Origin
Eagan, MN
Morning in Eagan on Friday
Local time
9:40 AM
CDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Eagan, MN to Birchwood, 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
26 mi
42 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.
Eagan, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Birchwood, MN
Tom Fisk
Trip Overview
The drive from Eagan, MN to Birchwood, MN covers 26 miles and takes about 36m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 494, I 694, I 35E for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 12.1 miles on I 494. At current regular gas prices, budget about $3.87 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 36m. Total distance: 26 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 (78%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 36m highway drive covering 26 miles, with most of the trip on I 494 and I 694. The longest continuous stretch is about 12.1 miles on I 494.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 15 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 494 is the longest continuous segment at about 12.1 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 494 and I 694. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.7 miles in.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 10 decision points packed into just 26 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 36m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.7 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 2.1 miles (I 35E): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 3.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 10 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
1.7 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Take the ramp toward I 35E North
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 35E North
5
2.1 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
I 35E
Merge onto I 35E
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
3.8 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Take the exit toward I 494 West, I 494 East
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 99A-B
Toward I 494 West, I 494 East
8
4.1 mi into trip
|
~6m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 494 East
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 99A
Toward I 494 East
7
23.4 mi into trip
|
~30m in
Take the exit toward MN 120: Century Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 51
Toward MN 120: Century Avenue
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 494 | 12.1 mi | 15m |
| I 694 | 6.5 mi | 8m |
| I 35E | 1.7 mi | 1m |
| Pilot Knob Road | 1.7 mi | 2m |
| East County Line Road | 1 mi | 2m |
| North Century Avenue | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Cedar Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Wildwood Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 494
— 12.1 mi, about 15m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Eagan, MN and Birchwood, MN.
1
Start on CR 31
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
Pilot Knob Road
Use the left lane.
2
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
54 sec
Toward I 35E North
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
3
Merge onto I 35E
1.7 mi
·
1 min
·
I 35E
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
Exit 99A-B
Toward I 494 West, I 494 East
5
Keep slight right at fork
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Exit 99A
Toward I 494 East
Use the slight right lane.
6
Merge onto I 494
12 mi
·
15 min
·
I 494
Use the straight / right lanes.
7
Continue on I 694
6.5 mi
·
8 min
·
I 694
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
45 sec
Exit 51
Toward MN 120: Century Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Turn right onto MN 120
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
North Century Avenue
Use the right lane.
10
Continue on MN 120
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
East County Line Road
11
Turn right onto Cedar Street
0.4 mi
·
54 sec
·
Cedar Street
12
Continue on Cedar Street
298 ft
·
14 sec
·
Cedar Street
13
Turn right onto Wildwood Avenue
56 ft
·
8 sec
·
Wildwood Avenue
14
Turn left
90 ft
·
6 sec
15
Arrive at destination
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.87 one way
$7.74 round trip
$3.78/gal
25.4 MPG avg
9 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.07 | $4.17 | $8.34 |
| premium | $4.53 | $4.64 | $9.28 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.74 | $11.48 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 9.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7.8 | 0 | $2.73 | $1.25 |
| Efficient EV | 6.5 | 0 | $2.28 | $1.04 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 10.4 | 0 | $3.64 | $1.66 |
Gas CO2
9 kg
EV CO2
3 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
Birchwood, MN
Morning in Birchwood on Friday
Local time
9:40 AM
CDT
Current temp
44°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 cooler 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 Eagan, MN to Birchwood, MN covers 26 miles and takes about 36m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 494, I 694, I 35E. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 13 miles from Eagan, MN. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $3.87 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.
This is a short but busy drive. With 10 decision points packed into just 26 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 36m.
The main spots that need attention: at 1.7 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 2.1 miles (I 35E): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 3.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
The route from Eagan, MN to Birchwood, 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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