Origin
Tofte, MN
Late night in Tofte on Sunday
Local time
3:00 AM
CDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Tofte, MN to Red Rock, MN
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 14m
Distance
58.2 mi
94 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 9m
★
6 AM
1h 15m
8 AM
1h 26m
10 AM
1h 19m
12 PM
1h 18m
3 PM
1h 19m
5 PM
1h 26m
8 PM
1h 11m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Tofte, MN
Barnabas Davoti
Red Rock, MN
Tom Fisk
Trip Overview
If you are looking for a quick excursion through Minnesota, this 58.1-mile drive from Tofte to Red Rock is an ideal candidate. Expect to spend about 1 hour and 2 minutes behind the wheel, making this a perfect day trip that leaves plenty of time for activities at your destination. You will spend roughly $8 on fuel for the journey, keeping your travel costs quite low. Since the entire route is contained within the Midwest, you will find a familiar regional atmosphere throughout your trek. Because the trip is short, you do not need to worry about booking overnight stays or managing long-distance fatigue. It is a straightforward, efficient route that serves as a great way to traverse this part of the state without a massive time commitment.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Highway 61 | 58.2 mi | 1h 14m |
| MN 61 | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
Highway 61
— 58.2 mi, about 1h 14m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Tofte, MN and Red Rock, MN.
1
Start on this road
231 ft
·
20 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right onto MN 61
58 mi
·
1 hr 14 min
·
Highway 61
Use the straight / left lanes.
3
Arrive at destination
MN 61
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
29 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.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 29.1 miles from Tofte, 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.
Heads-up: tricky spots
1 of 11 decision points cluster around mile 0 — 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
|
MN 61 / Highway 61
Turn right onto MN 61 / Highway 61
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.66 one way
$17.32 round trip
$3.78/gal
25.4 MPG avg
20 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.07 | $9.33 | $18.67 |
| premium | $4.53 | $10.38 | $20.77 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.85 | $25.70 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 20.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 17.5 | 0 | $6.11 | $2.79 |
| Efficient EV | 14.6 | 0 | $5.09 | $2.33 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 23.3 | 0 | $8.15 | $3.72 |
Gas CO2
20 kg
EV CO2
7 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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Red Rock, MN
Late night in Red Rock on Sunday
Local time
3:00 AM
CDT
Current temp
40°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
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
1h 14m 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?
Prepare for a turn-heavy local drive that demands your full attention compared to a standard interstate cruise. You will be traveling exclusively on Highway 61, as the highway share for this route is 0 percent. Navigating these local roads means you should anticipate a more technical driving experience rather than a high-speed, monotonous stretch. The road maintains a consistent, winding character from start to finish, requiring you to stay alert through every curve. Because this is a local route, you will not encounter any long, uninterrupted highway segments, so focus on the immediate road conditions as you progress toward Red Rock.
100% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
3 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 58.2 mi on Highway 61.
How Hard Is This Drive?
1/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Highway 61 and MN 61. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near MN 61 / Highway 61.
Driving Effort
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Tofte, MN to Red Rock, MN is easy. At 1h 14m with 100% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
There is one spot that needs extra attention: near the start (MN 61 / Highway 61): Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
717 ft
620 ft
Total Climb
223 ft
Total Descent
226 ft
Highest Point
717 ft
~24.9 mi in
Elevation Range
97 ft
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 14m. Total distance: 58.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 14m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (100%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 58.2 miles on Highway 61. 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.
There is one spot that needs extra attention: near the start (MN 61 / Highway 61): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Grand Portage National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Red Rock, 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, EIA for fuel prices, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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