Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
38m
Distance
27.6 mi
44 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Plymouth, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Montrose, MN
Tom Fisk
Plymouth, MN to Montrose, MN is 27.6 miles and takes about 38 minutes via Officer Bill Mathews Memorial Highway and US 12, with a fuel budget near $4 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within the Midwest region, specifically Minnesota, making it a convenient local excursion. The route primarily uses surface roads, so don't expect a high-speed interstate experience. It's a straightforward drive, perfect for a quick errand or a short scenic detour without requiring extensive planning.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Officer Bill Mathews Memorial Highwa | 11 mi | 14m |
| Babcock Boulevard | 6.1 mi | 8m |
| US 12 | 5.5 mi | 7m |
| I 494 | 2.2 mi | 2m |
| 60th Street Southeast | 0.7 mi | <1m |
| Nelson Boulevard | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| MN 55 | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Buffalo Avenue South | <0.1 mi | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Step-by-step road directions between Plymouth, MN and Montrose, MN.
Start on MN 55
Turn sharp left
Merge onto I 494
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto US 12
Enter roundabout onto US 12
Continue on US 12
Keep slight right at fork onto US 12
Continue on US 12
Continue on US 12
Continue on US 12
Turn slight right onto US 12; MN 25
Merge onto US 12; MN 25
Continue on US 12; MN 25
Turn right onto CR 12
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 3.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn sharp left toward I 494 South
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach. Lane positioning matters here
Merge onto I 494
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward US 12 West: Wayzata
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork toward US 12 West: Wayzata
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Merge onto US 12 / Officer Bill Mathews Memorial Highwa
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$4.11 one way
$8.21 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.07 | $4.43 | $8.85 |
| premium | $4.53 | $4.92 | $9.85 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.09 | $12.19 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 9.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8.3 | 0 | $2.90 | $1.32 |
| Efficient EV | 6.9 | 0 | $2.42 | $1.10 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 11 | 0 | $3.86 | $1.77 |
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (70% 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
Late night in Plymouth on Tuesday
Local time
4:03 AM
CDT
Current temp
32°F
Mostly Cloudy then Chance Light Snow
Destination
Late night in Montrose on Tuesday
Local time
4:03 AM
CDT
Current temp
57°F
Unavailable
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.
You'll spend about 29% of this 27.6-mile drive on highways. Officer Bill Mathews Memorial Highway accounts for the longest continuous stretch at 11 miles, offering a more consistent pace. After that, expect to transition to surface roads like Babcock Boulevard and US 12. The route features a mix, but the majority of your travel will be on roads with more frequent intersections and potentially slower speeds.
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in.
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 9 decision points packed into just 27.6 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 38m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles: Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach. Lane positioning matters here; at 0.5 miles (I 494): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 2.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Founded 1852
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.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 38m. Total distance: 27.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
38m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
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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