Origin
Pine City, MN
Late night in Pine City on Sunday
Local time
3:07 AM
CDT
Current temp
66°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Pine City, MN to Rock 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
11m
Distance
7.2 mi
12 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$1
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 10m
★
6 AM
0h 11m
8 AM
0h 13m
10 AM
0h 12m
12 PM
0h 12m
3 PM
0h 12m
5 PM
0h 13m
8 PM
0h 11m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Pine City, MN
Tom Fisk
Rock Creek, MN
Tom Fisk
Trip Overview
If you are looking for a quick transition between Pine City and Rock Creek, Minnesota, this 7.2-mile jaunt is as straightforward as it gets. Expect to spend only 11 minutes behind the wheel, making this a perfect candidate for a single-day outing that requires minimal planning. With a budget of just $1 for fuel, this is an incredibly economical trip through the Midwest. You will not need an overnight stay for such a brief distance, allowing for maximum flexibility in your schedule. Whether you are running errands or simply moving between these two locations, the route is efficient and uncomplicated. It serves as a practical connection for travelers who value speed and simplicity over a long-distance excursion.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 35 | 3.4 mi | 3m |
| Highway 70 | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| Hillside Avenue Southwest | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Forest Boulevard | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Main Street South | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| 558 Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| 3rd Avenue Southeast | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Railroad Street Southeast | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 35
— 3.4 mi, about 3m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Pine City, MN and Rock Creek, MN.
1
Start on Railroad Street Southeast
212 ft
·
14 sec
·
Railroad Street Southeast
2
Turn left onto CR 8
414 ft
·
18 sec
·
3rd Avenue Southeast
3
Turn left onto I 35 BUS; CR 61
0.5 mi
·
58 sec
·
Main Street South
4
Turn right onto I 35 BUS; CR 7
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Hillside Avenue Southwest
5
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
Toward I 35 South: Saint Paul, Minneapolis
6
Merge onto I 35
3.4 mi
·
3 min
·
I 35
7
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
Toward MN 70: Rock Creek, Grantsburg
8
Turn left onto MN 70
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Highway 70
9
Turn right onto CR 61
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Forest Boulevard
10
Turn right onto 558 Street
482 ft
·
21 sec
·
558 Street
11
Arrive at destination
558 Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 95 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 5.3 — 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 left onto I 35 BUS; CR 61 / Main Street South
Navigation decision point
6
1.4 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Take the ramp toward I 35 South: Saint Paul, Minneapolis
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 35 South: Saint Paul, Minneapolis
5
5 mi into trip
|
~7m in
Take the exit toward MN 70: Rock Creek, Grantsburg
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward MN 70: Rock Creek, Grantsburg
4
5.3 mi into trip
|
~7m in
|
MN 70 / Highway 70
Turn left onto MN 70 / Highway 70
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.07 one way
$2.14 round trip
$3.78/gal
25.4 MPG avg
3 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.07 | $1.15 | $2.31 |
| premium | $4.53 | $1.28 | $2.57 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $1.59 | $3.18 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$1
Estimated CO2 emission: 2.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 2.2 | 0 | $0.76 | $0.35 |
| Efficient EV | 1.8 | 0 | $0.63 | $0.29 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 2.9 | 0 | $1.01 | $0.46 |
Gas CO2
3 kg
EV CO2
1 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
Rock Creek, MN
Late night in Rock Creek on Sunday
Local time
3:07 AM
CDT
Current temp
69°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
3 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
11m 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 drive is heavily highway-focused, with 63% of your journey spent on high-speed infrastructure. You will spend the bulk of your time navigating I-35, which accounts for the longest uninterrupted stretch of 3.4 miles. After exiting the interstate, the character of the road shifts as you transition onto Highway 70 and eventually Hillside Avenue Southwest to reach your destination. The experience is primarily functional, prioritizing direct movement over winding backroads or technical turns. Expect a consistent pace that minimizes the time spent in the driver's seat while you navigate these primary thoroughfares.
63% 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: 3.4 mi on I 35.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 35 and Highway 70. 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 11m 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 0.1 miles (I 35 BUS; CR 61 / Main Street South): Navigation decision point; at 1.4 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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.
Between Pine City, MN and Rock Creek, MN, road signs point toward Minneapolis and Grantsburg.
Minneapolis
1.4 mi in
|
~2m
Grantsburg
5 mi in
|
~7m
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 11m. Total distance: 7.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
11m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (63%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 3.4 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 1.4 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Rock 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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