This 77.3-mile drive from Clear Lake to Lakeville, Minnesota, is a straightforward journey that can easily be completed in about 1 hour and 36 minutes. It's a perfect candidate for a day trip, requiring no overnight stays and estimated to cost around $12 for fuel. The route primarily utilizes major interstates, making it a highway-focused experience for those traveling within the Midwest region. Given its relatively short duration and predictable path, you'll find this drive efficient and manageable for a single-day excursion.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
38.6 miles from Clear Lake, MN
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 46m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 494
21.9 mi
27m
I 94
21.1 mi
22m
I 35W
11.1 mi
12m
US 10
10.8 mi
12m
Kenwood Trail /Richard J. Ames Memorial Highway
2.2 mi
3m
165th Avenue Southeast
1.8 mi
2m
Broadway Street East
1.5 mi
2m
Park Boulevard Southeast
1.4 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
I 494
— 21.9 mi, about 27m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Clear Lake, MN and Lakeville, MN.
1
Start on MN 24
0.2 mi·21 sec·Center Street
2
Turn right onto US 10
11 mi·12 min·US 10
3
Turn right onto 165th Avenue Southeast
1.8 mi·2 min·165th Avenue Southeast
4
Continue on Park Boulevard Southeast
1.4 mi·1 min·Park Boulevard Southeast
5
Continue on County Road 11
0.7 mi·57 sec·County Road 11
6
Turn right onto MN 25
0.1 mi·11 sec·State Highway 25
7
Continue on MN 25
0.3 mi·42 sec·Pine Street
8
Turn left onto CR 75
1.5 mi·2 min·Broadway Street East
9
Turn right onto CR 18
0.3 mi·40 sec·Fenning Avenue
10
Take the ramp
0.4 mi·54 sec
11
Merge onto I 94
21 mi·22 min·I 94
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.4 mi·31 sec
Exit 216Toward I 494 SouthUse the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Continue on I 494
22 mi·27 min·I 494
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
0.2 mi·25 sec
Exit 5BToward I 35W South: Albert LeaUse the slight right lane.
15
Continue on this road
0.4 mi·50 sec·this road
Exit 5BToward I 35W South: Albert Lea
16
Merge onto I 35W
11 mi·12 min·I 35W
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Take the exit
0.2 mi·26 sec
Exit 85Toward CR 5, CR 50Use the slight right lane.
18
Turn left onto CR 5
1.3 mi·2 min·Kenwood Trail
Use the left / straight lanes.
19
Enter roundabout onto CR 5
127 ft·2 sec·Kenwood Trail /Richard J. Ames Memorial Highway
20
Continue on CR 5
2.2 mi·3 min·Kenwood Trail /Richard J. Ames Memorial Highway
21
Continue on CR 5
0.1 mi·16 sec·Kenwood Trai/Richard J. Ames Memorial Highway
22
Continue on CR 50
0.5 mi·48 sec·202nd Street West / Richard J. Ames Memorial Highway
Use the straight / right lanes.
23
Enter roundabout onto Holyoke Avenue
12 ft·0 sec·Holyoke Avenue
24
Continue on Holyoke Avenue
0.4 mi·1 min·Holyoke Avenue
25
Turn left onto 207th Street West
22 ft·0 sec·207th Street West
Use the left lane.
26
Arrive at destination
207th Street West
Trip Plan
For this 1 hour and 36-minute drive, you have considerable flexibility with departure times. Consider leaving mid-morning to avoid the worst of rush hour traffic in the Twin Cities metro area, especially if your route involves I-494. With only 77.3 miles and a fuel cost of approximately $12, you won't need to worry much about extensive refueling stops. The manageable distance allows for easy pacing, and you can easily pull off at one of the many exits along I-35W if you need a brief break before reaching Lakeville.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 38.6 miles from Clear Lake, MN, or about 46m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 21.9 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 17 miles or 22m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 38.6 miles or 46m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 20m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Lakeville, MN than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Clear Lake, MN so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Clear Lake, MN
This is one driving day of about 77.3 miles and 1h 36m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 17 miles from Clear Lake, MN.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 494 for about 21.9 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 13
5 decision points cluster between mile 17.4 and 77.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
17.4 mi into trip|~23m in|I 94
Merge onto I 94
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
38.5 mi into trip|~46m in
Take the exit toward I 494 South
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 216
Toward I 494 South
7
60.8 mi into trip|~1h 14m in
Take the exit toward I 35W South: Albert Lea
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 5B
Toward I 35W South: Albert Lea
8
72.5 mi into trip|~1h 28m in
Take the exit toward CR 5, CR 50
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 85
Toward CR 5, CR 50
6
77.2 mi into trip|~1h 36m in|207th Street West
Turn left onto 207th Street West
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$11.50 one way
$23.01 round trip
$3.78/gal25.4 MPG avg27 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.07
$12.40
$24.79
premium
$4.53
$13.79
$27.58
diesel
$5.61
$17.07
$34.13
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$12
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$37–$62
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 27 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
23.2
0
$8.12
$3.71
Efficient EV
19.3
0
$6.76
$3.09
EV Truck/SUV
30.9
0
$10.82
$4.95
Gas CO2
27 kg
EV CO2
9 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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Forecast as of Apr 20, 2026
Origin
Clear Lake, MN
Late night
in Clear Lake on Tuesday
Local time
5:24 AM
CDT
Current temp
38°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Lakeville, MN
Late night
in Lakeville on Tuesday
Local time
5:24 AM
CDT
Current temp
56°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
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
18 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
1h 36m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a predominantly highway-focused experience on this route, with 84% of your travel occurring on interstates like I-494, I-94, and I-35W. You'll encounter a longest uninterrupted stretch of 21.9 miles on I-494, offering a consistent pace. The nature of these major roadways means you'll be dealing with higher speeds and typical interstate traffic patterns for most of the journey. This drive is less about winding country roads and more about efficient transit between points.
84% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
26 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 21.9 mi on I 494.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
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 around 17.4 miles in near I 94.
Driving Effort7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 77.3 miles you will encounter 13 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: at 17.4 miles (I 94): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 38.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 60.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Clear Lake, MN and Lakeville, MN, road signs point toward Cr 5 and Cr 50.
Cr 5
72.5 mi in|~1h 28m
Cr 50
72.5 mi in|~1h 28m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 36m. Total distance: 77.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 36m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (84%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 21.9 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 Lakeville, 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 17.4 miles (I 94): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 38.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 60.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Lakeville, MN before heading back.
