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Trip from Co on Rapids, MN to Forest Lake, MN

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

31m

Distance

24.9 mi

40 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$4

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 8 min
4 AM
0h 29m ★
6 AM
0h 32m
8 AM
0h 37m
10 AM
0h 34m
12 PM
0h 33m
3 PM
0h 34m
5 PM
0h 37m
8 PM
0h 30m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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Downtown Co on Rapids, MN, MN

Co on Rapids, MN

Tom Fisk

city in Washington County, Minnesota, United States

Forest Lake, MN

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Coon Rapids to Forest Lake is 24.9 miles and takes about 31 minutes via I 35W and US 10, with a fuel budget near $4 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within Minnesota, taking you from the Midwest region to another part of the same region. It's a straightforward drive that should be easy to navigate, making it a convenient option for a quick transfer or a short day trip. Consider this route if you need to get between these two points efficiently without a long time commitment.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 35W 15.8 mi 16m
US 10 4.2 mi 4m
East River Road 1.4 mi 2m
Foley Boulevard 1.2 mi 2m
West Broadway Avenue 0.8 mi 1m
Mississippi Boulevard Northwest 0.1 mi <1m
Lake Street South <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 35W — 15.8 mi, about 16m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Co on Rapids, MN and Forest Lake, MN.

1

Start on Mississippi Boulevard Northwest

0.1 mi · 30 sec · Mississippi Boulevard Northwest
2

Turn left onto CR 1

1.4 mi · 2 min · East River Road
Use the right lane.
3

Turn right onto Foley Boulevard

1.2 mi · 2 min · Foley Boulevard
4

Take the ramp

154 ft · 3 sec
Toward US 10 East
5

Keep slight left at fork

0.3 mi · 35 sec
Toward US 10 East Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6

Merge onto US 10

4.2 mi · 4 min · US 10
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7

Take the exit

0.8 mi · 1 min
Exit 236 Toward I 35W North: Duluth Use the straight / slight left lanes.
8

Merge onto I 35W

16 mi · 16 min · I 35W
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 27 sec
Exit 131 Toward CR 2: Forest Lake Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10

Keep slight right at fork

173 ft · 6 sec
Toward CR 2 Use the right lane.
11

Turn right onto CH 2

0.8 mi · 1 min · West Broadway Avenue
Use the right lane.
12

Enter roundabout onto US 61

14 ft · 0 sec · Lake Street South
13

Continue on US 61

48 ft · 1 sec · Lake Street South
14

Arrive at destination

US 61

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 11

5 decision points cluster between mile 2.7 and 24.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

5
2.7 mi into trip | ~5m in

Take the ramp toward US 10 East

Navigation decision point

Toward US 10 East
8
2.8 mi into trip | ~5m in

Keep slight left at fork toward US 10 East

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward US 10 East
7
7.3 mi into trip | ~10m in

Take the exit toward I 35W North: Duluth

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight left lanes. Exit 236 Toward I 35W North: Duluth
7
23.9 mi into trip | ~29m in

Take the exit toward CR 2: Forest Lake

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 131 Toward CR 2: Forest Lake
8
24.1 mi into trip | ~29m in

Keep slight right at fork toward CR 2

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane. Toward CR 2

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$3.71 one way

$7.41 round trip

$3.78/gal 25.4 MPG avg 9 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.07 $3.99 $7.99
premium $4.53 $4.44 $8.89
diesel $5.61 $5.50 $11.00

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$4

Estimated CO2 emission: 8.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 7.5 0 $2.61 $1.20
Efficient EV 6.2 0 $2.18 $1.00
EV Truck/SUV 10 0 $3.49 $1.59

Gas CO2

9 kg

EV CO2

3 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 19, 2026

Origin

Co on Rapids, MN

Morning in Co on Rapids on Tuesday

Local time

6:44 AM

CDT

Current temp

46°F

Sunny

NNW 10 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Fire Weather Watch

Fire Weather Watch issued April 19 at 1:40PM CDT until April 20 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN

Fire Weather Watch

Fire Weather Watch issued April 19 at 1:38PM CDT until April 20 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Aberdeen SD

Destination

Forest Lake, MN

Morning in Forest Lake on Tuesday

Local time

6:44 AM

CDT

Current temp

45°F

Sunny

NW 10 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Fire Weather Watch

Fire Weather Watch issued April 19 at 1:40PM CDT until April 20 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN

Fire Weather Watch

Fire Weather Watch issued April 19 at 1:38PM CDT until April 20 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Aberdeen SD

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

31m 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.

What kind of drive is this?

This drive is predominantly on highways, with 80% of the route utilizing them. You'll experience a longest stretch of 15.8 miles on I 35W, offering a consistent cruising experience. Expect to transition from highway speeds onto surface roads for the final portion of your trip as you approach Forest Lake. The high percentage of highway driving means you'll likely encounter frequent exits and merging traffic, especially on the main interstates.

80% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 15.8 mi on I 35W.

How Hard Is This Drive?

9/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 35W and US 10. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2.7 miles in.

Driving Effort 9/10

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 11 decision points packed into just 24.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 31m.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 2.7 miles: Navigation decision point; at 2.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 7.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.

About the Cities

Arriving in Forest Lake, MN

Full guide →

Forest Lake is a city in Minnesota.

City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 31m. Total distance: 24.9 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

31m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (80%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 15.8 miles on I 35W. 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 Forest Lake, 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 2.7 miles: Navigation decision point; at 2.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 7.3 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 Forest Lake, 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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