Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jul 20, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
58m
Distance
44.9 mi
72 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Apple Valley, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Delano, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Apple Valley, MN to Delano, MN is 44.9 miles and takes about 58 minutes via I 494 and Officer Bill Mathews Memorial Highway, with a fuel budget near $7 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Minnesota, moving from the Midwest region to another part of the Midwest. You'll experience a mix of highway speeds and surface road cruising on this relatively short trip. It's a straightforward route that's easy to manage for a quick drive.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 494 | 16.7 mi | 20m |
| Officer Bill Mathews Memorial Highwa | 11 mi | 14m |
| Cedar Avenue | 9.5 mi | 11m |
| Babcock Boulevard | 6.1 mi | 8m |
| Bridge Avenue West | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| I 394 | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| County Road 42 | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Bridge Avenue East | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 33 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~3,968 veh/hr typical
Quietest
2 AM
~207 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
19.2×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 31 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Apple Valley, MN and Delano, MN.
Start on CR 42
Turn right onto CR 23
Take the exit
Merge onto I 494; MN 5
Keep slight left at fork onto I 494; MN 5
Take the exit
Merge onto I 394
Keep slight left at fork
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto US 12
Enter roundabout onto US 12
Continue on US 12
Keep slight right at fork onto US 12
Turn right onto Bridge Avenue West
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
22 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.
A short stop after about 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 22.4 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.
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 27.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn right onto CR 23 / Cedar Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
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
Keep slight left at fork onto I 494; MN 5
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward US 12 West: Wayzata
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork toward US 12 West: Wayzata
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$6.74 one way
$13.49 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.12 | $7.28 | $14.56 |
| premium | $4.60 | $8.13 | $16.27 |
| diesel | $4.80 | $8.48 | $16.96 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 15.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 13.5 | 0 | $4.71 | $2.16 |
| Efficient EV | 11.2 | 0 | $3.93 | $1.80 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 18 | 0 | $6.29 | $2.87 |
Gas CO2
16 kg
EV CO2
5 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Late night in Apple Valley on Monday
Local time
3:57 AM
CDT
Current temp
88°F
Sunny
Destination
Late night in Delano on Monday
Local time
3:57 AM
CDT
Current temp
88°F
Sunny
89°F
Plymouth, MN
22 mi in
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
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.
This 44.9-mile trip features 37% highway driving. You'll encounter about 16.7 miles on I 494 before transitioning to Officer Bill Mathews Memorial Highway and Cedar Avenue. Expect a change in pace as you move from faster highway speeds to more typical surface road conditions. The transition to surface roads will likely involve more frequent intersections and a decrease in average speed.
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 early in the drive near CR 23 / Cedar Avenue.
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 12 decision points packed into just 44.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 58m.
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 18.5 miles (I 494; MN 5): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
291 ft
Total Descent
323 ft
Highest Point
985 ft
~3.2 mi in
Elevation Range
255 ft
Founded 1860
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.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 58m. Total distance: 44.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
58m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (37%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile.
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. 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 options from Apple Valley, MN or browse trips ending in Delano, MN.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse MN road trips.
