Origin
Montrose, MN
Late night in Montrose on Tuesday
Local time
4:11 AM
CDT
Current temp
57°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Montrose, MN to Minneapolis, MN
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
49m
Distance
35.3 mi
57 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 45m
★
6 AM
0h 49m
8 AM
0h 57m
10 AM
0h 52m
12 PM
0h 51m
3 PM
0h 52m
5 PM
0h 57m
8 PM
0h 47m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Montrose, MN
Tom Fisk
Trip Overview
This straightforward 35.3-mile drive from Montrose to Minneapolis, Minnesota, is easily manageable in under an hour, making it a perfect day trip. You'll primarily navigate via Babcock Boulevard, I-394, and US 12. With a modest fuel cost estimated at $5, this route offers a convenient transition between two Midwest locations within the same state. The mixed drive profile suggests a blend of road types, so expect some variety as you make your way to the city. Considering its short duration and low cost, this trip is ideal for a quick excursion or an easy commute.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Babcock Boulevard | 14.5 mi | 18m |
| I 394 | 9.3 mi | 12m |
| US 12 | 6 mi | 8m |
| Babcock Boulevard West | 3.9 mi | 5m |
| North Washington Avenue | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Nelson Boulevard | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| 60th Street Southeast | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| 2nd Avenue North | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Babcock Boulevard
— 14.5 mi, about 18m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Montrose, MN and Minneapolis, 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
2.4 mi
·
3 min
·
US 12; MN 25
4
Continue on US 12
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
·
60th Street Southeast
5
Continue on US 12
3.6 mi
·
5 min
·
US 12
6
Continue on US 12
3.9 mi
·
5 min
·
Babcock Boulevard West
7
Enter roundabout onto US 12
140 ft
·
1 sec
·
Babcock Boulevard
8
Continue on US 12
2.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Babcock Boulevard
9
Enter roundabout onto US 12
140 ft
·
1 sec
·
Babcock Boulevard
10
Continue on US 12
12 mi
·
15 min
·
Babcock Boulevard
Use the straight lane.
11
Merge onto I 394
9.3 mi
·
12 min
·
I 394
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Turn left onto 2nd Avenue North
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
·
2nd Avenue North
13
Turn right onto CR 152
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
North Washington Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
14
Continue on CR 152
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
Washington Avenue South
Use the left lane.
15
Arrive at destination
CR 152
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
18 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 35 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 17.7 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 85 decision points cluster between mile 10.7 and 35.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
10.7 mi into trip
|
~15m in
|
US 12 / Babcock Boulevard
Enter roundabout onto US 12 / Babcock Boulevard
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
4
12.8 mi into trip
|
~18m in
|
US 12 / Babcock Boulevard
Enter roundabout onto US 12 / Babcock Boulevard
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
5
25.1 mi into trip
|
~34m in
|
I 394
Merge onto I 394
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
34.6 mi into trip
|
~46m in
|
CR 152 / North Washington Avenue
Turn right onto CR 152 / North Washington Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
4
35.2 mi into trip
|
~48m in
|
CR 152 / Washington Avenue South
Continue onto CR 152 / Washington Avenue South
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.25 one way
$10.51 round trip
$3.78/gal
25.4 MPG avg
12 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.07 | $5.66 | $11.32 |
| premium | $4.53 | $6.30 | $12.60 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.79 | $15.59 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10.6 | 0 | $3.71 | $1.69 |
| Efficient EV | 8.8 | 0 | $3.09 | $1.41 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 14.1 | 0 | $4.94 | $2.26 |
Gas CO2
12 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (67% 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
Minneapolis, MN
Late night in Minneapolis on Tuesday
Local time
4:11 AM
CDT
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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 warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
49m 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?
The journey from Montrose to Minneapolis presents a mixed driving experience, with 43% of the route on highways. You'll encounter your longest uninterrupted stretch on Babcock Boulevard, covering 14.5 miles. As you progress, the roads will transition, likely moving from more local routes to interstate travel as you approach the Minneapolis area. This blend means you'll experience both slower-paced driving and faster highway speeds, offering a dynamic feel behind the wheel without being overly demanding.
43% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 14.5 mi on Babcock Boulevard.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 10.7 miles in near US 12 / Babcock Boulevard.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 49m drive. You will face about 8 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 10.7 miles (US 12 / Babcock Boulevard): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 12.8 miles (US 12 / Babcock Boulevard): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 25.1 miles (I 394): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Arriving in Minneapolis, MN
Full guide →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.
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 49m. Total distance: 35.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
49m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (43%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 14.5 miles on Babcock Boulevard. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 10.7 miles (US 12 / Babcock Boulevard): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 12.8 miles (US 12 / Babcock Boulevard): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 25.1 miles (I 394): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Minneapolis, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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