Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 5, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 12m
Distance
52.4 mi
84 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Saint Paul, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Cannon City, MN
Tom Fisk
Saint Paul to Cannon City is 52.4 miles and takes about 1 hour 12 minutes via I 35E, with a fuel budget near $8 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within the Midwest region, specifically within Minnesota for its entirety. Given the brief duration and consistent highway driving, it's a straightforward option for a quick excursion or a connection between points. The relatively low fuel cost also makes it an economical choice for a day trip.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 35E | 36.1 mi | 39m |
| Bagley Avenue | 4 mi | 5m |
| Shepard Road | 3.1 mi | 5m |
| 150th Street West | 2.4 mi | 5m |
| 163rd Street East | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| Dixon Trail | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Hiawatha Pioneer Trail | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| 158th Street East | 0.8 mi | 1m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 24 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~3,701 veh/hr typical
Quietest
2 AM
~162 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
22.8×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 34 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Saint Paul, MN and Cannon City, MN.
Start on Wabasha Street North
Turn left onto 4th Street West
Turn left onto Market Street
Turn right onto Kellogg Boulevard West
Turn slight left onto Exchange Street South
Turn left onto Eagle Parkway
Turn right onto CH 37
Take the exit
Merge onto I 35E
Take the exit
Turn right onto CR 1; I 35 ALT
Enter roundabout onto CR 46; I 35 ALT
Continue on CR 46; I 35 ALT
Turn left onto CR 9
At end of road, turn right onto MN 3
Turn left onto CR 29
Continue on CR 29
Continue on CR 29
Continue on CR 29
Continue on CR 29
Turn right onto CR 20
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
26 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
A short stop after about 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 26.2 miles from Saint Paul, MN, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn left onto 4th Street West
Navigation decision point
Turn left onto Market Street
Navigation decision point
Turn right onto CH 37 / Shepard Road
Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward I 35E South
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Merge onto I 35E
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$8.30 one way
$16.59 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.28 | $8.84 | $17.67 |
| premium | $4.85 | $10.00 | $20.00 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $11.55 | $23.10 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 18.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 15.7 | 0 | $5.50 | $2.52 |
| Efficient EV | 13.1 | 0 | $4.59 | $2.10 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 21 | 0 | $7.34 | $3.35 |
Gas CO2
18 kg
EV CO2
6 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Late night in Saint Paul on Saturday
Local time
1:35 AM
CDT
Current temp
88°F
Partly Sunny
Destination
Late night in Cannon City on Saturday
Local time
1:35 AM
CDT
Current temp
85°F
Mostly Cloudy
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.
This route is primarily highway, with 69% of the drive on major roads like I 35E, Bagley Avenue, and Shepard Road. You'll experience a longest stretch of 36.1 miles on I 35E, indicating extended cruising time on this freeway. Expect to transition from highway to surface roads for the final portion of the trip. The high highway share means you'll encounter typical freeway conditions, including merging and passing.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 35E and Bagley Avenue. You will hit about 14 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near 4th Street West.
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 52.4 miles you will encounter 14 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (4th Street West): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (Market Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.7 miles (CH 37 / Shepard Road): Lane positioning matters here.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
604 ft
Total Descent
185 ft
Highest Point
1,208 ft
~52.4 mi in
Elevation Range
477 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Saint Paul, MN to Cannon City, MN, road signs begin pointing toward Cr 1 along the way.
Cr 1
Founded 1854
Saint Paul (or St. Paul) is the capital city and the second largest city of the US state of Minnesota. Along with the slightly larger Minneapolis it forms the urban core of the Twin Cities region, the third largest metropolis in the Midwest.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 12m. Total distance: 52.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 12m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (69%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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