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.
Main Roads
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.
Longest stretch:
I 494
— 16.7 mi, about 20m
Traffic on I-494
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 13 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
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 31 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 Delano, 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
7.9 mi·9 min·I 494; MN 5
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.3 mi·33 sec
Exit 19BToward US 12 West: WayzataUse the straight / right lanes.
7
Merge onto I 394
80 ft·1 sec·I 394
Exit 1A
8
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi·28 sec
Toward US 12 West: Carlson Parkway, Linner Road
9
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi·52 sec
Toward US 12 West: WayzataUse the straight / right lanes.
10
Merge onto US 12
11 mi·14 min·Officer Bill Mathews Memorial Highwa
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Enter roundabout onto US 12
135 ft·1 sec·Babcock Boulevard
12
Continue on US 12
2.0 mi·2 min·Babcock Boulevard
13
Keep slight right at fork onto US 12
4.1 mi·5 min·Babcock Boulevard
14
Turn right onto Bridge Avenue West
0.1 mi·18 sec·Bridge Avenue West
15
Arrive at destination
Bridge Avenue East
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
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.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 12
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.
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
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.
7
26.4 mi into trip|~33m in
Take the exit toward US 12 West: Wayzata
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Exit 19B
Toward US 12 West: Wayzata
7
27.1 mi into trip|~34m in
Keep slight left at fork toward US 12 West: Wayzata
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Toward US 12 West: Wayzata
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.55 one way
$15.11 round trip
$4.27/gal25.4 MPG avg16 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.60
$8.14
$16.27
premium
$5.04
$8.90
$17.80
diesel
$5.64
$9.97
$19.94
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 15.7 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-05-11.
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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Forecast as of May 15, 2026
Origin
Apple Valley, MN
Morning
in Apple Valley on Saturday
Local time
6:50 AM
CDT
Current temp
57°F
Mostly Clear
S 5 to 10 mph2% chanceLive forecast
Red Flag Warning
Red Flag Warning issued May 15 at 3:20AM CDT until May 15 at 9:00PM CDT by NWS Grand Forks ND
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued May 15 at 3:18AM CDT until May 15 at 9:00PM CDT by NWS Grand Forks ND
Destination
Delano, MN
Morning
in Delano on Saturday
Local time
6:50 AM
CDT
Current temp
56°F
Mostly Clear
S 10 mph2% chanceLive forecast
Red Flag Warning
Red Flag Warning issued May 15 at 3:20AM CDT until May 15 at 9:00PM CDT by NWS Grand Forks ND
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued May 15 at 3:18AM CDT until May 15 at 9:00PM CDT by NWS Grand Forks ND
67°F
Plymouth, MN
22 mi in
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
58m 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 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.
37% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 16.7 mi on I 494.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
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 early in the drive near CR 23 / Cedar Avenue.
Driving Effort10/10
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 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.
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 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 16.7 miles on I 494. 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 Delano, 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 18.5 miles (I 494; MN 5): 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 Delano, MN before heading back.
