Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed May 16, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 4m
Distance
50.8 mi
82 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
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
Otsego, MN
Tom Fisk
Apple Valley, MN to Otsego, MN is 50.8 miles and takes about 1 hour 4 minutes via I 494 and I 94, with a fuel budget near $8 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Midwest region and the state of Minnesota, making it a straightforward local drive. It's a short trip, so you won't need to worry about extensive planning or overnight stays. The route is primarily highway driving, so expect consistent speeds for most of the way.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 494 | 24.8 mi | 30m |
| Cedar Avenue | 9.5 mi | 11m |
| I 94 | 8.3 mi | 9m |
| MN 101 | 3.8 mi | 4m |
| 85th Street Northeast | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| MN 101 North Bypass | 0.8 mi | <1m |
| River Road Northeast | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Parrish Avenue Northeast | 0.3 mi | <1m |
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
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 Otsego, 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
Keep slight left at fork
Continue on I 94
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork onto MN 101 North Bypass
Merge onto MN 101
Take the exit
Turn left onto River Road Northeast
Continue on CR 42
Turn left onto 85th Street Northeast
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
25 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 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 25.4 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 43.6 — 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 toward I 94 West: Saint Cloud
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward MN 101, CR 81, MN 101 North: Rogers, Elk River
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork onto MN 101 North Bypass toward MN 101 Bypass North: Elk River
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$8.55 one way
$17.09 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.60 | $9.20 | $18.41 |
| premium | $5.04 | $10.07 | $20.14 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $11.28 | $22.56 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 17.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-05-11.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 15.2 | 0 | $5.33 | $2.44 |
| Efficient EV | 12.7 | 0 | $4.45 | $2.03 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 20.3 | 0 | $7.11 | $3.25 |
Gas CO2
18 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (67% 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 Saturday
Local time
5:47 AM
CDT
Current temp
60°F
Mostly Sunny
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued May 10 at 11:32AM CDT until May 11 at 9:00AM CDT by NWS Grand Forks ND
Destination
Late night in Otsego on Saturday
Local time
5:47 AM
CDT
Current temp
67°F
Unavailable
67°F
Plymouth, MN
25 mi in
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
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 route is 74% highway, so you'll be on interstates for the majority of the 50.8 miles. The longest continuous stretch on a highway is 24.8 miles on I 494. You'll experience a lot of merging and exit traffic typical of driving around the Twin Cities metro area. Expect to transition from highway to more local roads as you approach Otsego.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 494 and Cedar Avenue. 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.
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 50.8 miles you will encounter 11 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 34.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
361 ft
Total Descent
434 ft
Highest Point
981 ft
~32.6 mi in
Elevation Range
285 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Apple Valley, MN and Otsego, MN, road signs point toward Cr 81 and Elk River.
Cr 81
Elk River
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 1h 4m. Total distance: 50.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 4m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (74%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
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.
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