minutes via State Highway 65, with a fuel budget near $7 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within the Midwest region and Minnesota, making it a convenient local excursion. The drive is mostly on highways, offering a straightforward path between the two points. With minimal duration and cost, it's a good option for a quick trip where you don't need to plan for overnight stays.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
State Highway 65
33.2 mi
42m
Lake Avenue
9.4 mi
12m
Kestrel Avenue
3 mi
7m
East Highway 210
1.2 mi
2m
South 1st Street
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
State Highway 65
— 33.2 mi, about 42m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between McGrath, MN and Balsam, MN.
1
Start on South 1st Street
46 ft·2 sec·South 1st Street
2
Turn right onto MN 27; MN 65
26 mi·32 min·State Highway 65
3
At end of road, turn left onto MN 210; MN 65
1.2 mi·2 min·East Highway 210
4
Turn right onto MN 65
7.1 mi·9 min·State Highway 65
5
Turn right onto CR 14
9.4 mi·12 min·Lake Avenue
6
Turn right onto CR 64
3.0 mi·7 min·Kestrel Avenue
7
Arrive at destination
CR 64
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
The midpoint is around 23.4 miles from McGrath, 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 5
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 43.8 — 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|MN 27; MN 65 / State Highway 65
Turn right onto MN 27; MN 65 / State Highway 65
Navigation decision point
4
26.2 mi into trip|~32m in|MN 210; MN 65 / East Highway 210
At end of road, turn left onto MN 210; MN 65 / East Highway 210
Navigation decision point
3
27.4 mi into trip|~34m in|MN 65 / State Highway 65
Turn right onto MN 65 / State Highway 65
Navigation decision point
4
34.4 mi into trip|~44m in|CR 14 / Lake Avenue
Turn right onto CR 14 / Lake Avenue
Navigation decision point
4
43.8 mi into trip|~56m in|CR 64 / Kestrel Avenue
Turn right onto CR 64 / Kestrel Avenue
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.87 one way
$15.75 round trip
$4.27/gal25.4 MPG avg16 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.60
$8.48
$16.96
premium
$5.04
$9.28
$18.56
diesel
$5.64
$10.39
$20.78
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 16.4 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-05-11.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging
· 0 stops
· 69% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
14
0
$4.91
$2.25
Efficient EV
11.7
0
$4.10
$1.87
EV Truck/SUV
18.7
0
$6.55
$3.00
Gas CO2
16 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (69% 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 7, 2026
Origin
McGrath, MN
Late night
in McGrath on Saturday
Local time
12:54 AM
CDT
Current temp
32°F
Partly Cloudy
NE 0 to 5 mph11% chanceLive forecast
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued May 7 at 1:17PM CDT by NWS Duluth MN
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued May 7 at 6:58AM CDT by NWS Grand Forks ND
Destination
Balsam, MN
Late night
in Balsam on Saturday
Local time
12:54 AM
CDT
Current temp
31°F
Partly Cloudy
W 0 to 5 mph10% chanceLive forecast
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued May 7 at 1:17PM CDT by NWS Duluth MN
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued May 7 at 6:58AM CDT by NWS Grand Forks ND
68°F
Kimberly, MN
23 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
1 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 4m 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?
You'll spend about 74% of this 46.8-mile drive on highways. The longest continuous stretch on a highway, State Highway 65, is 33.2 miles. After this, you'll transition to surface roads like Lake Avenue and Kestrel Avenue for the remainder of the trip. Expect a feeling of rural cruising for a significant portion of the route.
74% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
7 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 33.2 mi on State Highway 65.
How Hard Is This Drive?
2/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on State Highway 65 and Lake Avenue. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near MN 27; MN 65 / State Highway 65.
Driving Effort2/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from McGrath, MN to Balsam, MN is easy. At 1h 4m with 74% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (MN 27; MN 65 / State Highway 65): Navigation decision point; at 26.2 miles (MN 210; MN 65 / East Highway 210): Navigation decision point; at 27.4 miles (MN 65 / State Highway 65): Navigation decision point.
The longest stretch is about 33.2 miles on State Highway 65. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 1 rest area or service plaza 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.
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 (MN 27; MN 65 / State Highway 65): Navigation decision point; at 26.2 miles (MN 210; MN 65 / East Highway 210): Navigation decision point; at 27.4 miles (MN 65 / State Highway 65): Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Balsam, MN before heading back.
