Origin
Dahlgren, MN
Morning in Dahlgren on Friday
Local time
7:18 AM
CDT
Current temp
45°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Dahlgren, MN to Bloomington, MN
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
29m
Distance
23.8 mi
38 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 27m
★
6 AM
0h 30m
8 AM
0h 35m
10 AM
0h 31m
12 PM
0h 31m
3 PM
0h 32m
5 PM
0h 34m
8 PM
0h 28m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Dahlgren, MN
Barnabas Davoti
Bloomington, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 23.8-mile drive from Dahlgren to Bloomington, Minnesota, is a quick trip that can easily be completed in about 29 minutes, making it perfect for a single day. Primarily utilizing US 212, MN 5, and I-35W, this route is almost entirely highway driving at 96%. With a fuel cost estimated at $4, it’s an economical option for a short journey within the Midwest region. Since there are no recommended overnight stops, you can focus on reaching your destination efficiently. This drive offers a straightforward connection between two points in Minnesota.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 29m. Total distance: 23.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
29m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (96%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
Expect a highway-focused experience for nearly the entire 23.8 miles, with 96% of the journey on major roads. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 15.4 miles on US 212, offering a consistent pace. This route is designed for efficiency, meaning you'll spend most of your time on well-maintained highways rather than navigating slower local roads. The transitions between US 212, MN 5, and I-35W are designed to keep you moving, providing a smooth, though not particularly varied, driving experience.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 13 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
US 212 is the longest continuous segment at about 15.4 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 212 and MN 5. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 15.5 miles in near MN 5.
Driving Effort
9/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 10 decision points packed into just 23.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 29m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 15.5 miles (MN 5): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 15.8 miles (MN 5): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 21.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 10 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
7
15.5 mi into trip
|
~18m in
|
MN 5
Take the exit onto MN 5 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.
Toward I 494 East, MN 5 East
8
15.8 mi into trip
|
~18m in
|
MN 5
Keep slight left at fork onto MN 5 toward I 494 East, MN 5 East
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 494 East, MN 5 East
7
21.9 mi into trip
|
~26m in
Take the exit toward I 35W South: Albert Lea
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 5B
Toward I 35W South: Albert Lea
7
23.6 mi into trip
|
~28m in
Take the exit toward 90th Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 7B
Toward 90th Street
7
23.8 mi into trip
|
~29m in
|
West 90th Street
Turn left onto West 90th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 212 | 15.4 mi | 17m |
| MN 5 | 6.4 mi | 8m |
| I 35W | 1 mi | 1m |
| County Road 43 | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| West 90th Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
US 212
— 15.4 mi, about 17m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Dahlgren, MN and Bloomington, MN.
1
Start on CR 43
124 ft
·
10 sec
·
County Road 43
2
Continue on CR 43
329 ft
·
9 sec
·
County Road 43
3
Merge onto US 212
0.2 mi
·
11 sec
·
US 212
4
Take the exit
146 ft
·
8 sec
Toward US 212 West
5
Turn left onto US 212
15 mi
·
17 min
·
US 212
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit onto MN 5
0.2 mi
·
17 sec
·
MN 5
Toward I 494 East, MN 5 East
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight left at fork onto MN 5
6.2 mi
·
7 min
·
MN 5
Toward I 494 East, MN 5 East
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
Exit 5B
Toward I 35W South: Albert Lea
Use the slight right lane.
9
Continue on this road
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
·
this road
Exit 5B
Toward I 35W South: Albert Lea
10
Merge onto I 35W
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
I 35W
11
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
Exit 7B
Toward 90th Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Turn left onto West 90th Street
207 ft
·
5 sec
·
West 90th Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
13
Arrive at destination
West 90th Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.54 one way
$7.08 round trip
$3.78/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.07 | $3.82 | $7.63 |
| premium | $4.53 | $4.25 | $8.49 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.25 | $10.51 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 8.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7.1 | 0 | $2.50 | $1.14 |
| Efficient EV | 6 | 0 | $2.08 | $0.95 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 9.5 | 0 | $3.33 | $1.52 |
Gas CO2
8 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (63% 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
Bloomington, MN
Morning in Bloomington on Friday
Local time
7:18 AM
CDT
Current temp
48°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
3 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
29m 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 Dahlgren, MN to Bloomington, MN covers 23.8 miles and takes about 29m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are US 212, MN 5, 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 11.9 miles from Dahlgren, MN. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $3.54 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 short but busy drive. With 10 decision points packed into just 23.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 29m.
The main spots that need attention: at 15.5 miles (MN 5): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 15.8 miles (MN 5): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 21.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Dahlgren, MN to Bloomington, MN does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
How this page is built
Compiled and maintained by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy (Helsinki). Each route is built from authoritative open government and mapping datasets rather than crowdsourced reviews. Distances and geometry come from OSRM over OpenStreetMap. Fuel cost uses EIA weekly regional averages. Pages are published only after passing our data-quality checks; our methodology page documents refresh cadence, editorial standards, and known limitations.
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