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Trip from Tofte, MN to Red Rock, MN

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 2m

Distance

58.1 mi

93 km

Drive Score

5/10

Practical drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$9

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 15 min
4 AM
0h 57m ★
6 AM
1h 2m
8 AM
1h 12m
10 AM
1h 6m
12 PM
1h 5m
3 PM
1h 6m
5 PM
1h 12m
8 PM
0h 59m

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

Downtown Tofte, MN, MN

Tofte, MN

Barnabas Davoti

Downtown Red Rock, MN, MN

Red Rock, MN

Tom Fisk

Trip Overview

If you are looking for a quick excursion through Minnesota, this 58.1-mile drive from Tofte to Red Rock is an ideal candidate. Expect to spend about 1 hour and 2 minutes behind the wheel, making this a perfect day trip that leaves plenty of time for activities at your destination. You will spend roughly $8 on fuel for the journey, keeping your travel costs quite low. Since the entire route is contained within the Midwest, you will find a familiar regional atmosphere throughout your trek. Because the trip is short, you do not need to worry about booking overnight stays or managing long-distance fatigue. It is a straightforward, efficient route that serves as a great way to traverse this part of the state without a massive time commitment.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 2m. Total distance: 58.1 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 2m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.

Scenic Drive

Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.

Drive Character

Prepare for a turn-heavy local drive that demands your full attention compared to a standard interstate cruise. You will be traveling exclusively on Highway 61, as the highway share for this route is 0 percent. Navigating these local roads means you should anticipate a more technical driving experience rather than a high-speed, monotonous stretch. The road maintains a consistent, winding character from start to finish, requiring you to stay alert through every curve. Because this is a local route, you will not encounter any long, uninterrupted highway segments, so focus on the immediate road conditions as you progress toward Red Rock.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 3 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Highway 61 is one of the defining roads on this drive.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

717 ft 620 ft

Total Climb

223 ft

Total Descent

226 ft

Highest Point

717 ft

~24.9 mi in

Elevation Range

97 ft

How Hard Is This Drive?

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive.

Driving Effort 1/10

Very easy - short and simple to drive

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

The drive from Tofte, MN to Red Rock, MN is easy. At 1h 2m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

Where does it get tricky?

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Tofte, MN to Red Rock, MN is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Highway 61

Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.

Longest stretch: Highway 61 — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Tofte, MN and Red Rock, MN.

1

Start on the route

233 ft · 20 sec · the route
2

Turn right onto Highway 61

58 mi · 1 hr 14 min · Highway 61
3

Arrive at your destination

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 29 mi from Tofte, MN · 31m into the drive

Downtown Grand Marais, MN, MN

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Grand Marais, MN

29 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

Grand Marais, MN

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Grand Marais, MN

Meal break

The midpoint is around 29 miles from Tofte, MN, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Red Rock, MN

The final approach into Red Rock, 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

$8.65 one way

$17.29 round trip

$3.78/gal 25.4 MPG avg 20 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.07 $9.32 $18.63
premium $4.53 $10.37 $20.73
diesel $5.61 $12.83 $25.66

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$9

Estimated CO2 emission: 20.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 17.4 0 $6.10 $2.79
Efficient EV 14.5 0 $5.08 $2.32
EV Truck/SUV 23.2 0 $8.13 $3.72

Gas CO2

20 kg

EV CO2

7 kg (65% 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

Tofte, MN

Late night in Tofte on Saturday

Local time

3:11 AM

CDT

Current temp

46°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Red Rock, MN

Late night in Red Rock on Saturday

Local time

3:11 AM

CDT

Current temp

40°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

6 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 2m 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 Tofte, MN to Red Rock, MN covers 58.1 miles and takes about 1h 2m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are Highway 61. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 29 miles from Tofte, MN. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $8.65 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.

The drive from Tofte, MN to Red Rock, MN is easy. At 1h 2m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Tofte, MN to Red Rock, MN is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

The route from Tofte, MN to Red Rock, MN does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

Mostly flat terrain. The route ranges from 620 ft to 717 ft elevation with about 223 ft of total climbing.

Yes. Nearby national parks include Grand Portage National Monument.

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, EIA for fuel prices, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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