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Trip from Olmsted County, MN to Burnsville, MN

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 45m

Distance

78.1 mi

126 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$12

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 23 min
4 AM
1h 38m ★
6 AM
1h 45m
8 AM
2h 1m
10 AM
1h 51m
12 PM
1h 49m
3 PM
1h 52m
5 PM
2h 0m
8 PM
1h 41m

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

Downtown Olmsted County, MN, MN

Olmsted County, MN

Tom Fisk

city in Dakota County, Minnesota, United States

Burnsville, MN

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Olmsted County, MN to Burnsville, MN covers 78.1 miles and takes about 1h 45m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on US 52, 160th Street East, East Circle Drive Northeast for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 54.6 miles on US 52. At current regular gas prices, budget about $11.62 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

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

Midpoint

39 miles from Olmsted County, MN

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 52m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 45m. Total distance: 78.1 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 45m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (71%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Drive Character

This is a 1h 45m highway drive covering 78.1 miles, with most of the trip on US 52 and 160th Street East. The longest continuous stretch is about 54.6 miles on US 52.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 20 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
US 52 is the longest continuous segment at about 54.6 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 52 and 160th Street East. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.3 miles in.

Driving Effort 5/10

Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 78.1 miles you will encounter 10 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 0.3 miles: Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (Eastwood Road Southeast): Navigation decision point; at 7.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 10 key points

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

5
0.3 mi into trip | ~3m in

Turn right

Navigation decision point

4
0.4 mi into trip | ~3m in | Eastwood Road Southeast

Turn left onto Eastwood Road Southeast

Navigation decision point

5
7.5 mi into trip | ~15m in

Turn right

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.
5
7.5 mi into trip | ~15m in

Take the ramp toward US 52 North, US 63 North

Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward US 52 North, US 63 North
5
72.1 mi into trip | ~1h 33m in | CR 23 / Cedar Avenue

Turn right onto CR 23 / Cedar Avenue

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

On the drive from Olmsted County, MN to Burnsville, MN, road signs begin pointing toward Cr 46 along the way.

Cr 46

62.4 mi in | ~1h 19m

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
US 52 54.6 mi 1h 3m
160th Street East 8 mi 11m
East Circle Drive Northeast 3.5 mi 5m
County Road 42 3.3 mi 6m
37th Street Northeast 2.2 mi 4m
Nicollet Avenue South 1.7 mi 3m
Brandel Drive 1.4 mi 2m
Cedar Avenue 1 mi 1m
Longest stretch: US 52 — 54.6 mi, about 1h 3m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Olmsted County, MN and Burnsville, MN.

1

Start on this road

0.1 mi · 1 min · this road
2

Turn slight left

0.2 mi · 2 min
3

Turn right

138 ft · 19 sec
4

Turn left onto Eastwood Road Southeast

170 ft · 4 sec · Eastwood Road Southeast
5

Turn right onto Towne Club Parkway Southeast

0.7 mi · 1 min · Towne Club Parkway Southeast
6

Continue on CR 22

0.7 mi · 1 min · 30th Avenue Southeast
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
7

Continue on CR 22

3.5 mi · 5 min · East Circle Drive Northeast
Use the straight lane.
8

Continue on 37th Street Northeast

2.2 mi · 4 min · 37th Street Northeast
Use the straight lane.
9

Turn right

198 ft · 3 sec
Use the right lane.
10

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 33 sec
Toward US 52 North, US 63 North
11

Merge onto US 52; US 63

14 mi · 16 min · US 52; US 63
12

Continue on US 52

9.1 mi · 10 min · US 52
Use the straight lane.
13

Continue on US 52

32 mi · 36 min · US 52
Use the straight lane.
14

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 57 sec
Toward CR 46
15

Turn left onto CR 46

1.4 mi · 2 min · Brandel Drive
Use the left lane.
16

Continue on CR 46

8.0 mi · 11 min · 160th Street East
Use the left lane.
17

Turn right onto CR 23

1.0 mi · 1 min · Cedar Avenue
Use the left lane.
18

Turn left onto CR 42

3.3 mi · 6 min · County Road 42
Use the left lane.
19

Turn right onto Nicollet Avenue South

1.7 mi · 3 min · Nicollet Avenue South
20

Arrive at destination

Nicollet Avenue South

Trip Plan

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 39 miles from Olmsted County, MN, or about 52m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 54.6 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 17 miles or 27m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 39 miles or 52m 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 25m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Olmsted County, MN so your first major turns are already loaded.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Olmsted County, MN

This is one driving day of about 78.1 miles and 1h 45m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 17 miles from Olmsted County, MN.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on US 52 for about 54.6 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 39 mi from Olmsted County, MN · 52m into the drive

Downtown Cannon Falls, MN, MN

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Cannon Falls, MN

39 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

Oronoco, MN

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 17 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Vermillion, MN

Meal break

The midpoint is around 39 miles from Olmsted County, MN, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Burnsville, MN

The final approach into Burnsville, MN usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.

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

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$11.62 one way

$23.25 round trip

$3.78/gal 25.4 MPG avg 27 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.07 $12.52 $25.05
premium $4.53 $13.94 $27.87
diesel $5.61 $17.24 $34.49

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$12

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$37–$62

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 27.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $8 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 23.4 0 $8.20 $3.75
Efficient EV 19.5 0 $6.83 $3.12
EV Truck/SUV 31.2 0 $10.93 $5.00

Gas CO2

27 kg

EV CO2

9 kg (67% 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 as of Apr 16, 2026

Origin

Olmsted County, MN

Afternoon in Olmsted County on Friday

Local time

1:21 PM

CDT

Current temp

68°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Burnsville, MN

Afternoon in Burnsville on Friday

Local time

1:21 PM

CDT

Current temp

47°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

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

21 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 45m 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 Olmsted County, MN to Burnsville, MN covers 78.1 miles and takes about 1h 45m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are US 52, 160th Street East, East Circle Drive Northeast. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 39 miles from Olmsted County, MN. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $11.62 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 78.1 miles you will encounter 10 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.

The main spots that need attention: at 0.3 miles: Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (Eastwood Road Southeast): Navigation decision point; at 7.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here.

On the drive from Olmsted County, MN to Burnsville, MN, road signs begin pointing toward Cr 46 along the way.

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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Explore More

Return Trip

Burnsville, MN to Olmsted County, MN

Plan the drive back the other way.

82.3 mi 1h 54m

Explore more options from Olmsted County, MN or browse trips ending in Burnsville, MN.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse MN road trips.