Origin
Tofte, MN
Afternoon in Tofte on Saturday
Local time
2:24 PM
CDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Tofte, MN to Grand Marais, MN
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
36m
Distance
27.1 mi
44 km
Drive Score
4/10
Practical drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 33m
★
6 AM
0h 36m
8 AM
0h 42m
10 AM
0h 38m
12 PM
0h 38m
3 PM
0h 39m
5 PM
0h 42m
8 PM
0h 34m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Tofte, MN
Barnabas Davoti
Grand Marais, MN
Andrew Patrick Photo
Trip Overview
The drive from Tofte, MN to Grand Marais, MN covers 27.1 miles and takes about 36m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Highway 61, West 1st Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 27 miles on Highway 61. At current regular gas prices, budget about $4.03 one way before food or hotel costs.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Highway 61 | 27 mi | 35m |
| West 1st Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Highway 61
— 27 mi, about 35m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Tofte, MN and Grand Marais, MN.
1
Start on this road
231 ft
·
20 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right onto MN 61
27 mi
·
35 min
·
Highway 61
Use the straight / left lanes.
3
Turn right onto West 1st Street
53 ft
·
1 sec
·
West 1st Street
4
Arrive at destination
West 1st Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
2 of 22 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 27.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
MN 61 / Highway 61
Turn right onto MN 61 / Highway 61
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
3
27.1 mi into trip
|
~36m in
|
West 1st Street
Turn right onto West 1st Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.03 one way
$8.07 round trip
$3.78/gal
25.4 MPG avg
10 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.07 | $4.35 | $8.69 |
| premium | $4.53 | $4.84 | $9.67 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.98 | $11.97 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 9.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8.1 | 0 | $2.85 | $1.30 |
| Efficient EV | 6.8 | 0 | $2.37 | $1.08 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 10.8 | 0 | $3.79 | $1.73 |
Gas CO2
9 kg
EV CO2
3 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.
Destination
Grand Marais, MN
Afternoon in Grand Marais on Saturday
Local time
2:24 PM
CDT
Current temp
29°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
17 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
36m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
27.1 mi in 36m, mostly highway — 27 mi of that is on Highway 61.
100% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
4 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 27 mi on Highway 61.
How Hard Is This Drive?
1/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Highway 61 and West 1st Street. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near MN 61 / Highway 61.
Driving Effort
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Tofte, MN to Grand Marais, MN is easy. At 36m with 100% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (MN 61 / Highway 61): Lane positioning matters here; at 27.1 miles (West 1st Street): Navigation decision point.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 36m. Total distance: 27.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
36m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (100%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 27 miles on Highway 61. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (MN 61 / Highway 61): Lane positioning matters here; at 27.1 miles (West 1st Street): Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Grand Marais, MN before heading back.
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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