Origin
Blue Earth, MN
Afternoon in Blue Earth on Saturday
Local time
2:12 PM
CDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Blue Earth, MN to Plymouth, MN
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
2h 37m
Distance
121.3 mi
195 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$18
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
2h 27m
★
6 AM
2h 38m
8 AM
2h 59m
10 AM
2h 45m
12 PM
2h 43m
3 PM
2h 46m
5 PM
2h 58m
8 PM
2h 31m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Blue Earth, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Plymouth, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Blue Earth, MN to Plymouth, MN covers 121.3 miles and takes about 2h 37m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on US 169, US Highway 169, US 212 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 51.1 miles on US 169. At current regular gas prices, budget about $18.05 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
60.7 miles from Blue Earth, MN
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 21m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 169 | 51.1 mi | 1h 3m |
| US Highway 169 | 34.2 mi | 43m |
| US 212 | 13.1 mi | 15m |
| I 494 | 10.1 mi | 12m |
| Quaker Avenue | 5.4 mi | 8m |
| South Main Street | 3 mi | 6m |
| Jonathan Carver Parkway | 1.9 mi | 2m |
| County Road 40 | 0.6 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
US 169
— 51.1 mi, about 1h 3m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Blue Earth, MN and Plymouth, MN.
1
Start on this road
58 ft
·
9 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left
53 ft
·
9 sec
3
Turn left onto East 7th Street
150 ft
·
8 sec
·
East 7th Street
4
Turn right onto CR 6
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
South Main Street
5
Turn right onto CR 44
0.4 mi
·
55 sec
·
Fairgrounds Road
6
Enter roundabout onto US 169
293 ft
·
12 sec
·
US Highway 169
7
Continue on US 169
7.8 mi
·
9 min
·
US Highway 169
8
Continue on US 169
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
South Main Street
9
Continue on US 169
26 mi
·
33 min
·
US Highway 169
10
Take the ramp onto US 169
30 mi
·
38 min
·
US 169
Use the straight lane.
11
Continue on US 169; MN 93
12 mi
·
13 min
·
US 169; MN 93
Use the straight lane.
12
Continue on US 169
9.6 mi
·
11 min
·
US 169
Use the straight lane.
13
Turn left onto CR 9
5.4 mi
·
8 min
·
Quaker Avenue
14
At end of road, turn right onto CR 11; CR 40
0.6 mi
·
52 sec
·
County Road 40
15
Continue on CR 11
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Jonathan Carver Parkway
16
Enter roundabout onto CR 11
99 ft
·
1 sec
·
Jonathan Carver Parkway
17
Continue on CR 11
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Jonathan Carver Parkway
18
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
55 sec
Toward US 212 East
19
Merge onto US 212
13 mi
·
15 min
·
US 212
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
20
Take the exit
439 ft
·
10 sec
Toward I 494 North
Use the straight / right lanes.
21
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
Toward I 494 North
22
Merge onto I 494; MN 5
10 mi
·
12 min
·
I 494; MN 5
Use the straight / right lanes.
23
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
Exit 22
Toward MN 55
Use the slight right lane.
24
Turn right onto MN 55
0.3 mi
·
24 sec
·
MN 55
Use the right lane.
25
Continue on MN 55
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
·
MN 55
26
Arrive at destination
MN 55
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 60.7 miles from Blue Earth, MN, or about 1h 21m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 51.1 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 27 miles or 37m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 60.7 miles or 1h 21m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 10m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Plymouth, MN than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Blue Earth, 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 Blue Earth, MN
This is one driving day of about 121.3 miles and 2h 37m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 27 miles from Blue Earth, 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 US 169 for about 51.1 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
61 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 27 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 60.7 miles from Blue Earth, 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
5 of 155 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 120.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
Turn left
Navigation decision point
6
110.1 mi into trip
|
~2h 22m in
Take the exit toward I 494 North
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Toward I 494 North
6
110.2 mi into trip
|
~2h 22m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 494 North
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I 494 North
7
120.4 mi into trip
|
~2h 35m in
Take the exit toward MN 55
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 22
Toward MN 55
7
120.7 mi into trip
|
~2h 36m in
|
MN 55
Turn right onto MN 55
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$18.05 one way
$36.10 round trip
$3.78/gal
25.4 MPG avg
42 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.07 | $19.45 | $38.90 |
| premium | $4.53 | $21.64 | $43.29 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $26.78 | $53.56 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$18
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$43–$68
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 42.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $13 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 36.4 | 0 | $12.74 | $5.82 |
| Efficient EV | 30.3 | 0 | $10.61 | $4.85 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 48.5 | 0 | $16.98 | $7.76 |
Gas CO2
42 kg
EV CO2
14 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.
Destination
Plymouth, MN
Afternoon in Plymouth on Saturday
Local time
2:12 PM
CDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live 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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
2h 37m 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?
121.3 mi in 2h 37m, mostly highway — 51.1 mi of that is on US 169.
91% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
26 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 51.1 mi on US 169.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 169 and US Highway 169. You will hit about 15 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive.
Driving Effort
6/10
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 121.3 miles you will encounter 15 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: Navigation decision point; at 110.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 110.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
About the Cities
Arriving in Plymouth, MN
Full guide →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).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 37m. Total distance: 121.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 37m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (91%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 51.1 miles on US 169. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 Plymouth, 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: Navigation decision point; at 110.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 110.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Plymouth, MN before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh 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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