Origin
Cambridge, MN
Afternoon in Cambridge on Friday
Local time
12:51 PM
CDT
Current temp
65°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Cambridge, MN to Blaine, MN
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
36m
Distance
29.5 mi
47 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 34m
★
6 AM
0h 37m
8 AM
0h 43m
10 AM
0h 39m
12 PM
0h 38m
3 PM
0h 39m
5 PM
0h 43m
8 PM
0h 35m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Cambridge, MN
Tom Fisk
Blaine, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Cambridge to Blaine is 29.5 miles and takes about 36 minutes via Chip A. Imker Memorial Highway, with a fuel budget near $4 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within Minnesota, moving from the Midwest region to another part of the Midwest. The drive is a mixed bag, offering a straightforward path for a quick commute or a brief excursion. Given its short duration, it's ideal for a day trip or an easy leg of a longer journey. Plan for minimal travel time and a low fuel cost on this direct route.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 36m. Total distance: 29.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
36m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (35%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile.
Drive Character
This drive features a 35% highway share, meaning you'll encounter a good mix of faster roads and local streets. The longest uninterrupted stretch is 18.2 miles along the Chip A. Imker Memorial Highway, providing a solid period of consistent travel. You'll primarily navigate using the Chip A. Imker Memorial Highway and MN 65, with 1st Avenue West also playing a role closer to your destination. Expect the character of the drive to shift as you transition from more open highway driving to more developed areas.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 6 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Chip A. Imker Memorial Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 18.2 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.6 miles in.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 36m drive. You will face about 4 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.6 miles: Navigation decision point; at 1 miles (MN 65 / Chip A. Imker Memorial Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 19.2 miles (MN 65): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
4 of 4 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0.6 mi into trip
|
~1m in
Take the ramp
Navigation decision point
5
1 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
MN 65 / Chip A. Imker Memorial Highway
Merge onto MN 65 / Chip A. Imker Memorial Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
6
19.2 mi into trip
|
~23m in
|
MN 65
Keep slight right at fork onto MN 65
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
3
29.4 mi into trip
|
~36m in
|
MN 65 / Central Avenue Northeast
Turn left onto MN 65 / Central Avenue Northeast
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Chip A. Imker Memorial Highway | 18.2 mi | 21m |
| MN 65 | 10.3 mi | 12m |
| 1st Avenue West | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Central Avenue Northeast | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Chip A. Imker Memorial Highway
— 18.2 mi, about 21m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Cambridge, MN and Blaine, MN.
1
Start on MN 95
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
1st Avenue West
2
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
3
Merge onto MN 65
18 mi
·
21 min
·
Chip A. Imker Memorial Highway
Use the right lane.
4
Keep slight right at fork onto MN 65
10 mi
·
12 min
·
MN 65
Use the left lane.
5
Turn left onto MN 65
103 ft
·
10 sec
·
Central Avenue Northeast
6
Arrive at destination
MN 65
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.39 one way
$8.78 round trip
$3.78/gal
25.4 MPG avg
10 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.07 | $4.73 | $9.46 |
| premium | $4.53 | $5.26 | $10.53 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.51 | $13.03 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8.9 | 0 | $3.10 | $1.42 |
| Efficient EV | 7.4 | 0 | $2.58 | $1.18 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 11.8 | 0 | $4.13 | $1.89 |
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (70% 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
Blaine, MN
Afternoon in Blaine on Friday
Local time
12:51 PM
CDT
Current temp
66°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
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
36m 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 Cambridge, MN to Blaine, MN covers 29.5 miles and takes about 36m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Chip A. Imker Memorial Highway, MN 65, 1st Avenue West. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 14.7 miles from Cambridge, MN. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $4.39 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 is a straightforward 36m drive. You will face about 4 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.6 miles: Navigation decision point; at 1 miles (MN 65 / Chip A. Imker Memorial Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 19.2 miles (MN 65): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Cambridge, MN to Blaine, 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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