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Trip from Maple Grove, MN to Thief River Falls, MN

Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026

Drive Time

5h 26m

Distance

281.7 mi

453 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$42

one way

EV Charging

Excellent

46 DC fast

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 40 min
4 AM
5h 13m ★
6 AM
5h 27m
8 AM
5h 53m
10 AM
5h 36m
12 PM
5h 33m
3 PM
5h 37m
5 PM
5h 52m
8 PM
5h 19m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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city in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States

Maple Grove, MN

Wikimedia Commons

city in Pennington County, Minnesota, USA

Thief River Falls, MN

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Maple Grove, MN to Thief River Falls, MN covers 281.7 miles and takes about 5h 26m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on US 10, US 59, I 94 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 156.7 miles on US 10. At current regular gas prices, budget about $41.92 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.

Break Rhythm

1 planned break

Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.

Midpoint

140.8 miles from Maple Grove, MN

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 44m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 26m. Total distance: 281.7 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

5h 26m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (98%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Drive Character

This is a 5h 26m highway drive covering 281.7 miles, with most of the trip on US 10 and US 59. The longest continuous stretch is about 156.7 miles on US 10.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 25 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 156.7 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 10 and US 59. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.6 miles in.

Driving Effort 7/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a demanding drive. With 13 significant decision points across 281.7 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 0.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 0.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 13 key points

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

7
0.6 mi into trip | ~1m in

Turn left toward I 494 North

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane. Toward I 494 North
5
0.7 mi into trip | ~1m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 494 North

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

Toward I 494 North
8
2 mi into trip | ~3m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 94 West: Saint Cloud

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left / slight right lanes. Exit 27 Toward I 94 West: Saint Cloud
4
19.3 mi into trip | ~22m in | I 94

Keep slight left at fork onto I 94

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

6
142.2 mi into trip | ~2h 46m in

Enter roundabout

Roundabout - know your exit number before entering

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
US 10 156.7 mi 3h
US 59 94.4 mi 1h 48m
I 94 22.6 mi 24m
165th Avenue Southeast 1.8 mi 2m
Park Boulevard Southeast 1.4 mi 1m
I 494 1 mi 1m
Pine Street 0.8 mi 2m
County Road 11 0.7 mi <1m
Longest stretch: US 10 — 156.7 mi, about 3h

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Maple Grove, MN and Thief River Falls, MN.

1

Start on CR 10

0.6 mi · 1 min · Bass Lake Road
2

Turn left

316 ft · 9 sec
Toward I 494 North Use the left lane.
3

Keep slight left at fork

0.3 mi · 45 sec
Toward I 494 North
4

Merge onto I 494

1.0 mi · 1 min · I 494
5

Keep slight left at fork

0.6 mi · 49 sec
Exit 27 Toward I 94 West: Saint Cloud Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
6

Continue on I 94

17 mi · 18 min · I 94
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7

Keep slight left at fork onto I 94

6.0 mi · 6 min · I 94
8

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 52 sec
9

Turn right onto MN 25

0.8 mi · 2 min · Pine Street
10

Continue on MN 25

0.1 mi · 19 sec · State Highway 25
11

Turn left onto County Road 11

0.7 mi · 53 sec · County Road 11
12

Continue on Park Boulevard Southeast

1.4 mi · 1 min · Park Boulevard Southeast
13

Continue on 165th Avenue Southeast

1.8 mi · 2 min · 165th Avenue Southeast
14

Turn left onto US 10

54 mi · 1 hr 3 min · US 10
15

Keep slight left at fork onto US 10

38 mi · 42 min · US 10
16

Turn straight onto US 10; MN 210

8.5 mi · 9 min · US 10; MN 210
17

Continue on US 10; IC A

11 mi · 12 min · US 10; IC A
18

Turn slight right

67 ft · 2 sec
19

Enter roundabout

100 ft · 1 sec
20

Continue

96 ft · 1 sec
21

Turn straight onto US 10

45 mi · 51 min · US 10
22

Turn right onto US 59; MN 34

85 mi · 1 hr 36 min · US 59; MN 34
23

Turn left

481 ft · 6 sec
24

Merge onto US 59

9.4 mi · 11 min · US 59
25

Arrive at destination

US 59

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.

Evening Departure

A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 140.8 miles from Maple Grove, MN, or about 2h 44m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 156.7 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 62 miles or 1h 14m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 140.8 miles or 2h 44m in

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

Final approach

Final hour starts around 4h 28m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Maple Grove, 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 Maple Grove, MN

This is one driving day of about 281.7 miles and 5h 26m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 62 miles from Maple Grove, 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 US 10 for about 156.7 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 140.8 mi from Maple Grove, MN · 2h 44m into the drive

city in Morrison County, Minnesota, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Little Falls, MN

141 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

Saint Cloud, MN

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 62 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Park Rapids, MN

Meal break

The midpoint is around 140.8 miles from Maple Grove, MN, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before US 10 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 156.7 miles.

Arriving in Thief River Falls, MN

The final approach into Thief River Falls, 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 Thief River Falls, 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.

Nearby Places

Restaurants, cafes, gas stations and more along your route.

Top Coffee Stop

Barista Coffee Bar

4.9 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Little Falls, Minnesota

Early in the drive, short detour

3 mi from route ~7 min detour $1 to $10 mile 80.5

Hours: 7 am–4 pm

+13204142230

Visit website

Lynde’s Restaurant & Catering

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, ~10 min detour

3.9 mi from route ~10 min detour $10 to $20

Osseo, Minnesota

Hours: 6 am–2 pm

+17634243696

Visit website

Ice House Restaurant

3.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Around the midpoint, ~9 min detour

3.7 mi from route ~9 min detour Moderately mile 181.1

Detroit Lakes, Minnesota

Hours: 6:30 am–8 pm

+12188472121

Visit website

Corner Collective

5.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, ~10 min detour

4.1 mi from route ~10 min detour $10 to $20 mile 181.1

Frazee, Minnesota

Hours: 7:30 am–6 pm

+12183342550

Visit website

Barista Coffee Bar

4.9 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Early in the drive, short detour

3 mi from route ~7 min detour $1 to $10 mile 80.5

Little Falls, Minnesota

Hours: 7 am–4 pm

+13204142230

Visit website

The Monarch Coffee House

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, ~10 min detour

4.2 mi from route ~10 min detour $10 to $20 mile 181.1

Frazee, Minnesota

Hours: 7 am–5 pm

+12183344450

Engelstad Pioneer Village

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, right off the route

0.8 mi from route ~2 min detour mile 281.7

Thief River Falls, Minnesota

+12186815767

Visit website

Playground Plaza

4.3 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the start, ~10 min detour

4 mi from route ~10 min detour

Maple Grove, Minnesota

Hours: 7 am–9 pm

+17632283833

Visit website

Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$41.92 one way

$83.84 round trip

$3.78/gal 25.4 MPG avg 99 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.07 $45.17 $90.34
premium $4.53 $50.26 $100.52
diesel $5.61 $62.20 $124.39

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$42

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$67–$92

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 98.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

EV Charging Along Route

46 DC fast chargers · Coverage: excellent

Maple Grove, MN

Maple Grove, MN

RIVIAN_ADVENTURE

12 DCFC

Target - Tesla Supercharger

Maple Grove, MN

Tesla

12 DCFC

Brooklyn Park, MN Rechargery Relay @ Hy-Vee - Zane Ave North

Brooklyn Park, MN

IONNA

10 DCFC

Cub Foods - Tesla Supercharger

Monticello, MN

Tesla

8 DCFC

The Clearwater Travel Plaza - Tesla Supercharger

Clearwater, MN

Tesla

8 DCFC

Holiday Stationstores - Tesla Supercharger

Little Falls, MN

Tesla

8 DCFC

McDonalds #7056 Rogers

Rogers, MN 55374, MN

eVgo Network

6 DCFC

Simon Albertville Premium Outlets (Albertville, MN)

Albertville, MN

Electrify America

6 DCFC

DIRT_ROAD: 9 Blink Network: 6 ZEFNET: 6 Tesla: 4 CIRCLE_K: 3 EV Connect: 3 CHARGELAB: 3 Non-Networked: 2 ChargePoint Network: 2 eVgo Network: 2 FORD_CHARGE: 2 IONNA: 1 RIVIAN_ADVENTURE: 1 Electrify America: 1 LOOP: 1

Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.

Driving Electric?

About $30 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 84.5 1 $29.58 $13.52
Efficient EV 70.4 0 $24.65 $11.27
EV Truck/SUV 112.7 1 $39.44 $18.03

Gas CO2

99 kg

EV CO2

33 kg (67% less)

Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.

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 15, 2026

Origin

Maple Grove, MN

Evening in Maple Grove on Thursday

Local time

8:26 PM

CDT

Current temp

46°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Thief River Falls, MN

Evening in Thief River Falls on Thursday

Local time

8:26 PM

CDT

Current temp

59°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

40°F

Little Falls, MN

141 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

13 degrees warmer at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

5h 26m on the road

An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.

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 Thief River Falls, MN covers 281.7 miles and takes about 5h 26m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are US 10, US 59, 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 140.8 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 $41.92 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
This is a demanding drive. With 13 significant decision points across 281.7 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 0.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 0.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Maple Grove, MN to Thief River Falls, MN does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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Explore More

Return Trip

Thief River Falls, MN to Maple Grove, MN

Plan the drive back the other way.

281.3 mi 5h 26m

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