Origin
Ely, MN
Afternoon in Ely on Saturday
Local time
1:12 PM
CDT
Current temp
33°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Ely, MN to Hopper, MN
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 9m
Distance
49.8 mi
80 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 4m
★
6 AM
1h 10m
8 AM
1h 21m
10 AM
1h 14m
12 PM
1h 13m
3 PM
1h 14m
5 PM
1h 20m
8 PM
1h 7m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Ely, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Ely, MN to Hopper, MN covers 49.8 miles and takes about 1h 9m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on MN 1, West Sheridan Street, Speaker Irvin N. Anderson Memorial Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed highway & surface. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 21.5 miles on MN 1. At current regular gas prices, budget about $7.41 one way before food or hotel costs.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| MN 1 | 21.5 mi | 29m |
| West Sheridan Street | 20.1 mi | 28m |
| Speaker Irvin N. Anderson Memorial Highway | 4.1 mi | 4m |
| Main Street | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| US 169 | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Mud Lake Road | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| MN 169 | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| McInnes Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
MN 1
— 21.5 mi, about 29m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Ely, MN and Hopper, MN.
1
Start on MN 1; MN 169
20 mi
·
28 min
·
West Sheridan Street
2
Continue on MN 1; MN 169
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Main Street
3
Turn straight onto MN 1; MN 169
21 mi
·
29 min
·
MN 1; MN 169
Use the straight lane.
4
Keep slight left at fork
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Toward US 53 South: Virginia
5
Continue on MN 169
0.3 mi
·
21 sec
·
MN 169
Toward US 53 South: Virginia
6
Merge onto US 53
4.1 mi
·
4 min
·
Speaker Irvin N. Anderson Memorial Highway
Use the straight lane.
7
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
Toward US 169: Hibbing
8
Turn right onto US 169
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
US 169
Use the right lane.
9
Turn left onto CH 109
0.2 mi
·
17 sec
·
McInnes Road
Use the left lane.
10
Continue on CH 103
0.5 mi
·
54 sec
·
Mud Lake Road
11
Arrive at destination
CH 103
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
25 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 24.9 miles from Ely, MN, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 65 decision points cluster between mile 43 and 49.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
43 mi into trip
|
~1h in
Keep slight left at fork toward US 53 South: Virginia
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward US 53 South: Virginia
5
43.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 1m in
|
US 53 / Speaker Irvin N. Anderson Memorial Highway
Merge onto US 53 / Speaker Irvin N. Anderson Memorial Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
4
48 mi into trip
|
~1h 6m in
Take the exit toward US 169: Hibbing
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward US 169: Hibbing
6
48.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 7m in
|
US 169
Turn right onto US 169
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
6
49.1 mi into trip
|
~1h 8m in
|
CH 109 / McInnes Road
Turn left onto CH 109 / McInnes Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.41 one way
$14.82 round trip
$3.78/gal
25.4 MPG avg
17 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.07 | $7.99 | $15.97 |
| premium | $4.53 | $8.89 | $17.77 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.00 | $21.99 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 17.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.9 | 0 | $5.23 | $2.39 |
| Efficient EV | 12.5 | 0 | $4.36 | $1.99 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 19.9 | 0 | $6.97 | $3.19 |
Gas CO2
17 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (65% 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
Hopper, MN
Afternoon in Hopper on Saturday
Local time
1:12 PM
CDT
Current temp
32°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
35°F
Virginia, MN
25 mi in
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
1h 9m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
49.8 mi in 1h 9m — 45% highway, the rest on surface roads. Biggest road: MN 1.
45% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
11 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 21.5 mi on MN 1.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 43 miles in.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 9m drive. You will face about 6 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 43 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 43.8 miles (US 53 / Speaker Irvin N. Anderson Memorial Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 48 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 9m. Total distance: 49.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 9m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (45%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 21.5 miles on MN 1. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 43 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 43.8 miles (US 53 / Speaker Irvin N. Anderson Memorial Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 48 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Hopper, MN before heading back.
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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