The drive from Plymouth, MN to Chisholm, MN covers 204.8 miles and takes about 4h 10m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on MN 23, State Highway 65, MN 27 for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is mostly highway.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 37.8 miles on MN 23.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $32.43 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
102.4 miles from Plymouth, MN
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 1m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
MN 23
37.8 mi
45m
State Highway 65
35.8 mi
45m
MN 27
33.6 mi
42m
US Highway 169
32.8 mi
37m
MN 65
18.9 mi
23m
US 169
14.6 mi
17m
I 94
8.3 mi
9m
East Beltline
6.6 mi
8m
Longest stretch:
MN 23
— 37.8 mi, about 45m
Traffic on I-94
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 12 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~4,689 veh/hr typical
Quietest
2 AM
~240 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
19.5×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 99 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Plymouth, MN and Chisholm, MN.
1
Start on MN 55
62 ft·3 sec·MN 55
2
Take the exit
186 ft·4 sec
Toward I 494 North
3
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi·42 sec
Toward I 494 North
4
Merge onto I 494
5.0 mi·6 min·I 494
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Keep slight left at fork
0.6 mi·49 sec
Exit 27Toward I 94 West: Saint CloudUse the slight left / slight right lanes.
6
Continue on I 94
8.3 mi·9 min·I 94
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.3 mi·36 sec
Exit 207A-BToward MN 101, CR 81, MN 101 North: Rogers, Elk RiverUse the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight right at fork onto MN 101 North Bypass
0.8 mi·55 sec·MN 101 North Bypass
Exit 207BToward MN 101 Bypass North: Elk RiverUse the slight right lane.
9
Merge onto MN 101
6.4 mi·7 min·MN 101
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on US 169
27 mi·30 min·US Highway 169
11
Keep slight right at fork onto US 169
6.3 mi·7 min·US Highway 169
12
Take the exit
0.4 mi·51 sec
13
Turn right onto MN 23
18 mi·20 min·MN 23
14
Turn left onto MN 23; MN 65
20 mi·24 min·MN 23; MN 65
15
Continue on MN 27; MN 65
34 mi·42 min·MN 27; MN 65
16
At end of road, turn left onto MN 210; MN 65
1.2 mi·2 min·East Highway 210
17
Turn right onto MN 65
36 mi·45 min·State Highway 65
18
Enter roundabout onto MN 65
146 ft·1 sec·MN 65
19
Continue on MN 65
19 mi·23 min·MN 65
20
Turn right onto US 169; MN 65
15 mi·17 min·US 169; MN 65
21
Enter roundabout onto US 169; MN 73
200 ft·3 sec·East Beltline
22
Continue on US 169; MN 73
6.6 mi·8 min·East Beltline
Use the straight lane.
23
Take the exit onto MN 73
0.5 mi·50 sec·MN 73
24
Enter roundabout onto MN 73
149 ft·8 sec·State Highway 73
25
Continue on MN 73
0.6 mi·1 min·State Highway 73
Use the straight lane.
26
Continue on MN 73
0.2 mi·29 sec·West Lake Street
Use the straight lane.
27
Turn right onto 3rd Avenue Southwest
64 ft·2 sec·3rd Avenue Southwest
28
Arrive at destination
3rd Avenue Southwest
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 102.4 miles from Plymouth, MN, or about 2h 1m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 37.8 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 45 miles or 52m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 102.4 miles or 2h 1m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 24m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Chisholm, MN than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Plymouth, MN so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Plymouth, MN
This is one driving day of about 204.8 miles and 4h 10m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 45 miles from Plymouth, MN.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on MN 23 for about 37.8 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 21
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 14.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0 mi into trip|~0m in
Take the exit toward I 494 North
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward I 494 North
5
0 mi into trip|~0m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 494 North
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I 494 North
8
5.3 mi into trip|~7m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 94 West: Saint Cloud
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Exit 27
Toward I 94 West: Saint Cloud
8
14.2 mi into trip|~16m in
Take the exit toward MN 101, CR 81, MN 101 North: Rogers, Elk River
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 207A-B
Toward MN 101, CR 81, MN 101 North: Rogers, Elk...
8
14.5 mi into trip|~17m in|MN 101 North Bypass
Keep slight right at fork onto MN 101 North Bypass toward MN 101 Bypass North: Elk River
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 207B
Toward MN 101 Bypass North: Elk River
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$32.43 one way
$64.86 round trip
$4.02/gal25.4 MPG avg72 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.28
$34.53
$69.07
premium
$4.85
$39.09
$78.18
diesel
$5.60
$45.14
$90.29
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$32
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$57–$82
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 71.7 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $22 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
61.4
0
$21.50
$9.83
Efficient EV
51.2
0
$17.92
$8.19
EV Truck/SUV
81.9
1
$28.67
$13.11
Gas CO2
72 kg
EV CO2
24 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.
Forecast as of Aug 26, 2026
Origin
Plymouth, MN
Evening
in Plymouth on Friday
Local time
5:13 PM
CDT
Current temp
80°F
Sunny
NNW 15 mph1% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Chisholm, MN
Evening
in Chisholm on Friday
Local time
5:13 PM
CDT
Current temp
74°F
Sunny
NW 10 mph4% chanceLive forecast
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
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
6 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
4h 10m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
204.8 mi in 4h 10m, mostly highway — 37.8 mi of that is on MN 23.
96% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
28 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 37.8 mi on MN 23.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on MN 23 and State Highway 65. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive.
Driving Effort9/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 21 significant decision points across 204.8 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; near the start: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 5.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
1,539 ft969 ft
Total Climb
765 ft
Total Descent
205 ft
Highest Point
1,539 ft
~204.8 mi in
Elevation Range
570 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Plymouth, MN and Chisholm, MN, road signs point toward Cr 81 and Elk River.
Plymouth is a city located in the heart of Minnesota. This city is a place that has a good solid community and friendly people. Plymouth has a lot to offer both its residents and its travelers. They are known for having affordable housing, low crime rates and most importantly an active outdoor culture. Plymouth was also Money Magazine's best place to live in 2008. If Plymouth was ranked as the number one place to live, it must be a really great place to travel to as well.
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 10m. Total distance: 204.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 10m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (96%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 37.8 miles on MN 23. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Chisholm, MN before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: near the start: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; near the start: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 5.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Possible but tiring. At 4.2 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 8.4 hours — manageable with a long break at Chisholm, MN, but most travelers stay overnight.
