The drive from Eagan, MN to Red Lake, MN covers 266.1 miles and takes about 5h 39m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on US 10, State Highway 64 Southwest, State 64 for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is highway-focused drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 85.9 miles on US 10.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $39.60 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
133 miles from Eagan, MN
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 39m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 39m. Total distance: 266.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 39m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (84%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 5h 39m highway drive covering 266.1 miles, with most of the trip on US 10 and State Highway 64 Southwest. The longest continuous stretch is about 85.9 miles on US 10.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 36 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
US 10 is the longest continuous segment at about 85.9 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 10 and State Highway 64 Southwest. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2 miles in near CR 30 / Diffley Road.
Driving Effort9/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 22 significant decision points across 266.1 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2 miles (CR 30 / Diffley Road): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 2.9 miles (MN 77 / Cedar Avenue): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 22 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
2 mi into trip|~3m in|CR 30 / Diffley Road
Enter roundabout onto CR 30 / Diffley Road
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
5
2.9 mi into trip|~5m in|MN 77 / Cedar Avenue
Merge onto MN 77 / Cedar Avenue
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
7 mi into trip|~10m in
Take the exit toward I 494 West, MN 5 West
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Toward I 494 West, MN 5 West
6
16 mi into trip|~21m in|I 494; MN 5
Keep slight left at fork onto I 494; MN 5
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
8
32 mi into trip|~41m 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
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US 10
85.9 mi
1h 39m
State Highway 64 Southwest
33.7 mi
42m
State 64
28.6 mi
35m
Highway 89 Northwest
25.8 mi
45m
I 494
24.8 mi
30m
I 94
22.6 mi
24m
US 71
14.2 mi
18m
Paul Bunyan Expressway
8.5 mi
9m
Longest stretch:
US 10
— 85.9 mi, about 1h 39m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Eagan, MN and Red Lake, MN.
1
Start on CR 31
222 ft·6 sec·Pilot Knob Road
2
Turn left onto CR 30
2.0 mi·3 min·Diffley Road
Use the left lane.
3
Enter roundabout onto CR 30
100 ft·2 sec·Diffley Road
4
Continue on CR 30
0.5 mi·1 min·Diffley Road
5
Take the ramp
304 ft·8 sec
Toward MN 77 North: Cedar Avenue
6
Turn slight right
0.3 mi·34 sec
7
Merge onto MN 77
4.1 mi·4 min·Cedar Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi·25 sec
Toward I 494 West, MN 5 WestUse the right lane.
9
Merge onto I 494; MN 5
8.8 mi·11 min·I 494; MN 5
Use the straight / right lanes.
10
Keep slight left at fork onto I 494; MN 5
16 mi·19 min·I 494; MN 5
Use the straight / right lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork
0.6 mi·49 sec
Exit 27Toward I 94 West: Saint CloudUse the slight left / slight right lanes.
12
Continue on I 94
17 mi·18 min·I 94
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight left at fork onto I 94
6.0 mi·6 min·I 94
14
Take the exit
0.4 mi·52 sec
15
Turn right onto MN 25
0.8 mi·2 min·Pine Street
16
Continue on MN 25
0.1 mi·19 sec·State Highway 25
17
Turn left onto County Road 11
0.7 mi·53 sec·County Road 11
18
Continue on Park Boulevard Southeast
1.4 mi·1 min·Park Boulevard Southeast
19
Continue on 165th Avenue Southeast
1.8 mi·2 min·165th Avenue Southeast
20
Turn left onto US 10
54 mi·1 hr 3 min·US 10
21
Keep slight left at fork onto US 10
32 mi·35 min·US 10
22
Turn right onto MN 210
0.3 mi·35 sec·State Highway 210
23
Turn left onto MN 64
34 mi·42 min·State Highway 64 Southwest
24
At end of road, turn left onto MN 64; MN 87
0.9 mi·1 min·State Highway 87 Southwest / State 64
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$39.60 one way
$79.20 round trip
$3.78/gal25.4 MPG avg93 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.07
$42.67
$85.34
premium
$4.53
$47.48
$94.96
diesel
$5.61
$58.75
$117.50
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$40
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$65–$90
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 93.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $28 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
79.8
0
$27.94
$12.77
Efficient EV
66.5
0
$23.28
$10.64
EV Truck/SUV
106.4
1
$37.25
$17.03
Gas CO2
93 kg
EV CO2
31 kg (67% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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.
Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026
Origin
Eagan, MN
Morning
in Eagan on Saturday
Local time
10:10 AM
CDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Red Lake, MN
Morning
in Red Lake on Saturday
Local time
10:10 AM
CDT
Current temp
57°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
10 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
5h 39m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
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 Red Lake, MN covers 266.1 miles and takes about 5h 39m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are US 10, State Highway 64 Southwest, State 64. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 133 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 $39.60 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
This is a demanding drive. With 22 significant decision points across 266.1 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 2 miles (CR 30 / Diffley Road): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 2.9 miles (MN 77 / Cedar Avenue): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
The route from Eagan, MN to Red 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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
