Trip from Edina, MN to Cloquet, MN

Drive Time

2h 43m

Distance

146.8 mi

236 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$21

one way

EV Charging

Loading...

station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 32 min
4 AM
2h 33m ★
6 AM
2h 43m
8 AM
3h 5m
10 AM
2h 51m
12 PM
2h 49m
3 PM
2h 52m
5 PM
3h 4m
8 PM
2h 37m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Downtown Edina, MN, MN

Edina, MN

Tom Fisk

Downtown Cloquet, MN, MN

Cloquet, MN

Joel Santos

Trip Overview

The drive from Edina, MN to Cloquet, MN covers 146.8 miles and takes about 2h 43m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on I 35, I 35W, MN 100 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 105 miles on I 35. At current regular gas prices, budget about $21.00 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Break Rhythm

1 planned break

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

73.4 miles from Edina, MN

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 22m into the drive .

Drive Character

This is a 2h 43m highway drive covering 146.8 miles, with most of the trip on I 35 and I 35W. The longest continuous stretch is about 105 miles on I 35.

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.
I 35 is the longest continuous segment at about 105 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 35 and I 35W. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 13.2 miles in.

Route Complexity 7/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

This is a demanding drive. With 10 significant decision points across 146.8 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 13.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 13.9 miles (I 694): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 19.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 10 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

5
13.2 mi into trip | ~16m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 694 East

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

Toward I 694 East
5
13.9 mi into trip | ~17m in | I 694

Merge onto I 694

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
19.2 mi into trip | ~23m in

Take the exit toward I 35W North

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / right lanes. Exit 41B Toward I 35W North
5
19.4 mi into trip | ~24m in | I 35W

Merge onto I 35W

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
22.4 mi into trip | ~27m in | I 35W

Keep slight left at fork onto I 35W

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 35 105 mi 1h 52m
I 35W 19.8 mi 21m
MN 100 13.2 mi 16m
I 694 5.3 mi 5m
MN 33 2.7 mi 4m
Cloquet Avenue <0.1 mi <1m
4th Street <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 35 — 105 mi, about 1h 52m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Edina, MN and Cloquet, MN.

1

Start on MN 100

13 mi · 16 min · MN 100
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
2

Keep slight left at fork

0.7 mi · 1 min
Toward I 694 East
3

Merge onto I 694

5.3 mi · 5 min · I 694
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 27 sec
Exit 41B Toward I 35W North Use the straight / right lanes.
5

Merge onto I 35W

3.0 mi · 3 min · I 35W
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6

Keep slight left at fork onto I 35W

17 mi · 18 min · I 35W
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7

Keep slight left at fork onto I 35

105 mi · 1 hr 52 min · I 35
8

Take the exit onto MN 33

0.6 mi · 58 sec · MN 33
Toward MN 33: Cloquet, Iron Range
9

Enter roundabout onto MN 33

127 ft · 1 sec · MN 33
10

Continue on MN 33

2.1 mi · 3 min · MN 33
11

Turn right onto CR 45

465 ft · 14 sec · Cloquet Avenue
12

Turn right onto 4th Street

26 ft · 1 sec · 4th Street
13

Arrive at destination

4th Street

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.

Evening Departure

Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 73.4 miles from Edina, MN, or about 1h 22m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 105 miles.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

Departure

Before you leave

Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.

First stop

Around 80 miles or 1h 29m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 73.4 miles or 1h 22m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 2h 12m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Cloquet, MN than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Edina, MN so your first major turns are already loaded.

+

Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.

+

Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Edina, MN

This is one driving day of about 146.8 miles and 2h 43m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Edina, MN.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on I 35 for about 105 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 73.4 mi from Edina, MN · 1h 22m into the drive

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Birchwood, MN

73 mi into the route

Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset

This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.

Pacing Suggestions

Pine City, MN

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Pine City, MN

Meal break

The midpoint is around 73.4 miles from Edina, MN, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before I 35 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 105 miles.

Arriving in Cloquet, MN

The final approach into Cloquet, MN usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.

Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Cloquet, MN.

After long uninterrupted mileage, take five minutes before the last urban segment to reset and refocus on exits, merges, and city traffic.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$21.00 one way

$41.99 round trip

$3.63/gal 25.4 MPG avg 51 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $3.92 $22.66 $45.32
premium $4.39 $25.38 $50.77
diesel $5.64 $32.61 $65.23

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$21

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$46–$71

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 51.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $15 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 44 0 $15.41 $7.05
Efficient EV 36.7 0 $12.85 $5.87
EV Truck/SUV 58.7 0 $20.55 $9.40

Gas CO2

51 kg

EV CO2

17 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.

Forecast data refreshed 6 hours ago

Origin

Edina, MN

Morning in Edina on Monday

Local time

9:47 AM

CDT

Current temp

52°F

Mostly Clear

NW 0 to 5 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Flood Watch

Flood Watch issued April 12 at 9:45PM CDT by NWS Grand Forks ND

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 12 at 9:44PM CDT by NWS Grand Forks ND

Destination

Cloquet, MN

Morning in Cloquet on Monday

Local time

9:47 AM

CDT

Current temp

41°F

Patchy Fog

NW 5 to 10 mph 1% chance Live forecast

Flood Watch

Flood Watch issued April 12 at 9:45PM CDT by NWS Grand Forks ND

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 12 at 9:44PM CDT by NWS Grand Forks ND

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

11 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

2h 43m 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 Edina, MN to Cloquet, MN covers 146.8 miles and takes about 2h 43m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 35, I 35W, MN 100. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 73.4 miles from Edina, MN. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $21.00 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.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
This is a demanding drive. With 10 significant decision points across 146.8 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 13.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 13.9 miles (I 694): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 19.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Edina, MN to Cloquet, MN does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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Explore More

Return Trip

Cloquet, MN to Edina, MN

Plan the drive back the other way.

147.2 mi 2h 13m

Explore more options from Edina, MN or browse trips ending in Cloquet, MN.

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