Origin
Afton, MN
Late night in Afton on Sunday
Local time
4:59 AM
CDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Afton, MN to Lakeville, MN
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
52m
Distance
38.4 mi
62 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 48m
★
6 AM
0h 53m
8 AM
1h 1m
10 AM
0h 56m
12 PM
0h 55m
3 PM
0h 56m
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.
Afton, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Lakeville, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking for a quick transition across the Twin Cities metro area, the 38.4-mile trip from Afton to Lakeville is an efficient choice. Expect to spend about 52 minutes behind the wheel, making this a perfect one-day excursion that requires no overnight stops. You will primarily navigate via Bailey Road, I-494, and I-35E to complete the journey. With a fuel budget of roughly $5, it is a very economical drive through the heart of the Midwest. Because the route is short and straightforward, you have plenty of flexibility to plan your departure around your own schedule. It is an ideal connection if you need to travel between these two Minnesota communities without committing to a full day of travel.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 35E | 13.7 mi | 14m |
| Bailey Road | 7.2 mi | 10m |
| I 494 | 3.7 mi | 4m |
| Wakota Bridge | 3.1 mi | 3m |
| 40th Street South | 2.4 mi | 3m |
| Kenwood Trail /Richard J. Ames Memorial Highway | 2.2 mi | 3m |
| Afton Boulevard | 1.8 mi | 2m |
| Kenwood Trail | 1.3 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
I 35E
— 13.7 mi, about 14m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Afton, MN and Lakeville, MN.
1
Start on CH 18
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Afton Boulevard
2
Continue on CH 18
2.4 mi
·
3 min
·
40th Street South
3
Continue on CH 18
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Bailey Road
4
Enter roundabout onto CH 18
124 ft
·
2 sec
·
Bailey Road
5
Continue on CH 18
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Bailey Road
Use the straight lane.
6
Enter roundabout onto CH 18
122 ft
·
2 sec
·
Bailey Road
7
Continue on CH 18
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Bailey Road
8
Enter roundabout onto CH 18
146 ft
·
2 sec
·
Bailey Road
9
Continue on CH 18
2.2 mi
·
3 min
·
Bailey Road
Use the straight lane.
10
Continue on CH 18
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Maxwell Avenue
Use the left / straight lanes.
11
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
Toward I 494 West
12
Continue on Wakota Bridge
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
·
Wakota Bridge
Toward I 494 West
Use the straight lane.
13
Merge onto I 494
2.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Wakota Bridge
Use the straight lane.
14
Keep slight left at fork onto I 494
3.7 mi
·
4 min
·
I 494
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
Exit 70
Toward I 35E South, I 35E North: Albert Lea, Saint Paul
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Keep slight left at fork
0.8 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 35E South: Albert Lea
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Merge onto I 35E
14 mi
·
14 min
·
I 35E
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
Exit 85
Toward CR 5, CR 50
Use the slight right lane.
19
Turn left onto CR 5
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Kenwood Trail
Use the left / straight lanes.
20
Enter roundabout onto CR 5
127 ft
·
2 sec
·
Kenwood Trail /Richard J. Ames Memorial Highway
21
Continue on CR 5
2.2 mi
·
3 min
·
Kenwood Trail /Richard J. Ames Memorial Highway
22
Continue on CR 5
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
·
Kenwood Trai/Richard J. Ames Memorial Highway
23
Continue on CR 50
0.5 mi
·
48 sec
·
202nd Street West / Richard J. Ames Memorial Highway
Use the straight / right lanes.
24
Enter roundabout onto Holyoke Avenue
12 ft
·
0 sec
·
Holyoke Avenue
25
Continue on Holyoke Avenue
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Holyoke Avenue
26
Turn left onto 207th Street West
22 ft
·
0 sec
·
207th Street West
Use the left lane.
27
Arrive at destination
207th Street West
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
19 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 38 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 19.2 miles from Afton, MN, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 175 decision points cluster between mile 15.3 and 38.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
15.3 mi into trip
|
~22m in
|
I 494
Keep slight left at fork onto I 494
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
18.9 mi into trip
|
~27m in
Take the exit toward I 35E South, I 35E North: Albert Lea, Saint Paul
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 70
Toward I 35E South, I 35E North: Albert Lea, Sa...
7
19.2 mi into trip
|
~27m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 35E South: Albert Lea
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 35E South: Albert Lea
8
33.6 mi into trip
|
~44m in
Take the exit toward CR 5, CR 50
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 85
Toward CR 5, CR 50
6
38.4 mi into trip
|
~52m in
|
207th Street West
Turn left onto 207th Street West
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.71 one way
$11.43 round trip
$3.78/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.07 | $6.16 | $12.32 |
| premium | $4.53 | $6.85 | $13.70 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.48 | $16.96 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 13.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11.5 | 0 | $4.03 | $1.84 |
| Efficient EV | 9.6 | 0 | $3.36 | $1.54 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 15.4 | 0 | $5.38 | $2.46 |
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (69% 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
Lakeville, MN
Late night in Lakeville on Sunday
Local time
4:59 AM
CDT
Current temp
45°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
1 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
52m 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?
Expect a mixed driving experience that balances local roads with major interstate transit. You will spend about 45% of your time on highways, transitioning from the quieter outskirts into the flow of metropolitan traffic. The longest uninterrupted section occurs on I-35E, where you can settle in for a 13.7-mile stretch of steady driving. As you move from the initial local roads onto the larger thoroughfares, the pace of the trip shifts noticeably. This route is functional rather than scenic, providing a direct link that prioritizes speed and efficiency over winding backroads.
45% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
27 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 13.7 mi on I 35E.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 15.3 miles in near I 494.
Driving Effort
9/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 17 decision points packed into just 38.4 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 52m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 15.3 miles (I 494): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 18.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 19.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Afton, MN and Lakeville, MN, road signs point toward Saint Paul, Cr 5 and Cr 50.
Saint Paul
18.9 mi in
|
~27m
Cr 5
33.6 mi in
|
~44m
Cr 50
33.6 mi in
|
~44m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 52m. Total distance: 38.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
52m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (45%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 13.7 miles on I 35E. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Lakeville, MN before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
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: at 15.3 miles (I 494): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 18.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 19.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Lakeville, MN before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner 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.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Lakeville, MN
More trips to Lakeville, MN
Explore more options from Afton, MN or browse trips ending in Lakeville, MN.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse MN road trips.