Origin
Maple Grove, MN
Evening in Maple Grove on Friday
Local time
6:29 PM
CDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Maple Grove, MN to Dahlgren, MN
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
37m
Distance
30 mi
48 km
Drive Score
5/10
Practical drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 34m
★
6 AM
0h 37m
8 AM
0h 44m
10 AM
0h 40m
12 PM
0h 39m
3 PM
0h 40m
5 PM
0h 43m
8 PM
0h 35m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Maple Grove, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Dahlgren, MN
Barnabas Davoti
Trip Overview
Maple Grove to Dahlgren is 30 miles and takes about 37 minutes via US 212, with a fuel budget near $4 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a short, primarily highway drive that keeps you within Minnesota for its entirety. Expect a straightforward trip with minimal fuss as you navigate through the Midwest. Given its brevity, this route is perfect for a quick errand, a short commute, or an easy add-on to another journey.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 37m. Total distance: 30 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
37m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (96%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This route leans heavily towards highway driving, with 96% of the journey on faster roads like US 212 and I 494. You'll experience a consistent pace for much of the 30 miles, with the longest uninterrupted stretch covering 15.1 miles on US 212. Bass Lake Road also plays a role, offering a brief change of pace before you rejoin the main arteries. The overall feel is one of efficiency, designed to get you from point A to point B with minimal slowdowns.
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.
US 212 is the longest continuous segment at about 15.1 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 212 and I 494. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.5 miles in.
Driving Effort
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 7 decision points packed into just 30 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 37m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 0.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 0.8 miles (I 494): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 7 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
0.5 mi into trip
|
~0m in
Take the ramp toward I 494 South
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward I 494 South
8
0.5 mi into trip
|
~1m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 494 South
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 494 South
5
0.8 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
I 494
Merge onto I 494
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
14.5 mi into trip
|
~18m in
Take the exit toward MN 5 West, US 212 West
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 11C
Toward MN 5 West, US 212 West
6
16 mi into trip
|
~21m in
|
US 212
Keep slight left at fork onto US 212
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 212 | 15.1 mi | 17m |
| I 494 | 13.7 mi | 17m |
| Bass Lake Road | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| County Road 43 | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
US 212
— 15.1 mi, about 17m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Maple Grove, MN and Dahlgren, MN.
1
Start on CR 10
0.5 mi
·
54 sec
·
Bass Lake Road
2
Take the ramp
293 ft
·
7 sec
Toward I 494 South
Use the right lane.
3
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
Toward I 494 South
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4
Merge onto I 494
14 mi
·
17 min
·
I 494
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
59 sec
Exit 11C
Toward MN 5 West, US 212 West
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Merge onto US 212; MN 5
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
US 212; MN 5
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight left at fork onto US 212
14 mi
·
16 min
·
US 212
Use the slight left lane.
8
Turn right onto CR 43
143 ft
·
3 sec
·
County Road 43
9
Arrive at destination
CR 43
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.46 one way
$8.93 round trip
$3.78/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.07 | $4.81 | $9.62 |
| premium | $4.53 | $5.35 | $10.71 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.62 | $13.25 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9 | 0 | $3.15 | $1.44 |
| Efficient EV | 7.5 | 0 | $2.63 | $1.20 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12 | 0 | $4.20 | $1.92 |
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (60% 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
Dahlgren, MN
Evening in Dahlgren on Friday
Local time
6:29 PM
CDT
Current temp
45°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
37m 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 Maple Grove, MN to Dahlgren, MN covers 30 miles and takes about 37m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are US 212, I 494, Bass Lake 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 15 miles from Maple Grove, MN. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $4.46 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 short but busy drive. With 7 decision points packed into just 30 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 37m.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 0.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 0.8 miles (I 494): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Maple Grove, MN to Dahlgren, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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