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Trip from Pine City, MN to Finlayson, MN

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jun 3, 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

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 10 min
4 AM
0h 35m ★
6 AM
0h 38m
8 AM
0h 45m
10 AM
0h 40m
12 PM
0h 40m
3 PM
0h 41m
5 PM
0h 44m
8 PM
0h 36m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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Downtown Pine City, MN, MN

Pine City, MN

Tom Fisk

Downtown Finlayson, MN, MN

Finlayson, MN

Efrem Efre

Trip Overview

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.

Main Roads

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
Longest stretch: I 35 — 23.8 mi, about 25m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Pine City, MN and Finlayson, MN.

1

Start on Railroad Street Southeast

212 ft · 14 sec · Railroad Street Southeast
2

Turn left onto CR 8

414 ft · 15 sec · 3rd Avenue Southeast
3

Turn right onto I 35 BUS; CR 61

1.1 mi · 2 min · Main Street South
4

Continue on I 35 BUS; CR 61

0.2 mi · 32 sec · County Highway 61
5

Turn left onto I 35 BUS; CR 11

0.3 mi · 32 sec · Henriette Road Northwest
6

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 30 sec
Toward I 35 North: Duluth
7

Merge onto I 35

24 mi · 25 min · I 35
8

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 34 sec
Toward MN 18, MN 23 East: Finlayson, Askov
9

Turn left onto MN 23

0.5 mi · 56 sec · Veterans' Evergreen Memorial Drive
10

At end of road, turn right onto MN 18; CR 61

209 ft · 4 sec · County Highway 61
11

Continue on MN 18; CR 61

1.5 mi · 2 min · State Highway 18
12

Continue on MN 18

2.4 mi · 4 min · State Highway 18
13

Turn left onto CR 60

83 ft · 2 sec · Front Street
14

Arrive at destination

CR 60

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 9

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.

5
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | CR 8 / 3rd Avenue Southeast

Turn left onto CR 8 / 3rd Avenue Southeast

Navigation decision point

5
1.5 mi into trip | ~3m in | I 35 BUS; CR 11 / Henriette Road Northwest

Turn left onto I 35 BUS; CR 11 / Henriette Road Northwest

Navigation decision point

5
1.8 mi into trip | ~3m in

Take the ramp toward I 35 North: Duluth

Navigation decision point

Toward I 35 North: Duluth
5
25.8 mi into trip | ~29m in

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

Toward MN 18, MN 23 East: Finlayson, Askov
5
26.6 mi into trip | ~31m in | MN 18; CR 61 / County Highway 61

At end of road, turn right onto MN 18; CR 61 / County Highway 61

Navigation decision point

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$5.01 one way

$10.01 round trip

$4.17/gal 25.4 MPG avg 11 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.46 $5.36 $10.71
premium $4.95 $5.94 $11.88
diesel $5.35 $6.42 $12.85

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, 2026-06-01.

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.

Travel Intel

Current conditions at both ends of the drive.

Forecast as of May 28, 2026

Origin

Pine City, MN

Afternoon in Pine City on Wednesday

Local time

3:54 PM

CDT

Current temp

50°F

Clear

NE 5 to 10 mph 2% chance Live forecast

Special Weather Statement

Special Weather Statement issued May 27 at 5:23PM CDT by NWS Sioux Falls SD

Special Weather Statement

Special Weather Statement issued May 27 at 11:01AM CDT by NWS Duluth MN

Destination

Finlayson, MN

Afternoon in Finlayson on Wednesday

Local time

3:54 PM

CDT

Current temp

46°F

Clear

NE 5 to 10 mph 1% chance Live forecast

Special Weather Statement

Special Weather Statement issued May 27 at 5:23PM CDT by NWS Sioux Falls SD

Special Weather Statement

Special Weather Statement issued May 27 at 11:01AM CDT by NWS Duluth MN

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

4 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

38m 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.

What kind of drive is this?

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.

92% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 23.8 mi on I 35.

How Hard Is This Drive?

4/10

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.

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 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.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

1,131 ft 950 ft

Total Climb

203 ft

Total Descent

47 ft

Highest Point

1,131 ft

~23.9 mi in

Elevation Range

181 ft

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 Pine City, MN to Finlayson, MN, road signs begin pointing toward Askov along the way.

Askov

25.8 mi in | ~29m

Detours Along the Way

Tagged by where each one fits in your drive — first break, midpoint, final stretch.

Caribou Coffee

Cafe

Around the midpoint, right off the route

17min in 0.1 mi from route

Cuisine: coffee_shop

Crazy Mary's Cafe

Cafe

Near the end, right off the route

38min in 0.1 mi from route

Cuisine: american

Keziah's Kitchen

Restaurant

Near the start, right off the route

0.3 mi from route ~1 min detour

Cuisine: thai

Hours: Su-Th 11:00-23:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-01:00

Visit website

Pizza Pub

Restaurant

Near the start, right off the route

0.1 mi from route

Pine City, MN

Tobie's Restaurant & Bakery

Restaurant

Around the midpoint, right off the route

17min in 0.1 mi from route

Hinckley, MN

Hours: Th-Mo 07:30-21:00; Tu,We 08:00-21:00

White Castle

Fast_food

Around the midpoint, right off the route

17min in 0.1 mi from route

Hinckley, MN

Cuisine: burger

Pizza Hut

Restaurant

Near the start, right off the route

0.6 mi from route ~1 min detour

Pine City, MN

Cuisine: pizza

Visit website

A&W

Fast_food

Near the start, right off the route

0.4 mi from route ~1 min detour

Cuisine: burger

Hours: 11:00-23:00

Visit website

Banning State Park

Camp_site

Later in the drive, short detour

30min in 1.4 mi from route ~4 min detour

Sandstone, MN

Canoe Camp Sites

Park

Near the start, short detour

2.1 mi from route ~5 min detour

Hinckley Fire Museum

Museum

Around the midpoint, right off the route

17min in 0.6 mi from route ~2 min detour

MN

Visit website

Rural School Museum

Museum

Near the start, right off the route

0.5 mi from route ~1 min detour

MN

Banning RV Park & Campground

Caravan_site

Near the end, right off the route

34min in 0.6 mi from route ~1 min detour

Hwy 23, MN

Grand Casino Hinckley RV Resort

Caravan_site

Around the midpoint, right off the route

17min in 1 mi from route ~2 min detour

Hinckley, MN

Banning State Park

Camp_site

Later in the drive, short detour

30min in 1.4 mi from route ~4 min detour

Sandstone, MN

Points of interest from OpenStreetMap contributors. Listings may not reflect current hours or availability.

About the Cities

Starting in Pine City, MN

Full guide →

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.

Arriving in Finlayson, MN

Full guide →

City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).

Who Is This Route For?

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.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 23.8 miles on I 35. 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: 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.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Finlayson, 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 USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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