Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed May 16, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
57m
Distance
47.6 mi
77 km
Drive Score
8/10
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
Taylors Falls, MN
Tom Fisk
Saint Paul, MN to Taylors Falls, MN is 47.6 miles and takes about 57 minutes via I 35E and Lake Boulevard, with a fuel budget near $8 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within the Midwest region, making it a convenient option for local exploration. The route offers a mix of highway cruising and surface road driving, providing a varied experience without being overly demanding. It's a straightforward drive, perfect for a quick getaway or a scenic afternoon excursion.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 35E | 22.9 mi | 25m |
| Lake Boulevard | 20.6 mi | 24m |
| Moberg Trail | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| I 694 | 0.8 mi | <1m |
| Saint Croix Trail | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Wabasha Street North | 0.3 mi | 1m |
| US 10 | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| 7th Street East | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Saint Paul, MN and Taylors Falls, MN.
Start on Wabasha Street North
Turn right onto MN 5
Turn left onto Robert Street North
Turn right onto 11th Street East
Keep slight left at fork
Continue on I 35E
Keep slight right at fork onto US 10
Take the exit
Merge onto I 694
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35E
Keep slight right at fork onto US 8
Enter roundabout onto US 8
Continue on US 8
Enter roundabout onto Lake Boulevard
Continue on Lake Boulevard
Continue on US 8; MN 95
Continue on US 8; MN 95
Turn left onto MN 95
Turn right onto 1st Street
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
24 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 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 23.8 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 0.5 and 7.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn left onto Robert Street North
Navigation decision point
Keep slight left at fork toward I 35E North, US 10 West
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork onto US 10 toward US 10 West, I 694 West, I 694 East
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward I 35E North, I 694 East
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35E toward I 35E North: Duluth
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$8.01 one way
$16.02 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.60 | $8.62 | $17.25 |
| premium | $5.04 | $9.44 | $18.88 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $10.57 | $21.14 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 16.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-05-11.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.3 | 0 | $5.00 | $2.28 |
| Efficient EV | 11.9 | 0 | $4.17 | $1.90 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 19 | 0 | $6.66 | $3.05 |
Gas CO2
17 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (65% 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
Night in Saint Paul on Friday
Local time
10:12 PM
CDT
Current temp
40°F
Mostly Clear
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued May 9 at 6:26PM CDT until May 10 at 9:00AM CDT by NWS Grand Forks ND
Destination
Night in Taylors Falls on Friday
Local time
10:12 PM
CDT
Current temp
36°F
Partly Cloudy then Areas Of Frost
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued May 9 at 6:26PM CDT until May 10 at 9:00AM CDT by NWS Grand Forks ND
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 drive is split roughly 50% highway and 50% surface roads. You'll spend about 23.7 miles on I 35E, which is the longest continuous stretch. After exiting the interstate, expect more local traffic and potentially more frequent stops. The transition from highway to surface roads will be noticeable as the pace slows and the environment becomes more built-up.
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.5 miles in near Robert Street North.
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 13 decision points packed into just 47.6 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 57m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.5 miles (Robert Street North): Navigation decision point; at 0.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 5.9 miles (US 10): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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
Chisago County is a county in the Twin Cities region of Minnesota. Its principal settlements are: Taylors Falls, which abuts the St. Croix River which separates Minnesota and Wisconsin. North Branch Chisago City, a northern suburb of the Twin Cities in the Chisago Lakes area, comprising Lindstrom and Center City.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 57m. Total distance: 47.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
57m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (50%). 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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