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

Unknown

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

Google Maps Waze Apple Maps

Download GPX

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 I 494 North, I 94 West, Pine Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. 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 43m 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 (0%). Straightforward navigation.

Scenic Drive

Turn-heavy local drive route profile.

Drive Character

Expect a 5h 26m drive with frequent turns across 281.7 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.

There are about 25 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.

I 494 North is one of the defining roads on this drive.

How Hard Is This Drive?

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way.

Driving Effort 3/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a straightforward 5h 26m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Maple Grove, MN to Thief River Falls, MN is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
I 494 North	—	—
I 94 West	—	—
Pine Street	—	—
Highway 25	—	—
County Road 11	—	—
Park Boulevard Southeast	—	—
165th Avenue Southeast	—	—
the route	—	—

Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.

Longest stretch: I 494 North — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

Start on Bass Lake Road

0.6 mi · 1 min · Bass Lake Road

Turn left onto I 494 North

315 ft · 10 sec · I 494 North

Keep slight left to continue on I 494 North

0.3 mi · 45 sec · I 494 North

Merge slight left

1.0 mi · 1 min

Keep slight left to continue on I 94 West: Saint Cloud

0.6 mi · 50 sec · I 94 West: Saint Cloud

Continue straight

17 mi · 18 min

Keep slight left

6.0 mi · 6 min

Take the exit slight right

0.4 mi · 53 sec

Turn right onto Pine Street

0.8 mi · 2 min · Pine Street

Continue on State Highway 25

0.1 mi · 19 sec · State Highway 25

Turn left onto County Road 11

0.7 mi · 54 sec · County Road 11

Continue on Park Boulevard Southeast

1.4 mi · 1 min · Park Boulevard Southeast

Continue on 165th Avenue Southeast

1.8 mi · 2 min · 165th Avenue Southeast

Turn left

54 mi · 1 hr 3 min

Keep slight left

38 mi · 42 min

Turn straight

8.5 mi · 9 min

Continue straight

11 mi · 12 min

Turn slight right

66 ft · 2 sec

Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward the route

98 ft · 2 sec · the route

Exit the roundabout

95 ft · 1 sec

Turn straight

45 mi · 51 min

Turn right

85 mi · 1 hr 36 min

Turn left

482 ft · 6 sec

Merge slight left

9.4 mi · 11 min

Arrive at your destination

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 43m into the drive.

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 11m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 140.8 miles or 2h 43m 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 27m

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.

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 43m 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.

Little Falls, 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.

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.

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

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.

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

Afternoon in Maple Grove on Thursday

Local time

3:22 PM

CDT

Current temp

46°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Thief River Falls, MN

Afternoon in Thief River Falls on Thursday

Local time

3:22 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 I 494 North, I 94 West, Pine Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

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 straightforward 5h 26m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Maple Grove, MN to Thief River Falls, MN is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

The route from Maple Grove, MN to Thief River Falls, MN does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

Was this helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!

/500