Origin
Brainerd, MN
Morning in Brainerd on Monday
Local time
10:57 AM
CDT
Current temp
39°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Brainerd, MN to Burnsville, MN
Drive Time
2h 21m
Distance
145.9 mi
235 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$21
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
2h 12m
★
6 AM
2h 22m
8 AM
2h 41m
10 AM
2h 29m
12 PM
2h 27m
3 PM
2h 30m
5 PM
2h 40m
8 PM
2h 16m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Brainerd, MN
Tom Fisk
Burnsville, MN
Tom Fisk
Trip Overview
The drive from Brainerd, MN to Burnsville, MN covers 145.9 miles and takes about 2h 21m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Laurel Street, West Laurel Street, Highland Scenic Drive South for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $20.87 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
0 planned breaks
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
73 miles from Brainerd, MN
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 10m into the drive .
Drive Character
Expect a 2h 21m drive with frequent turns across 145.9 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 28 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Laurel Street is one of the defining roads on this drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple — set it and forget it for most of the drive.
Route Complexity
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
The drive from Brainerd, MN to Burnsville, MN is easy. At 2h 21m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Brainerd, MN to Burnsville, MN is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Laurel Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| West Laurel Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Highland Scenic Drive South | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| C | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| 165th Avenue Southeast | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Park Boulevard Southeast | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| County Road 11 | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Highway 25 | Unavailable | Refreshing |
Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.
Longest stretch:
Laurel Street
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Brainerd, MN and Burnsville, MN.
1
Start on South 6th Street
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
South 6th Street
2
Turn right onto Laurel Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Laurel Street
3
Continue on West Laurel Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
West Laurel Street
4
Continue on Highland Scenic Drive South
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Highland Scenic Drive South
5
Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward Highland Scenic Drive South
108 ft
·
3 sec
·
Highland Scenic Drive South
6
Exit the roundabout onto Highland Scenic Drive South
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Highland Scenic Drive South
7
Turn left onto C. Elmer Anderson Memorial Highway
26 mi
·
29 min
·
C. Elmer Anderson Memorial Highway
8
Merge slight right
28 mi
·
32 min
9
Keep slight left
26 mi
·
30 min
10
Turn right onto 165th Avenue Southeast
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
165th Avenue Southeast
11
Continue on Park Boulevard Southeast
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Park Boulevard Southeast
12
Continue on County Road 11
0.7 mi
·
58 sec
·
County Road 11
13
Turn right onto State Highway 25
0.1 mi
·
12 sec
·
State Highway 25
14
Continue on Pine Street
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
·
Pine Street
15
Turn left onto Broadway Street East
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Broadway Street East
16
Turn right onto Fenning Avenue
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
·
Fenning Avenue
17
Take the ramp left
0.4 mi
·
54 sec
18
Merge slight left
21 mi
·
22 min
19
Take the exit slight right toward I 494 South
0.4 mi
·
32 sec
·
I 494 South
20
Continue straight
22 mi
·
27 min
21
Take the exit slight right toward I 35W South: Albert Lea
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
·
I 35W South: Albert Lea
22
Continue on I 35W South: Albert Lea
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
·
I 35W South: Albert Lea
23
Merge slight left
5.9 mi
·
6 min
24
Take the exit slight right toward MN 13 North
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
MN 13 North
25
Merge slight left
0.5 mi
·
42 sec
26
Turn right onto Nicollet Avenue South
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Nicollet Avenue South
27
Continue on Nicollet Avenue South
289 ft
·
13 sec
·
Nicollet Avenue South
28
Arrive at your destination
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.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 73 miles from Brainerd, MN, or about 1h 10m into the drive.
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 80 miles or 1h 17m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 73 miles or 1h 10m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 56m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Burnsville, MN than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Brainerd, 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 Brainerd, MN
This is one driving day of about 145.9 miles and 2h 21m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Brainerd, MN.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 73 mi from Brainerd, MN · 1h 10m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
73 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 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 73 miles from Brainerd, MN, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Burnsville, MN
The final approach into Burnsville, MN usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Burnsville, MN.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$20.87 one way
$41.74 round trip
$3.63/gal
25.4 MPG avg
51 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $3.92 | $22.52 | $45.05 |
| premium | $4.39 | $25.23 | $50.46 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $32.41 | $64.83 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$21
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$46–$71
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 51 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $15 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 43.8 | 0 | $15.32 | $7.00 |
| Efficient EV | 36.5 | 0 | $12.77 | $5.84 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 58.4 | 0 | $20.43 | $9.34 |
Gas CO2
51 kg
EV CO2
17 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
Burnsville, MN
Morning in Burnsville on Monday
Local time
10:57 AM
CDT
Current temp
40°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Along the Route
38°F
Albertville, MN
73 mi in
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
1 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
2h 21m 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Brainerd, MN to Burnsville, MN covers 145.9 miles and takes about 2h 21m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Laurel Street, West Laurel Street, Highland Scenic Drive South. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 73 miles from Brainerd, MN. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $20.87 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
The drive from Brainerd, MN to Burnsville, MN is easy. At 2h 21m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Brainerd, MN to Burnsville, MN is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Brainerd, MN to Burnsville, MN does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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