Origin
Cokato, MN
Late night in Cokato on Sunday
Local time
4:55 AM
CDT
Current temp
44°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Cokato, MN to Saint Paul, MN
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 23m
Distance
58.9 mi
95 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 17m
★
6 AM
1h 24m
8 AM
1h 36m
10 AM
1h 28m
12 PM
1h 27m
3 PM
1h 29m
5 PM
1h 36m
8 PM
1h 20m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Cokato, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Saint Paul, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This straightforward 58.9-mile drive from Cokato to Saint Paul, Minnesota, is easily manageable as a single-day trip, taking approximately 1 hour and 23 minutes. The route primarily utilizes Babcock Boulevard, US 12, and I-94, with a significant portion on highways. With an estimated fuel cost of just $9, this is an economical journey for those looking to travel within the Midwest region. It’s a practical option for a quick transit between these two Minnesota locales, offering a direct path with minimal time commitment. You can expect a mixed driving experience that balances faster highway speeds with local road navigation.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Babcock Boulevard | 14.5 mi | 18m |
| US 12 | 13.9 mi | 19m |
| I 94 | 9.3 mi | 12m |
| I 394 | 8.1 mi | 10m |
| Babcock Boulevard West | 3.9 mi | 5m |
| 60th Street Southwest | 3.5 mi | 4m |
| Nelson Boulevard | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| 6th Street | 1 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
Babcock Boulevard
— 14.5 mi, about 18m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Cokato, MN and Saint Paul, MN.
1
Start on CR 3
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
·
Broadway Avenue South
2
Turn right onto US 12
0.5 mi
·
37 sec
·
Cokato Street East
3
Continue on US 12
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
US 12
4
Continue on US 12
3.5 mi
·
4 min
·
60th Street Southwest
5
Continue on US 12
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
6th Street
6
Continue on US 12
4.1 mi
·
5 min
·
US 12
7
Continue on US 12
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Pacific Avenue
8
Continue on US 12
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
US 12
9
Continue on US 12
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Nelson Boulevard
10
Continue on US 12; MN 25
2.4 mi
·
3 min
·
US 12; MN 25
11
Continue on US 12
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
·
60th Street Southeast
12
Continue on US 12
3.6 mi
·
5 min
·
US 12
13
Continue on US 12
3.9 mi
·
5 min
·
Babcock Boulevard West
14
Enter roundabout onto US 12
140 ft
·
1 sec
·
Babcock Boulevard
15
Continue on US 12
2.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Babcock Boulevard
16
Enter roundabout onto US 12
140 ft
·
1 sec
·
Babcock Boulevard
17
Continue on US 12
12 mi
·
15 min
·
Babcock Boulevard
Use the straight lane.
18
Merge onto I 394
8.1 mi
·
10 min
·
I 394
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
9 sec
Exit 8B
Toward I 94 East, I 94 West
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
20
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi
·
48 sec
Exit 8B
Toward I 94 East
Use the slight right lane.
21
Merge onto I 94; MN 55
9.3 mi
·
12 min
·
I 94; MN 55
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
22
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
43 sec
Exit 241B
Toward 10th Street, 5th Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
23
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
49 sec
Toward 10th Street
24
Continue on 10th Street West
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
·
10th Street West
25
Turn right onto Saint Peter Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Saint Peter Street
26
At end of road, turn left onto Kellogg Boulevard West
394 ft
·
21 sec
·
Kellogg Boulevard West
Use the left / right lanes.
27
Turn left onto Wabasha Street North
214 ft
·
9 sec
·
Wabasha Street North
Use the left lane.
28
Arrive at destination
Wabasha Street North
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
29 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.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 29.4 miles from Cokato, 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 135 decision points cluster between mile 47.6 and 58.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
47.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 5m in
Take the exit toward I 94 East, I 94 West
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 8B
Toward I 94 East, I 94 West
8
47.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 5m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 94 East
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 8B
Toward I 94 East
8
57.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 19m in
Take the exit toward 10th Street, 5th Street
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 241B
Toward 10th Street, 5th Street
6
58.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 22m in
|
Kellogg Boulevard West
At end of road, turn left onto Kellogg Boulevard West
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / right lanes.
7
58.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 23m in
|
Wabasha Street North
Turn left onto Wabasha Street North
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.77 one way
$17.53 round trip
$3.78/gal
25.4 MPG avg
21 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.07 | $9.44 | $18.89 |
| premium | $4.53 | $10.51 | $21.02 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $13.00 | $26.01 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 20.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 17.7 | 0 | $6.18 | $2.83 |
| Efficient EV | 14.7 | 0 | $5.15 | $2.36 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 23.6 | 0 | $8.25 | $3.77 |
Gas CO2
21 kg
EV CO2
7 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.
Destination
Saint Paul, MN
Late night in Saint Paul on Sunday
Local time
4:55 AM
CDT
Current temp
67°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
47°F
Plymouth, MN
29 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
23 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 23m 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?
The drive presents a mixed profile, with 53% of the journey on highways. You'll encounter stretches of faster-paced driving on I-94, interspersed with more local road segments. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll navigate is 14.5 miles on Babcock Boulevard, offering a consistent experience before transitioning to other road types. Expect the road conditions to vary as you move from more rural approaches to the urban landscape surrounding Saint Paul. This blend ensures you're not locked into one type of driving for the entire trip.
53% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
28 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 14.5 mi on Babcock Boulevard.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
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 around 47.6 miles in.
Driving Effort
8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 58.9 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 47.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 47.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 57.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 23m. Total distance: 58.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 23m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (53%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 14.5 miles on Babcock Boulevard. 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 Saint Paul, 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 47.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 47.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 57.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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 Saint Paul, 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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