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Trip from Prior Lake, MN to Blaine, MN

Data updated 0 seconds ago

Drive Time

53m

Distance

39.2 mi

63 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$6

one way

EV Charging

Loading...

station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 13 min
4 AM
0h 49m ★
6 AM
0h 53m
8 AM
1h 2m
10 AM
0h 56m
12 PM
0h 55m
3 PM
0h 57m
5 PM
1h 1m
8 PM
0h 50m

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

city in Scott County, Minnesota, United States

Prior Lake, MN

Wikimedia Commons

city in Anoka County, Minnesota, United States

Blaine, MN

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Prior Lake, MN to Blaine, MN covers 39.2 miles and takes about 53m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on MN 100, Highway 65 Northeast, Highway 13 South for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 15.3 miles on MN 100. At current regular gas prices, budget about $5.83 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.

Break Rhythm

0 planned breaks

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

Midpoint

19.6 miles from Prior Lake, MN

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 26m into the drive .

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Drive Character

This is a 53m highway drive covering 39.2 miles, with most of the trip on MN 100 and Highway 65 Northeast. The longest continuous stretch is about 15.3 miles on MN 100.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 16 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
MN 100 is the longest continuous segment at about 15.3 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on MN 100 and Highway 65 Northeast. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 6.2 miles in.

Route Complexity 10/10

High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day

This is a demanding drive. With 12 significant decision points across 39.2 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 6.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 7.3 miles (US 169): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 11.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 12 key points

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

8
6.2 mi into trip | ~9m in

Keep slight right at fork toward US 169 North, CR 101: Shakopee

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight left / slight right lanes. Toward US 169 North, CR 101: Shakopee
5
7.3 mi into trip | ~11m in | US 169

Merge onto US 169

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

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
11.8 mi into trip | ~16m in

Take the exit toward I 494 East, MN 5 East

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight right lane. Toward I 494 East, MN 5 East
7
14.1 mi into trip | ~19m in

Take the exit toward MN 100

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

Use the right lane. Exit 7A Toward MN 100
7
32.2 mi into trip | ~42m in

Take the exit toward MN 65: Central Avenue

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

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 38 Toward MN 65: Central Avenue

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

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

Between Prior Lake, MN and Blaine, MN, road signs point toward Ch 101 and Cr 101: Shakopee.

Ch 101

5.6 mi in | ~8m

Cr 101: Shakopee

6.2 mi in | ~9m

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
MN 100 15.3 mi 19m
Highway 65 Northeast 6.3 mi 8m
Highway 13 South 5.5 mi 8m
US 169 4.5 mi 5m
I 694 1.9 mi 2m
I 494 1.6 mi 2m
Central Avenue Northeast 0.4 mi <1m
Longest stretch: MN 100 — 15.3 mi, about 19m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Prior Lake, MN and Blaine, MN.

1

Start on this road

91 ft · 1 sec · this road
2

Continue on MN 13

5.5 mi · 8 min · Highway 13 South
Use the left lane.
3

Take the ramp

0.7 mi · 53 sec
Toward US 169, CH 101
4

Keep slight right at fork

0.6 mi · 50 sec
Toward US 169 North, CR 101: Shakopee Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
5

Take the exit

0.5 mi · 1 min
Toward US 169 North
6

Merge onto US 169

4.5 mi · 5 min · US 169
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7

Take the exit

0.7 mi · 1 min
Toward I 494 East, MN 5 East Use the slight right lane.
8

Merge onto I 494; MN 5

1.6 mi · 2 min · I 494; MN 5
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 26 sec
Exit 7A Toward MN 100 Use the right lane.
10

Merge onto MN 100

15 mi · 19 min · MN 100
Use the straight / right lanes.
11

Keep slight left at fork

0.7 mi · 1 min
Toward I 694 East
12

Merge onto I 694

1.9 mi · 2 min · I 694
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 47 sec
Exit 38 Toward MN 65: Central Avenue Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14

Continue on MN 65

0.4 mi · 25 sec · Central Avenue Northeast
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15

Continue on MN 65

6.3 mi · 8 min · Highway 65 Northeast
Use the left lane.
16

Arrive at destination

MN 65

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 19.6 miles from Prior Lake, MN, or about 26m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 15.3 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 39.2 miles or 53m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 19.6 miles or 26m in

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

Final approach

Final hour starts around 44m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Prior Lake, 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 Prior Lake, MN

This is one driving day of about 39.2 miles and 53m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Prior Lake, 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 MN 100 for about 15.3 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 19.6 mi from Prior Lake, MN · 26m into the drive

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Minneapolis, MN

20 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

Brooklyn Park, MN

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 39.2 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Minneapolis, MN

Meal break

The midpoint is around 19.6 miles from Prior Lake, MN, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Blaine, MN

The final approach into Blaine, 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 Blaine, 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

$5.83 one way

$11.67 round trip

$3.78/gal 25.4 MPG avg 14 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.07 $6.29 $12.57
premium $4.53 $6.99 $13.99
diesel $5.61 $8.65 $17.31

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$6

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$31–$56

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 13.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 11.8 0 $4.12 $1.88
Efficient EV 9.8 0 $3.43 $1.57
EV Truck/SUV 15.7 0 $5.49 $2.51

Gas CO2

14 kg

EV CO2

5 kg (64% 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 5 days ago

Origin

Prior Lake, MN

Late night in Prior Lake on Wednesday

Local time

5:33 AM

CDT

Current temp

71°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Blaine, MN

Late night in Blaine on Wednesday

Local time

5:33 AM

CDT

Current temp

66°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

5 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

53m 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 Prior Lake, MN to Blaine, MN covers 39.2 miles and takes about 53m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are MN 100, Highway 65 Northeast, Highway 13 South. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 19.6 miles from Prior Lake, MN. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $5.83 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 demanding drive. With 12 significant decision points across 39.2 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 6.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 7.3 miles (US 169): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 11.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Prior Lake, MN and Blaine, MN, road signs point toward Ch 101 and Cr 101: Shakopee.

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