Origin
Saint Paul, MN
Afternoon in Saint Paul on Friday
Local time
2:23 PM
CDT
Current temp
67°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Saint Paul, MN to Birchwood, MN
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
22m
Distance
13.4 mi
22 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 20m
★
6 AM
0h 22m
8 AM
0h 26m
10 AM
0h 23m
12 PM
0h 23m
3 PM
0h 24m
5 PM
0h 26m
8 PM
0h 21m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Saint Paul, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Birchwood, MN
Tom Fisk
Trip Overview
The drive from Saint Paul, MN to Birchwood, MN covers 13.4 miles and takes about 22m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on MN 36, I 35E, North Century Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 5.1 miles on MN 36. At current regular gas prices, budget about $1.99 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 22m. Total distance: 13.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
22m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (65%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 22m highway drive covering 13.4 miles, with most of the trip on MN 36 and I 35E. The longest continuous stretch is about 5.1 miles on MN 36.
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 36 is the longest continuous segment at about 5.1 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on MN 36 and I 35E. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.5 miles in near Robert Street North.
Driving Effort
6/10
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 13.4 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 0.5 miles (Robert Street North): Navigation decision point; at 0.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 4.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 10 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0.5 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
Robert Street North
Turn left onto Robert Street North
Navigation decision point
7
0.8 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 35E North, US 10 West
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 35E North, US 10 West
7
4.6 mi into trip
|
~7m in
Take the exit toward MN 36 East: Stillwater
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 111A
Toward MN 36 East: Stillwater
5
5 mi into trip
|
~8m in
|
MN 36
Merge onto MN 36
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
13.4 mi into trip
|
~22m in
Turn left
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| MN 36 | 5.1 mi | 6m |
| I 35E | 3.6 mi | 4m |
| North Century Avenue | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| East County Line Road | 1 mi | 2m |
| Geneva Avenue North | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Cedar Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Wabasha Street North | 0.3 mi | 1m |
| 7th Street East | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
MN 36
— 5.1 mi, about 6m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Saint Paul, MN and Birchwood, MN.
1
Start on Wabasha Street North
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Wabasha Street North
2
Turn right onto MN 5
0.2 mi
·
44 sec
·
7th Street East
3
Turn left onto Robert Street North
0.2 mi
·
40 sec
·
Robert Street North
4
Turn right onto 11th Street East
451 ft
·
17 sec
·
11th Street East
5
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
Toward I 35E North, US 10 West
6
Continue on I 35E
3.6 mi
·
4 min
·
I 35E
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
45 sec
Exit 111A
Toward MN 36 East: Stillwater
Use the slight right lane.
8
Merge onto MN 36
5.1 mi
·
6 min
·
MN 36
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Turn left onto MN 120
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Geneva Avenue North
Use the left lane.
10
Continue on MN 120
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
North Century Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
11
Continue on MN 120
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
East County Line Road
12
Turn right onto Cedar Street
0.4 mi
·
54 sec
·
Cedar Street
13
Continue on Cedar Street
298 ft
·
14 sec
·
Cedar Street
14
Turn right onto Wildwood Avenue
56 ft
·
8 sec
·
Wildwood Avenue
15
Turn left
90 ft
·
6 sec
16
Arrive at destination
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.99 one way
$3.99 round trip
$3.78/gal
25.4 MPG avg
5 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.07 | $2.15 | $4.30 |
| premium | $4.53 | $2.39 | $4.78 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.96 | $5.92 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 4.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 4 | 0 | $1.41 | $0.64 |
| Efficient EV | 3.4 | 0 | $1.17 | $0.54 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 5.4 | 0 | $1.88 | $0.86 |
Gas CO2
5 kg
EV CO2
2 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
Birchwood, MN
Afternoon in Birchwood on Friday
Local time
2:23 PM
CDT
Current temp
44°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
23 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
22m 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 Saint Paul, MN to Birchwood, MN covers 13.4 miles and takes about 22m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are MN 36, I 35E, North Century Avenue. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 6.7 miles from Saint Paul, MN. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $1.99 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 13.4 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 0.5 miles (Robert Street North): Navigation decision point; at 0.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 4.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Saint Paul, MN to Birchwood, 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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