Origin
Apple Valley, MN
Morning in Apple Valley on Tuesday
Local time
6:11 AM
CDT
Current temp
36°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Apple Valley, MN to Chaska, 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
32m
Distance
22.7 mi
37 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 30m
★
6 AM
0h 32m
8 AM
0h 38m
10 AM
0h 34m
12 PM
0h 34m
3 PM
0h 35m
5 PM
0h 38m
8 PM
0h 31m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Apple Valley, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Chaska, MN
Tom Fisk
Trip Overview
Apple Valley to Chaska is 22.7 miles and takes about 32 minutes via US 169, MN 13, and County Road 42, with a fuel budget near $3 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within Minnesota, connecting two points in the Midwest region. The drive is predominantly on well-maintained highways, making it a straightforward and efficient option for getting between these suburban Twin Cities communities. It's a quick hop that won't eat up your day, leaving plenty of time for whatever you have planned at your destination.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 169 | 7.3 mi | 8m |
| MN 13 | 5.2 mi | 7m |
| County Road 42 | 3.4 mi | 6m |
| I 35W | 1.9 mi | 2m |
| Chestnut Boulevard | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| North Chestnut Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| West 6th Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
US 169
— 7.3 mi, about 8m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Apple Valley, MN and Chaska, MN.
1
Start on CR 42
3.4 mi
·
6 min
·
County Road 42
Use the left lane.
2
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
Toward I 35W North
Use the right lane.
3
Merge onto I 35W
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
I 35W
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
Exit 3B
Toward MN 13 South: Shakopee
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
Merge onto MN 13
5.2 mi
·
7 min
·
MN 13
Use the left lane.
6
Keep slight left at fork
2.1 mi
·
2 min
Toward US 169 South, CR 21: Mankato
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
7
Merge onto US 169
7.3 mi
·
8 min
·
US 169
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
Exit 106
Toward MN 41, CR 78: Chestnut Boulevard
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight right at fork
213 ft
·
7 sec
Toward MN 41: Chaska
Use the right lane.
10
Turn straight onto MN 41
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Chestnut Boulevard
11
Continue on MN 41
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
North Chestnut Street
12
Turn left onto CR 61
134 ft
·
9 sec
·
West 6th Street
Use the left lane.
13
Arrive at destination
CR 61
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 105 decision points cluster between mile 3.4 and 20.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
3.4 mi into trip
|
~6m in
Take the exit toward I 35W North
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward I 35W North
7
5.6 mi into trip
|
~9m in
Take the exit toward MN 13 South: Shakopee
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Exit 3B
Toward MN 13 South: Shakopee
8
11 mi into trip
|
~17m in
Keep slight left at fork toward US 169 South, CR 21: Mankato
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward US 169 South, CR 21: Mankato
8
20.4 mi into trip
|
~27m in
Take the exit toward MN 41, CR 78: Chestnut Boulevard
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 106
Toward MN 41, CR 78: Chestnut Boulevard
8
20.7 mi into trip
|
~28m in
Keep slight right at fork toward MN 41: Chaska
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward MN 41: Chaska
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.38 one way
$6.76 round trip
$3.78/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.07 | $3.64 | $7.28 |
| premium | $4.53 | $4.05 | $8.10 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.01 | $10.02 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 7.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6.8 | 0 | $2.38 | $1.09 |
| Efficient EV | 5.7 | 0 | $1.99 | $0.91 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 9.1 | 0 | $3.18 | $1.45 |
Gas CO2
8 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (63% 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
Chaska, MN
Morning in Chaska on Tuesday
Local time
6:11 AM
CDT
Current temp
58°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
22 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
32m 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?
This route is 63% highway, with the longest stretch on US 169 covering 7.3 miles. Expect a highway feel for a significant portion of your drive. Surface roads will likely begin to dominate as you approach your destination. You'll notice the transition from higher-speed travel to more frequent intersections and potentially slower traffic as you move off the main highway corridors.
63% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 7.3 mi on US 169.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 169 and MN 13. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 3.4 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
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 10 decision points packed into just 22.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 32m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 3.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 5.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 11 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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.
On the drive from Apple Valley, MN to Chaska, MN, road signs begin pointing toward Cr 21: Mankato along the way.
Cr 21: Mankato
11 mi in
|
~17m
About the Cities
Arriving in Chaska, MN
Full guide →The Twin Cities of Minnesota constitute the political, cultural, and economic capital of the Upper Midwest, and along with the Chicago, Milwaukee, and Detroit metropolitan areas, the core of the North Coast region of the United States. The name "Twin Cities" comes from the region's two core cities, Minneapolis and Saint Paul, which border each other, share many of the same political, educational, and cultural institutions - and are thus considered to be "twins". There are multiple "tiers" or "rings" of suburbs extending out from these core cities, some reaching as far as Wisconsin.
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 32m. Total distance: 22.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
32m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (63%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 7.3 miles on US 169. 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 Chaska, 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 3.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 5.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 11 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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 Chaska, 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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