Origin
Afton, MN
Late night in Afton on Tuesday
Local time
3:48 AM
CDT
Current temp
57°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Afton, MN to Minneapolis, MN
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
42m
Distance
29.9 mi
48 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 39m
★
6 AM
0h 43m
8 AM
0h 50m
10 AM
0h 45m
12 PM
0h 44m
3 PM
0h 45m
5 PM
0h 49m
8 PM
0h 40m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Afton, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking to travel from Afton to Minneapolis, this 29.9-mile journey is an efficient trip that clocks in at approximately 42 minutes. Because of the manageable distance, this route works perfectly as a quick day trip, requiring only one day to complete. You will navigate primarily via Saint Croix Trail South, Saint Croix Trail North, and Washington Avenue South to reach your destination within the Midwest. With a fuel budget of just $4, this is an incredibly economical drive. It is a straightforward trip that avoids complex planning, making it an ideal choice if you want to get from the quiet outskirts of Afton into the heart of Minneapolis without any mandatory stops.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Saint Croix Trail South | 3.4 mi | 5m |
| Saint Croix Trail North | 1 mi | 1m |
| Washington Avenue South | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| Cedar Avenue South | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Afton Boulevard | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Saint Croix Trail South
— 3.4 mi, about 5m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Afton, MN and Minneapolis, MN.
1
Start on CH 18
80 ft
·
7 sec
·
Afton Boulevard
2
Turn left onto CH 18; CH 21
2.9 mi
·
4 min
·
Saint Croix Trail South
Use the straight lane.
3
Enter roundabout onto CH 18
99 ft
·
1 sec
·
Saint Croix Trail South
4
Continue on CH 18
0.4 mi
·
48 sec
·
Saint Croix Trail South
Use the straight lane.
5
Enter roundabout onto CH 18
104 ft
·
2 sec
·
Saint Croix Trail North
6
Continue on CH 18
0.4 mi
·
41 sec
·
Saint Croix Trail North
Use the straight lane.
7
Enter roundabout onto CH 18
116 ft
·
2 sec
·
Saint Croix Trail North
8
Continue on CH 18
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Saint Croix Trail North
Use the straight lane.
9
Turn left
24 mi
·
30 min
Toward I 94 West, US 12 West, MN 95 South: Saint Paul
Use the left lane.
10
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
Exit 234C
Toward Cedar Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Turn right onto CR 152
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Cedar Avenue South
Use the straight / right lanes.
12
Continue on CR 152
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Washington Avenue South
13
Arrive at destination
CR 152
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 105 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 28.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
CH 18; CH 21 / Saint Croix Trail South
Turn left onto CH 18; CH 21 / Saint Croix Trail South
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
4
2.9 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
CH 18 / Saint Croix Trail South
Enter roundabout onto CH 18 / Saint Croix Trail South
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
8
4.3 mi into trip
|
~7m in
Turn left toward I 94 West, US 12 West, MN 95 South: Saint Paul
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the left lane.
Toward I 94 West, US 12 West, MN 95 South: Sain...
7
28.3 mi into trip
|
~38m in
Take the exit toward Cedar Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 234C
Toward Cedar Avenue
5
28.5 mi into trip
|
~38m in
|
CR 152 / Cedar Avenue South
Turn right onto CR 152 / Cedar Avenue South
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.45 one way
$8.90 round trip
$3.78/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.07 | $4.79 | $9.59 |
| premium | $4.53 | $5.33 | $10.67 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.60 | $13.20 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9 | 0 | $3.14 | $1.44 |
| Efficient EV | 7.5 | 0 | $2.62 | $1.20 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12 | 0 | $4.19 | $1.91 |
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (70% 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
Minneapolis, MN
Late night in Minneapolis on Tuesday
Local time
3:48 AM
CDT
Current temp
59°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
2 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
42m 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 turn-heavy local drive rather than a high-speed interstate haul, as this entire 29.9-mile route consists of 0% highway driving. You will stay focused on the road as you navigate local stretches, with the longest uninterrupted segment covering only 3.4 miles along Saint Croix Trail South. The personality of this drive is defined by consistent local turns rather than monotonous highway cruising. Because the route relies entirely on local roads, you should prepare for a more hands-on driving experience that changes rhythm frequently. It is a steady, rhythmic journey that keeps you engaged from start to finish.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 3.4 mi on Saint Croix Trail South.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near CH 18; CH 21 / Saint Croix Trail South.
Driving Effort
5/10
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 29.9 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: near the start (CH 18; CH 21 / Saint Croix Trail South): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.9 miles (CH 18 / Saint Croix Trail South): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 4.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
About the Cities
Starting in Afton, MN
Full guide →Afton is a city in the Twin Cities region of Minnesota. It lies nearly on the banks of the Saint Croix River, which forms the natural eastern border between Minnesota and Wisconsin.
Arriving in Minneapolis, MN
Full guide →Minneapolis is a city of about 430,000 people (2019) and the largest city in Minnesota. Along with neighboring Saint Paul, it forms the urban core of the Twin Cities region, the third largest metropolitan area in the Midwest after Chicago and Detroit.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 42m. Total distance: 29.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
42m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 3.4 miles on Saint Croix Trail South. 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 (CH 18; CH 21 / Saint Croix Trail South): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.9 miles (CH 18 / Saint Croix Trail South): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 4.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Minneapolis, 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.
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