Origin
Blue Earth, MN
Afternoon in Blue Earth on Saturday
Local time
12:26 PM
CDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Blue Earth, MN to Woodbury, MN
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
5h 17m
Distance
272.5 mi
439 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$41
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
5h 4m
★
6 AM
5h 18m
8 AM
5h 45m
10 AM
5h 27m
12 PM
5h 25m
3 PM
5h 29m
5 PM
5h 43m
8 PM
5h 10m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Blue Earth, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Woodbury, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Blue Earth, MN to Woodbury, MN covers 272.5 miles and takes about 5h 17m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 35, I 35E, I 90 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 157.2 miles on I 35. At current regular gas prices, budget about $40.55 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
136.3 miles from Blue Earth, MN
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 32m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 35 | 157.2 mi | 2h 48m |
| I 35E | 42.4 mi | 50m |
| I 90 | 39.6 mi | 42m |
| State Highway 73 | 22.9 mi | 38m |
| 1st Street | 3.6 mi | 4m |
| South Main Street | 1 mi | 2m |
| MN 73 | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| I 694 | 0.8 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 35
— 157.2 mi, about 2h 48m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Blue Earth, MN and Woodbury, 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
0.5 mi
·
40 sec
·
US Highway 169
8
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Toward I 90 East: Albert Lea
9
Merge onto I 90
40 mi
·
42 min
·
I 90
Use the straight / right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
Toward I 35 North: Minneapolis, Saint Paul
Use the right lane.
11
Merge onto I 35
75 mi
·
1 hr 20 min
·
I 35
Use the straight / right lanes.
12
Keep slight right at fork onto I 35E
16 mi
·
18 min
·
I 35E
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35E
2.7 mi
·
4 min
·
I 35E
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35E
0.4 mi
·
35 sec
·
I 35E
15
Merge onto I 35E; I 94
350 ft
·
5 sec
·
Purple Heart Memorial Highway
16
Take the exit onto I 35E
5.2 mi
·
6 min
·
I 35E
Exit 242B
Toward I 35E North, US 10 West
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Keep slight right at fork onto US 10
0.3 mi
·
19 sec
·
US 10
Exit 113-114
Toward US 10 West, I 694 West, I 694 East
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
35 sec
Exit 114
Toward I 35E North, I 694 East
Use the slight right lane.
19
Merge onto I 694
0.8 mi
·
59 sec
·
I 694
20
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35E
18 mi
·
19 min
·
I 35E
Toward I 35E North: Duluth
Use the slight left lane.
21
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35
82 mi
·
1 hr 28 min
·
I 35
22
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
49 sec
Toward MN 73: Moose Lake
23
Turn left onto MN 73
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
MN 73
24
Enter roundabout onto State Highway 73
132 ft
·
8 sec
·
State Highway 73
25
Continue on State Highway 73
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
State Highway 73
26
Continue on MN 73; CR 61
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Arrowhead Lane
27
Turn left onto MN 27; MN 73
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Folz Boulevard
28
Continue on MN 27; MN 73
22 mi
·
37 min
·
State Highway 73
29
Turn left onto MN 210
3.6 mi
·
4 min
·
1st Street
30
Turn right onto CR 127
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
·
Gisler Road
31
Arrive at destination
CR 127
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 136.3 miles from Blue Earth, MN, or about 2h 32m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 157.2 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 60 miles or 1h 7m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 136.3 miles or 2h 32m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 7m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Woodbury, 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 272.5 miles and 5h 17m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 60 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 I 35 for about 157.2 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
136 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 60 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 136.3 miles from Blue Earth, MN, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before I 35 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 157.2 miles.
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 255 decision points cluster between mile 41.8 and 143.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
41.8 mi into trip
|
~47m in
Take the exit toward I 35 North: Minneapolis, Saint Paul
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Toward I 35 North: Minneapolis, Saint Paul
8
136.4 mi into trip
|
~2h 32m in
|
I 35E
Take the exit onto I 35E toward I 35E North, US 10 West
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 242B
Toward I 35E North, US 10 West
9
141.6 mi into trip
|
~2h 39m in
|
US 10
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
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 113-114
Toward US 10 West, I 694 West, I 694 East
8
141.9 mi into trip
|
~2h 39m in
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
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 114
Toward I 35E North, I 694 East
7
143.2 mi into trip
|
~2h 41m in
|
I 35E
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35E toward I 35E North: Duluth
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward I 35E North: Duluth
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$40.55 one way
$81.11 round trip
$3.78/gal
25.4 MPG avg
95 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.07 | $43.70 | $87.39 |
| premium | $4.53 | $48.62 | $97.24 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $60.16 | $120.33 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$41
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$66–$91
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 95.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $29 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 81.8 | 1 | $28.61 | $13.08 |
| Efficient EV | 68.1 | 0 | $23.84 | $10.90 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 109 | 1 | $38.15 | $17.44 |
Gas CO2
95 kg
EV CO2
32 kg (66% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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
Woodbury, MN
Afternoon in Woodbury on Saturday
Local time
12:26 PM
CDT
Current temp
63°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
16 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
5h 17m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
272.5 mi in 5h 17m, mostly highway — 157.2 mi of that is on I 35.
97% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
31 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 157.2 mi on I 35.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 35 and I 35E. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 41.8 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 25 significant decision points across 272.5 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 41.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 136.4 miles (I 35E): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 141.6 miles (US 10): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Blue Earth, MN to Woodbury, MN, road signs begin pointing toward Saint Paul along the way.
Saint Paul
41.8 mi in
|
~47m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 17m. Total distance: 272.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 17m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (97%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 157.2 miles on I 35. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
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 Woodbury, 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: at 41.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 136.4 miles (I 35E): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 141.6 miles (US 10): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Not recommended in a single day. At 5.3 hours each way, a round trip means 10.6 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Woodbury, MN before the return drive.
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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