Apple Valley, MN to Becker, MN is 66.6 miles and takes about 1 hour 21 minutes via I 494 and I 94, with a fuel budget near $10 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Midwest region, specifically Minnesota, making it a straightforward drive. The route is primarily highway-focused, suggesting efficient travel without many detours. Given its short duration and proximity, this is an ideal same-day excursion for anyone looking to cover ground quickly between these two points.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 494
24.8 mi
30m
I 94
22.6 mi
24m
Cedar Avenue
9.5 mi
11m
US 10
3.8 mi
4m
165th Avenue Southeast
1.8 mi
2m
Park Boulevard Southeast
1.4 mi
1m
Pine Street
0.8 mi
2m
County Road 11
0.7 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 494
— 24.8 mi, about 30m
Traffic on I-94
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 40 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~4,135 veh/hr typical
· worst 4,804
Quietest
2 AM
~220 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
18.8×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 47 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Apple Valley, MN and Becker, MN.
1
Start on CR 42
35 ft·6 sec·County Road 42
2
Turn right onto CR 23
9.5 mi·11 min·Cedar Avenue
Use the left lane.
3
Take the exit
0.2 mi·25 sec
Toward I 494 West, MN 5 WestUse the right lane.
4
Merge onto I 494; MN 5
8.8 mi·11 min·I 494; MN 5
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
Keep slight left at fork onto I 494; MN 5
16 mi·19 min·I 494; MN 5
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
Keep slight left at fork
0.6 mi·49 sec
Exit 27Toward I 94 West: Saint CloudUse the slight left / slight right lanes.
7
Continue on I 94
17 mi·18 min·I 94
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork onto I 94
6.0 mi·6 min·I 94
9
Take the exit
0.4 mi·52 sec
10
Turn right onto MN 25
0.8 mi·2 min·Pine Street
11
Continue on MN 25
0.1 mi·19 sec·State Highway 25
12
Turn left onto County Road 11
0.7 mi·53 sec·County Road 11
13
Continue on Park Boulevard Southeast
1.4 mi·1 min·Park Boulevard Southeast
14
Continue on 165th Avenue Southeast
1.8 mi·2 min·165th Avenue Southeast
15
Turn left onto US 10
3.8 mi·4 min·US 10
16
Turn right onto Hancock Street
111 ft·3 sec·Hancock Street
17
Arrive at destination
Hancock Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
The midpoint is around 33.3 miles from Apple Valley, 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 10
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 34.4 — 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|CR 23 / Cedar Avenue
Turn right onto CR 23 / Cedar Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
7
9.5 mi into trip|~11m in
Take the exit toward I 494 West, MN 5 West
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Toward I 494 West, MN 5 West
5
9.7 mi into trip|~12m in|I 494; MN 5
Merge onto I 494; MN 5
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
18.5 mi into trip|~23m in|I 494; MN 5
Keep slight left at fork onto I 494; MN 5
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
8
34.4 mi into trip|~43m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 94 West: Saint Cloud
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Exit 27
Toward I 94 West: Saint Cloud
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.00 one way
$20.01 round trip
$3.82/gal25.4 MPG avg23 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.12
$10.80
$21.60
premium
$4.60
$12.06
$24.13
diesel
$4.80
$12.58
$25.15
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 23.3 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging
· 0 stops
· 65% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
20
0
$6.99
$3.20
Efficient EV
16.7
0
$5.83
$2.66
EV Truck/SUV
26.6
0
$9.32
$4.26
Gas CO2
23 kg
EV CO2
8 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 Jul 20, 2026
Origin
Apple Valley, MN
Late night
in Apple Valley on Monday
Local time
2:40 AM
CDT
Current temp
70°F
Mostly Cloudy then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
S 10 mph68% chanceLive forecast
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 19 at 8:57PM CDT until July 20 at 6:00PM CDT by NWS Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 19 at 8:57PM CDT until July 20 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
Destination
Becker, MN
Late night
in Becker on Monday
Local time
2:40 AM
CDT
Current temp
70°F
Mostly Cloudy then Showers And Thunderstorms Likely
S 10 to 15 mph62% chanceLive forecast
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 19 at 8:57PM CDT until July 20 at 6:00PM CDT by NWS Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 19 at 8:57PM CDT until July 20 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
1h 21m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is predominantly a highway-focused experience, with 77% of the journey on major interstates. You'll spend a significant portion of your time on I 494 and I 94, which are designed for speed and efficiency. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 24.8 miles on I 494, so be prepared for sustained highway driving. While the profile is highway-focused, the inclusion of Cedar Avenue suggests a brief transition before merging onto the main interstates.
77% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 24.8 mi on I 494.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 494 and I 94. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near CR 23 / Cedar Avenue.
Driving Effort8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 66.6 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 (CR 23 / Cedar Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 9.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 9.7 miles (I 494; MN 5): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Apple Valley, a relatively-modern suburban community at the southern edge of Minnesota's Twin Cities region, is far enough from the city to have plenty of open space to host parkland, a golf course and the state's expansive zoological gardens while remaining close enough to allow easy access to Minneapolis and its big-city amenities.
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 21m. Total distance: 66.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 21m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (77%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 24.8 miles on I 494. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 3 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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 Becker, 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: near the start (CR 23 / Cedar Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 9.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 9.7 miles (I 494; MN 5): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Becker, MN before heading back.
