Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 4, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
29m
Distance
19.1 mi
31 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Minneapolis, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Birchwood, MN
Tom Fisk
Minneapolis, MN to Birchwood, MN is 19.1 miles and takes about 29 minutes via MN 36 and I-35W, with a fuel budget near $3 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within the Midwest region and entirely within Minnesota, making it a very straightforward excursion. You'll spend most of your time on highways, so expect a quick transit. It's the kind of drive that's perfect for when you just need to get from point A to point B efficiently without a lot of fuss.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| MN 36 | 10.4 mi | 13m |
| I 35W | 4 mi | 5m |
| North Century Avenue | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| East County Line Road | 1 mi | 2m |
| Washington Avenue South | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| Geneva Avenue North | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Cedar Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Wildwood Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Minneapolis, MN and Birchwood, MN.
Start on CR 152
Continue on CR 152
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 35W
Take the exit
Merge onto I 35W
Keep slight right at fork onto MN 36
Turn left onto MN 120
Continue on MN 120
Continue on MN 120
Turn right onto Cedar Street
Continue on Cedar Street
Turn right onto Wildwood Avenue
Turn left
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.9 and 19.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Take the ramp toward I 35W North
Navigation decision point
Merge onto I 35W
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward MN 36
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight right at fork onto MN 36 toward MN 36
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Turn left
Navigation decision point
Regular Gas
$3.02 one way
$6.05 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.28 | $3.22 | $6.44 |
| premium | $4.85 | $3.65 | $7.29 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $4.21 | $8.42 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 71% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.7 | 0 | $2.01 | $0.92 |
| Efficient EV | 4.8 | 0 | $1.67 | $0.76 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 7.6 | 0 | $2.67 | $1.22 |
Gas CO2
7 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (71% 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
Late night in Minneapolis on Friday
Local time
4:18 AM
CDT
Current temp
84°F
Mostly Sunny
Destination
Late night in Birchwood on Friday
Local time
4:18 AM
CDT
Current temp
82°F
Mostly Sunny
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
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.
This route is predominantly highway driving, with 75% of the 19.1 miles on major roads. You'll encounter a continuous stretch of 10.4 miles on MN 36. The highway portion will likely feel quite direct, with frequent exits and merges common to interstate travel. Expect the highway feel to transition as you approach your destination.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on MN 36 and I 35W. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.9 miles in.
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 10 decision points packed into just 19.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 29m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.9 miles: Navigation decision point; at 1.1 miles (I 35W): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 4.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
347 ft
Total Descent
212 ft
Highest Point
1,029 ft
~17.8 mi in
Elevation Range
285 ft
Founded 1850
Minneapolis is a city of about 430,000 people (2019) and the largest city in Minnesota. Along with neighboring Saint Paul, it forms the urban core of the Twin Cities region, the third largest metropolitan area in the Midwest after Chicago and Detroit.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 29m. Total distance: 19.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
29m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (75%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
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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