Trip from Little Falls, MN to Bloomington, MN

Drive Time

2h 8m

Distance

104.9 mi

169 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$15

one way

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 28 min

4 AM

1h 59m ★

6 AM

2h 8m

8 AM

2h 27m

10 AM

2h 15m

12 PM

2h 13m

3 PM

2h 16m

5 PM

2h 26m

8 PM

2h 3m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly

Google Maps Waze Apple Maps

Download GPX

Little Falls, MN

Tom Fisk

Bloomington, MN

Tom Fisk

Trip Overview

Driving from Little Falls to Bloomington covers a straightforward 104.9-mile stretch across central Minnesota. You can easily complete this trip in about 2 hours and 8 minutes, making it a perfect candidate for a single-day journey. With a total fuel budget estimated at approximately $15, the route is both efficient and budget-friendly. By utilizing a combination of US 10, I-94, and I-494, you move smoothly through the Midwest landscape toward the Twin Cities metro area. Because the duration is relatively short, there is no need to split this into an overnight trip unless your schedule requires extra flexibility.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

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

Break Rhythm

0 planned breaks

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

Midpoint

52.4 miles from Little Falls, MN

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 3m into the drive .

Drive Character

Expect a highway-focused experience, as 90% of this journey is spent on major thoroughfares. The drive transitions from the regional flow of US 10 to the high-speed connectivity of the interstate system. You will encounter your longest uninterrupted stretch early on, with 50.3 miles of travel along US 10. While the character of the road is primarily functional and fast-paced, it offers a consistent, predictable rhythm for the driver. You won’t deal with complex navigation, allowing you to focus on the steady transition from the northern reaches into the denser suburban environment of Bloomington.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.

There are about 22 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 50.3 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 10 and I 494. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2.8 miles in near US 10.

Route Complexity 8/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

This is a demanding drive. With 11 significant decision points across 104.9 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 2.8 miles (US 10): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 80.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 103 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 11 key points

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

2.8 mi into trip | ~5m in | US 10

Merge onto US 10

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

Use the none / right lanes.

80.6 mi into trip | ~1h 37m in

Take the exit toward I 494 South

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

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 216 Toward I 494 South

103 mi into trip | ~2h 5m in

Take the exit toward I 35W South: Albert Lea

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

Use the slight right lane. Exit 5B Toward I 35W South: Albert Lea

104.6 mi into trip | ~2h 7m in

Take the exit toward 90th Street

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

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 7B Toward 90th Street

104.8 mi into trip | ~2h 8m in | West 90th Street

Turn left onto West 90th Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left / straight lanes.

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
US 10	50.3 mi	58m
I 494	21.9 mi	27m
I 94	21.1 mi	22m
165th Avenue Southeast	1.8 mi	2m
Broadway Street East	1.5 mi	2m
1st Street Southeast	1.5 mi	2m
Park Boulevard Southeast	1.4 mi	1m
Haven Road	1.1 mi	1m

Longest stretch: US 10 — 50.3 mi, about 58m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Little Falls, MN and Bloomington, MN.

Start on 1st Street Southeast

1.5 mi · 2 min · 1st Street Southeast

Continue on CR 76

1.1 mi · 1 min · Haven Road

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 33 sec

Merge onto US 10

24 mi · 27 min · US 10

Use the none / right lanes.

Keep slight left at fork onto US 10

26 mi · 30 min · US 10

Turn right onto 165th Avenue Southeast

1.8 mi · 2 min · 165th Avenue Southeast

Continue on Park Boulevard Southeast

1.4 mi · 1 min · Park Boulevard Southeast

Continue on County Road 11

0.7 mi · 57 sec · County Road 11

Turn right onto MN 25

0.1 mi · 11 sec · State Highway 25

Continue on MN 25

0.3 mi · 42 sec · Pine Street

Turn left onto CR 75

1.5 mi · 2 min · Broadway Street East

Turn right onto CR 18

0.3 mi · 40 sec · Fenning Avenue

Take the ramp

0.4 mi · 54 sec

Merge onto I 94

21 mi · 22 min · I 94

Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 31 sec

Exit 216 Toward I 494 South Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on I 494

22 mi · 27 min · I 494

Use the none lane.

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 25 sec

Exit 5B Toward I 35W South: Albert Lea Use the slight right lane.

Continue on this road

0.4 mi · 50 sec · this road

Exit 5B Toward I 35W South: Albert Lea

Merge onto I 35W

1.0 mi · 1 min · I 35W

Use the none lane.

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 34 sec

Exit 7B Toward 90th Street Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Turn left onto West 90th Street

207 ft · 5 sec · West 90th Street

Use the left / straight lanes.

Arrive at destination

West 90th Street

Trip Plan

Since this is a quick drive, you have the advantage of being able to leave whenever it suits your schedule without needing extensive planning. If you want to avoid the heaviest traffic near the Twin Cities, consider timing your arrival to miss typical morning or evening rush hours. Because there are no scheduled stops required for a trip of this length, you have the freedom to drive straight through or pull off whenever you need a quick break. Keep in mind that your fuel costs will hover around $15, so topping off in Little Falls before you depart ensures you won't need to hunt for gas once you enter the busier highway corridors.

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.

You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.

The halfway point lands around 52.4 miles from Little Falls, MN, or about 1h 3m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 50.3 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 36m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 52.4 miles or 1h 3m in

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

Final approach

Final hour starts around 1h 44m

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

Before You Leave

Open the route before leaving Little Falls, 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 Little Falls, MN

This is one driving day of about 104.9 miles and 2h 8m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Little Falls, MN.

This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.

You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.

The longest stretch is on US 10 for about 50.3 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 52.4 mi from Little Falls, MN · 1h 3m into the drive

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Albertville, MN

52 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

Maple Grove, MN

Fuel and coffee

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

Albertville, MN

Meal break

The midpoint is around 52.4 miles from Little Falls, MN, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Bloomington, MN

The final approach into Bloomington, 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 Bloomington, MN.

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

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$15.00 one way

$30.01 round trip

$3.63/gal 25.4 MPG avg 37 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$3.92	$16.19	$32.39
premium	$4.39	$18.14	$36.28
diesel	$5.64	$23.31	$46.61

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$15

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$40–$65

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 36.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $11 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	31.5	$11.01	$5.04
Efficient EV	26.2	$9.18	$4.20
EV Truck/SUV	42	$14.69	$6.71

Gas CO2

37 kg

EV CO2

12 kg (68% 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 2 days ago

Origin

Little Falls, MN

Afternoon in Little Falls on Sunday

Local time

3:11 PM

CDT

Current temp

67°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Bloomington, MN

Afternoon in Bloomington on Sunday

Local time

3:11 PM

CDT

Current temp

41°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Along the Route

38°F

Albertville, MN

52 mi in

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

26 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 8m 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 Little Falls, MN to Bloomington, MN covers 104.9 miles and takes about 2h 8m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are US 10, I 494, I 94. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 52.4 miles from Little Falls, MN. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $15.00 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.

The route from Little Falls, MN to Bloomington, MN does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

Was this route helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!

/500

Explore More

Explore more options from Little Falls, MN or browse trips ending in Bloomington, MN.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse MN road trips.

Explore maps for Little Falls, MN or Bloomington, MN on MapSof.net.

Trip from Little Falls, MN to Bloomington, MN

Best Time to Leave

Trip Overview

Drive Character

How Hard Is This Drive?

Critical Maneuvers

Main Roads

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Trip Plan

Before You Leave

Where to Stop

Pacing Suggestions

Arriving in Bloomington, MN

Fuel & Cost

Travel Intel

Little Falls, MN

Bloomington, MN

Same local time

26 degrees cooler at arrival

2h 8m on the road

Frequently Asked Questions

Was this route helpful?

Explore More

Continue From Bloomington, MN

More from Little Falls, MN

More trips to Bloomington, MN