Origin
Montrose, MN
Evening in Montrose on Wednesday
Local time
8:47 PM
CDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Montrose, MN to Blaine, MN
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 10, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 4m
Distance
49.1 mi
79 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 0m
★
6 AM
1h 5m
8 AM
1h 15m
10 AM
1h 9m
12 PM
1h 8m
3 PM
1h 9m
5 PM
1h 15m
8 PM
1h 2m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Montrose, MN
Tom Fisk
Blaine, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Montrose to Blaine is 49.1 miles and takes about 1 hour 4 minutes via MN 610, with a fuel budget near $8 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Minnesota, moving from the Midwest region to the same region. You'll spend most of your time on highways, making for a relatively quick connection between these two points. Given the short distance and duration, it's an easy drive to fit into a single day, whether you're heading out in the morning or later in the afternoon.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| MN 610 | 12.9 mi | 14m |
| 10th Street Northeast | 8.2 mi | 11m |
| I 94 | 6.8 mi | 7m |
| MN 25 | 6.6 mi | 8m |
| 42nd Street Northeast | 2.7 mi | 3m |
| Labeaux Avenue Northeast | 2.6 mi | 3m |
| Central Avenue Northeast | 1.9 mi | 2m |
| US 12 | 1.4 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
MN 610
— 12.9 mi, about 14m
Traffic on I-94
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 12 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~4,689 veh/hr typical
Quietest
2 AM
~240 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
19.5×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a
6a
noon
6p
11p
Averaged across 99 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 Montrose, MN and Blaine, MN.
1
Start on CR 12
23 ft
·
7 sec
·
Buffalo Avenue South
2
Turn left onto US 12; MN 25
0.5 mi
·
52 sec
·
Nelson Boulevard
3
Continue on US 12; MN 25
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
US 12; MN 25
4
Take the exit onto MN 25
0.1 mi
·
21 sec
·
MN 25
5
Turn left onto MN 25
6.5 mi
·
8 min
·
MN 25
Use the straight lane.
6
Continue on MN 25
0.3 mi
·
25 sec
·
State Highway 25
Use the straight / left lanes.
7
Enter roundabout onto Settlers Parkway
15 ft
·
0 sec
·
Settlers Parkway
8
Continue on Settlers Parkway
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Settlers Parkway
Use the straight / right lanes.
9
Continue on CR 34
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
10th Street Northeast
Use the left / straight lanes.
10
Enter roundabout onto CR 34
135 ft
·
3 sec
·
10th Street Northeast
11
Continue on CR 34
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
·
10th Street Northeast
12
Continue on CR 34
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
·
10th Street Southeast
13
Continue on CR 34
7.4 mi
·
10 min
·
10th Street Northeast
Use the straight lane.
14
Continue on CR 34
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Beebe Lake Road Northeast
15
At end of road, turn left onto CR 19
2.6 mi
·
3 min
·
Labeaux Avenue Northeast
16
Continue on CR 19
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Main Street North
17
Turn right onto MN 241
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
·
Saint Michael Parkway East
18
Continue on MN 241
0.4 mi
·
40 sec
·
Central Avenue East
19
Continue on MN 241
2.7 mi
·
3 min
·
42nd Street Northeast
20
Enter roundabout onto MN 241
97 ft
·
2 sec
·
MN 241
21
Continue on MN 241
328 ft
·
6 sec
·
MN 241
22
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
48 sec
Toward I 94 East: Minneapolis, Saint Paul
23
Merge onto I 94
6.8 mi
·
7 min
·
I 94
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
24
Take the exit onto MN 610
13 mi
·
14 min
·
MN 610
Exit 212
Toward MN 610 East
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
25
Merge onto US 10
0.9 mi
·
58 sec
·
US 10
26
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
1 min
Toward MN 65: Central Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
27
Turn left onto MN 65
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Central Avenue Northeast
Use the left lane.
28
Arrive at destination
MN 65
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
25 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.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 24.5 miles from Montrose, 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 155 decision points cluster between mile 2.1 and 47.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
2.1 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
MN 25
Turn left onto MN 25
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
5
8.8 mi into trip
|
~12m in
|
Settlers Parkway
Enter roundabout onto Settlers Parkway
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
7
32.9 mi into trip
|
~45m in
|
MN 610
Take the exit onto MN 610 toward MN 610 East
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 212
Toward MN 610 East
6
46.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 1m in
Take the exit toward MN 65: Central Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward MN 65: Central Avenue
6
47.1 mi into trip
|
~1h 2m in
|
MN 65 / Central Avenue Northeast
Turn left onto MN 65 / Central Avenue Northeast
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.01 one way
$16.03 round trip
$4.15/gal
25.4 MPG avg
17 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.46 | $8.63 | $17.25 |
| premium | $4.95 | $9.57 | $19.15 |
| diesel | $5.97 | $11.53 | $23.07 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 17.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-09-07.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.7 | 0 | $5.16 | $2.36 |
| Efficient EV | 12.3 | 0 | $4.30 | $1.96 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 19.6 | 0 | $6.87 | $3.14 |
Gas CO2
17 kg
EV CO2
6 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.
Destination
Blaine, MN
Evening in Blaine on Wednesday
Local time
8:47 PM
CDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
68°F
Albertville, MN
25 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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
1h 4m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
This route is mostly highway, with 61% of the drive utilizing freeways. You'll encounter a longest stretch of 12.9 miles on MN 610 before transitioning to surface streets. Expect a fairly straightforward drive with a significant portion on high-speed roads. The transition from highway to surface roads will mark a change in the driving environment.
61% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
28 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 12.9 mi on MN 610.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on MN 610 and 10th Street Northeast. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2.1 miles in near MN 25.
Driving Effort
8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 49.1 miles you will encounter 15 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 2.1 miles (MN 25): Lane positioning matters here; at 8.8 miles (Settlers Parkway): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 32.9 miles (MN 610): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Montrose, MN to Blaine, MN, road signs begin pointing toward Saint Paul along the way.
Saint Paul
25.7 mi in
|
~37m
About the Cities
Starting in Montrose, MN
Full guide →Top landmarks
- • Dr. E.P. Hawkins Clinic, Hospital, and House — former medical complex in Montrose, Minnesota, United States
Arriving in Blaine, MN
Full guide →Founded 1877
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 4m. Total distance: 49.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 4m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (61%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 12.9 miles on MN 610. 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 Blaine, 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 2.1 miles (MN 25): Lane positioning matters here; at 8.8 miles (Settlers Parkway): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 32.9 miles (MN 610): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Blaine, MN before heading back.
How this page is built
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 FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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