Origin
Burnsville, MN
Morning in Burnsville on Saturday
Local time
9:04 AM
CDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Burnsville, MN to Big Lake, MN
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 12m
Distance
56.8 mi
91 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 7m
★
6 AM
1h 13m
8 AM
1h 24m
10 AM
1h 17m
12 PM
1h 15m
3 PM
1h 17m
5 PM
1h 24m
8 PM
1h 9m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Burnsville, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Big Lake, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Burnsville, MN to Big Lake, MN covers 56.8 miles and takes about 1h 12m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 94, I 494, I 35W for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 22.6 miles on I 94. At current regular gas prices, budget about $8.45 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 12m. Total distance: 56.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 12m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (93%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 1h 12m highway drive covering 56.8 miles, with most of the trip on I 94 and I 494. The longest continuous stretch is about 22.6 miles on I 94.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 17 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 94 is the longest continuous segment at about 22.6 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 94 and I 494. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 56.8 miles you will encounter 11 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: at 1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 6.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 6.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 11 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
1 mi into trip
|
~1m in
Take the exit toward I 35W North: Minneapolis
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 35W North: Minneapolis
8
6.7 mi into trip
|
~8m in
Take the exit toward I 494 East, MN 5 East
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 8B-C
Toward I 494 East, MN 5 East
6
6.9 mi into trip
|
~9m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 494 West, MN 5 West
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 494 West, MN 5 West
8
29.5 mi into trip
|
~38m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 94 West: Saint Cloud
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Exit 27
Toward I 94 West: Saint Cloud
8
56.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 12m in
|
US 10; MN 25 / Jefferson Boulevard
Turn uturn onto US 10; MN 25 / Jefferson Boulevard
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 94 | 22.6 mi | 24m |
| I 494 | 21.7 mi | 27m |
| I 35W | 5.4 mi | 6m |
| State Highway 25 | 2.8 mi | 5m |
| Pine Street | 0.8 mi | 2m |
| Nicollet Avenue South | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| MN 13 | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Jefferson Boulevard | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 94
— 22.6 mi, about 24m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Burnsville, MN and Big Lake, MN.
1
Start on Nicollet Avenue South
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Nicollet Avenue South
2
Turn left onto MN 13
0.3 mi
·
32 sec
·
MN 13
3
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
Toward I 35W North: Minneapolis
Use the slight right lane.
4
Merge onto I 35W
5.4 mi
·
6 min
·
I 35W
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
Exit 8B-C
Toward I 494 East, MN 5 East
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight left at fork
0.8 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 494 West, MN 5 West
7
Merge onto I 494; MN 5
5.8 mi
·
7 min
·
I 494; MN 5
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork onto I 494; MN 5
16 mi
·
19 min
·
I 494; MN 5
Use the straight / right lanes.
9
Keep slight left at fork
0.6 mi
·
49 sec
Exit 27
Toward I 94 West: Saint Cloud
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on I 94
17 mi
·
18 min
·
I 94
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork onto I 94
6.0 mi
·
6 min
·
I 94
12
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
13
Turn right onto MN 25
0.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Pine Street
14
Continue on MN 25
2.8 mi
·
5 min
·
State Highway 25
15
Turn left onto US 10; MN 25
266 ft
·
43 sec
·
Jefferson Boulevard
16
Turn uturn onto US 10; MN 25
125 ft
·
3 sec
·
Jefferson Boulevard
17
Arrive at destination
US 10; MN 25
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 28.4 mi from Burnsville, MN · 37m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
28 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 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 28.4 miles from Burnsville, MN, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Big Lake, MN
The final approach into Big Lake, MN usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.45 one way
$16.91 round trip
$3.78/gal
25.4 MPG avg
20 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.07 | $9.11 | $18.22 |
| premium | $4.53 | $10.13 | $20.27 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.54 | $25.08 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 19.9 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 | 0 | $5.96 | $2.73 |
| Efficient EV | 14.2 | 0 | $4.97 | $2.27 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 22.7 | 0 | $7.95 | $3.64 |
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
Big Lake, MN
Morning in Big Lake on Saturday
Local time
9:04 AM
CDT
Current temp
43°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
4 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 12m 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 Burnsville, MN to Big Lake, MN covers 56.8 miles and takes about 1h 12m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 94, I 494, I 35W. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 28.4 miles from Burnsville, MN. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $8.45 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.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 56.8 miles you will encounter 11 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: at 1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 6.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 6.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
The route from Burnsville, MN to Big Lake, MN does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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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