If you are planning a quick trip from Eagan to New Market, Minnesota, you are looking at a brief 22-mile journey through the heart of the Midwest. Expect to spend about 26 minutes behind the wheel, making this an ideal day trip that requires no overnight stay. You will primarily navigate via I-35E, 260th Street East, and Diffley Road. With a fuel budget of just $3, this is an incredibly economical route to manage. Whether you are heading out for business or a change of scenery, the simplicity of this trip makes it a low-stress endeavor. It is a straightforward connection between these two Minnesota communities that gets you to your destination with minimal time commitment.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 26m. Total distance: 22 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
26m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
This 22-mile drive is a highway-focused experience, with 79% of your time spent on major roads. You will settle into a steady rhythm on I-35E, which accounts for the longest uninterrupted stretch of 17.5 miles. While the interstate portion offers a fast, efficient pace, the character of the road shifts as you transition onto local routes like 260th Street East and Diffley Road. You can expect a functional, utilitarian drive that prioritizes speed and directness over winding scenic detours. Being behind the wheel here feels like a standard commute, characterized by consistent traffic flow and clear, predictable highway signage.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 9 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 35E is the longest continuous segment at about 17.5 miles.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
1,128 ft945 ft
Total Climb
327 ft
Total Descent
164 ft
Highest Point
1,128 ft
~20.5 mi in
Elevation Range
183 ft
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 35E and 260th Street East. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near CR 30 / Diffley Road.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 26m drive. You will face about 5 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (CR 30 / Diffley Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 1.6 miles (I 35E): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 5 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0 mi into trip|~0m in|CR 30 / Diffley Road
Turn left onto CR 30 / Diffley Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
1.3 mi into trip|~2m in
Turn left toward I 35E South
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward I 35E South
5
1.6 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.
8
19.1 mi into trip|~21m in
Take the exit toward CR 2: Elko, New Market
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 76
Toward CR 2: Elko, New Market
4
21.3 mi into trip|~25m in|CR 2 / Main Street
Enter roundabout onto CR 2 / Main Street
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Eagan, MN to New Market, MN, road signs begin pointing toward Cr 2: Elko along the way.
Cr 2: Elko
19.1 mi in|~21m
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 35E
17.5 mi
18m
260th Street East
1.9 mi
2m
Diffley Road
1.3 mi
2m
Main Street
0.7 mi
1m
Pilot Knob Road
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 35E
— 17.5 mi, about 18m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Eagan, MN and New Market, MN.
1
Start on CR 31
222 ft·6 sec·Pilot Knob Road
2
Turn left onto CR 30
1.3 mi·2 min·Diffley Road
Use the left lane.
3
Turn left
0.3 mi·38 sec
Toward I 35E SouthUse the left lane.
4
Merge onto I 35E
18 mi·18 min·I 35E
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Take the exit
0.3 mi·33 sec
Exit 76Toward CR 2: Elko, New MarketUse the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Turn right onto CR 2
1.9 mi·2 min·260th Street East
7
Enter roundabout onto CR 2
93 ft·2 sec·Main Street
8
Continue on CR 2
0.7 mi·1 min·Main Street
9
Arrive at destination
CR 2
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.27 one way
$6.55 round trip
$3.78/gal25.4 MPG avg8 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.07
$3.53
$7.06
premium
$4.53
$3.93
$7.85
diesel
$5.61
$4.86
$9.71
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 7.7 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging
· 0 stops
· 63% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
6.6
0
$2.31
$1.06
Efficient EV
5.5
0
$1.92
$0.88
EV Truck/SUV
8.8
0
$3.08
$1.41
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.
Forecast as of Apr 12, 2026
Origin
Eagan, MN
Morning
in Eagan on Saturday
Local time
7:35 AM
CDT
Current temp
81°F
Partly Sunny
SW 10 to 20 mph7% chanceLive forecast
Flood Watch
Flood Watch issued April 12 at 9:43AM CDT until April 19 at 1:00AM CDT by NWS Grand Forks ND
Dense Fog Advisory
Dense Fog Advisory issued April 12 at 9:04AM CDT until April 12 at 12:00PM CDT by NWS Grand Forks ND
Destination
New Market, MN
Morning
in New Market on Saturday
Local time
7:35 AM
CDT
Current temp
80°F
Partly Sunny
SW 15 to 25 mph3% chanceLive forecast
Flood Watch
Flood Watch issued April 12 at 9:43AM CDT until April 19 at 1:00AM CDT by NWS Grand Forks ND
Dense Fog Advisory
Dense Fog Advisory issued April 12 at 9:04AM CDT until April 12 at 12:00PM CDT by NWS Grand Forks ND
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 cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
26m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
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 New Market, MN covers 22 miles and takes about 26m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 35E, 260th Street East, Diffley Road. 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 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 $3.27 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 26m drive. You will face about 5 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (CR 30 / Diffley Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 1.6 miles (I 35E): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Eagan, MN to New Market, MN, road signs begin pointing toward Cr 2: Elko along the way.
Mostly flat terrain. The route ranges from 945 ft to 1,128 ft elevation with about 327 ft of total climbing.
