Minnesota State Highway 45 (MN 45) is a short 2.628-mile-long (4.229 km) highway in northeast Minnesota, which runs from its intersection with State Highway 210 (Chestnut Avenue) and Carlton County Road 1 in the city of Carlton and continues north to its northern terminus at its interchange with Interstate 35 and Carlton County Highway 45 in the city of Scanlon.

State Highway 45 serves as a short connector route between Carlton, Scanlon, and Interstate 35 in northeast Minnesota.

Jay Cooke State Park is located 3 miles east of the junction of Highways 45 and 210 at Carlton.

The park entrance is located on Highway 210 adjacent to Thomson.

State Highway 45 does not currently include any of its original marked extent.