Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jul 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
38m
Distance
30.5 mi
49 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Pine City, MN
Tom Fisk
Finlayson, MN
Efrem Efre
If you are looking for a quick excursion through the heart of the Midwest, the 30.5-mile journey from Pine City to Finlayson is a straightforward option. You can expect to spend about 31 minutes behind the wheel, making this an ideal choice for a simple day trip that requires no overnight stay. Navigating the route is uncomplicated, relying on local roads like 3rd Avenue Southeast, Main Street South, and Highway 61 rather than major interstates. With a fuel budget of just $4, this trip is highly economical for those wanting a short, low-stress drive. Whether you are running errands or just exploring Minnesota, this connection provides a reliable path between these two points.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 35 | 23.8 mi | 25m |
| State Highway 18 | 3.8 mi | 6m |
| Main Street South | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| Veterans' Evergreen Memorial Drive | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Henriette Road Northwest | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| County Highway 61 | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| 3rd Avenue Southeast | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Railroad Street Southeast | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Pine City, MN and Finlayson, MN.
Start on Railroad Street Southeast
Turn left onto CR 8
Turn right onto I 35 BUS; CR 61
Continue on I 35 BUS; CR 61
Turn left onto I 35 BUS; CR 11
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 35
Take the exit
Turn left onto MN 23
At end of road, turn right onto MN 18; CR 61
Continue on MN 18; CR 61
Continue on MN 18
Turn left onto CR 60
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 26.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn left onto CR 8 / 3rd Avenue Southeast
Navigation decision point
Turn left onto I 35 BUS; CR 11 / Henriette Road Northwest
Navigation decision point
Take the ramp toward I 35 North: Duluth
Navigation decision point
Take the exit toward MN 18, MN 23 East: Finlayson, Askov
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
At end of road, turn right onto MN 18; CR 61 / County Highway 61
Navigation decision point
Regular Gas
$4.58 one way
$9.16 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.12 | $4.95 | $9.89 |
| premium | $4.60 | $5.52 | $11.05 |
| diesel | $4.80 | $5.76 | $11.52 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.2 | 0 | $3.20 | $1.46 |
| Efficient EV | 7.6 | 0 | $2.67 | $1.22 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.2 | 0 | $4.27 | $1.95 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (64% 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
Afternoon in Pine City on Sunday
Local time
2:18 PM
CDT
Current temp
84°F
Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
Destination
Afternoon in Finlayson on Sunday
Local time
2:18 PM
CDT
Current temp
83°F
Slight Chance Rain Showers
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.
Expect a turn-heavy local drive that keeps you engaged throughout the entire 30.5-mile stretch. Unlike a monotonous interstate slog, this route features zero highway miles, meaning you will stay on surface roads the whole time. You will not find any long, uninterrupted highway stretches here, as the longest segment occurs on 3rd Avenue Southeast. The road demands your attention as you transition through various local roads, offering a tactile driving experience. It is a practical, functional drive that favors local navigation over high-speed transit.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 35 and State Highway 18. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near CR 8 / 3rd Avenue Southeast.
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 38m drive. You will face about 9 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (CR 8 / 3rd Avenue Southeast): Navigation decision point; at 1.5 miles (I 35 BUS; CR 11 / Henriette Road Northwest): Navigation decision point; at 1.8 miles: Navigation decision point.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
203 ft
Total Descent
47 ft
Highest Point
1,131 ft
~23.9 mi in
Elevation Range
181 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Pine City, MN to Finlayson, MN, road signs begin pointing toward Askov along the way.
Askov
Tagged by where each one fits in your drive — first break, midpoint, final stretch.
Cafe
Around the midpoint, right off the route
Cuisine: coffee_shop
Cafe
Near the end, right off the route
Cuisine: american
Restaurant
Near the start, right off the route
Cuisine: thai
Hours: Su-Th 11:00-23:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-01:00
Visit websiteRestaurant
Near the start, right off the route
Pine City, MN
Restaurant
Around the midpoint, right off the route
Hinckley, MN
Hours: Th-Mo 07:30-21:00; Tu,We 08:00-21:00
Fast_food
Around the midpoint, right off the route
Hinckley, MN
Cuisine: burger
Restaurant
Near the start, right off the route
Pine City, MN
Cuisine: pizza
Visit websiteFast_food
Near the start, right off the route
Cuisine: burger
Hours: 11:00-23:00
Visit websiteCamp_site
Later in the drive, short detour
Sandstone, MN
Park
Near the start, short detour
Museum
Around the midpoint, right off the route
MN
Visit websiteMuseum
Near the start, right off the route
MN
Caravan_site
Near the end, right off the route
Hwy 23, MN
Caravan_site
Around the midpoint, right off the route
Hinckley, MN
Camp_site
Later in the drive, short detour
Sandstone, MN
Points of interest from OpenStreetMap contributors. Listings may not reflect current hours or availability.
Founded 1881
Pine City is a city in east central Minnesota with the tagline "North. Nice and close." The Pine City zip code (55063), which is a more accurate reflection of the size of the town, has a population of approximately 10,000 people and even more native pine trees. It's an easy day trip from the Twin Cities to Pine City, the largest city in, and county seat of Pine County.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
This 30.5-mile drive is a perfect, easy same-day round trip for a weekend getaway. You'll be back before you know it, with plenty of time to enjoy your destination.
Family Friendly
At just 38 minutes and 30.5 miles, this route is short enough for most kids. The 'mostly highway' driving (92%) means less stop-and-go, which is always a win with little ones.
Solo Traveler
At only 30.5 miles and 38 minutes, this is a comfortable and quick drive for a solo traveler. You can easily do this one without feeling overwhelmed by distance or time.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
This 30.5-mile route is ideal for first-time drivers, with 92% highway driving making navigation straightforward. The short 38-minute duration is very manageable.
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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