Origin
Pine City, MN
Late night in Pine City on Sunday
Local time
5:15 AM
CDT
Current temp
66°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Pine City, MN to Mission Creek, MN
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
16m
Distance
11.8 mi
19 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 15m
★
6 AM
0h 16m
8 AM
0h 19m
10 AM
0h 17m
12 PM
0h 17m
3 PM
0h 17m
5 PM
0h 19m
8 PM
0h 15m
★
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Pine City, MN
Tom Fisk
Mission Creek, MN
Tom Fisk
Trip Overview
If you are looking for a quick excursion through the Minnesota Midwest, this 11.8-mile connection between Pine City and Mission Creek is an ideal choice. The trip takes approximately 14 minutes, making it a straightforward day trip that requires no overnight stay. You should budget about $2 for fuel, keeping costs minimal for this short transit. Navigating through 3rd Avenue Southeast, Main Street South, and Highway 61, you will find the journey efficient and easy to manage. Because the route is so brief, it serves as a practical, low-pressure drive for those exploring the local area. Whether you are running errands or simply heading to your next destination, this connection offers a reliable way to get across the region.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 35 | 8.6 mi | 9m |
| Main Street South | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| CR 61 | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Henriette Road Northwest | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| T-181 | 0.3 mi | 1m |
| County Highway 61 | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| 3rd Avenue Southeast | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Railroad Street Southeast | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 35
— 8.6 mi, about 9m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Pine City, MN and Mission Creek, 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
8.6 mi
·
9 min
·
I 35
8
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
Toward MN 23 West, CR 61: Mora
9
Turn right onto CR 61
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
CR 61
10
Turn left onto T-181
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
T-181
11
Arrive at destination
T-181
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 85 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 10.6 — 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
4
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
I 35 BUS; CR 61 / Main Street South
Turn right onto I 35 BUS; CR 61 / Main Street South
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
10.6 mi into trip
|
~13m in
Take the exit toward MN 23 West, CR 61: Mora
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward MN 23 West, CR 61: Mora
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.76 one way
$3.51 round trip
$3.78/gal
25.4 MPG avg
4 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.07 | $1.89 | $3.78 |
| premium | $4.53 | $2.11 | $4.21 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.61 | $5.21 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 4.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 75% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3.5 | 0 | $1.24 | $0.57 |
| Efficient EV | 3 | 0 | $1.03 | $0.47 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 4.7 | 0 | $1.65 | $0.76 |
Gas CO2
4 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (75% 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
Mission Creek, MN
Late night in Mission Creek on Sunday
Local time
5:15 AM
CDT
Current temp
66°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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
16m 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?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive rather than a high-speed interstate haul on this 11.8-mile stretch. Since the highway share is 0%, your focus will remain entirely on local roads as you transition between the two towns. The road layout is intimate, with no long, uninterrupted segments like the 0 miles recorded on 3rd Avenue Southeast. You will experience a steady pace that requires consistent attention to turns rather than long periods of highway cruising. It is a functional, hands-on driving experience that keeps you engaged with the local road network from start to finish.
81% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
11 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 8.6 mi on I 35.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 35 and Main Street South. 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 16m 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: near the start (CR 8 / 3rd Avenue Southeast): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (I 35 BUS; CR 61 / Main Street South): Navigation decision point; at 1.5 miles (I 35 BUS; CR 11 / Henriette Road Northwest): Navigation decision point.
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 Pine City, MN to Mission Creek, MN, road signs begin pointing toward Cr 61: Mora along the way.
Cr 61: Mora
10.6 mi in
|
~13m
About the Cities
Starting in Pine City, MN
Full guide →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).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 16m. Total distance: 11.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
16m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (81%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 8.6 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 0.1 miles (I 35 BUS; CR 61 / Main Street South): Navigation decision point; at 1.5 miles (I 35 BUS; CR 11 / Henriette Road Northwest): Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Mission Creek, 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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