Origin
Cottage Grove, MN
Late night in Cottage Grove on Sunday
Local time
5:01 AM
CDT
Current temp
45°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Cottage Grove, MN to Minneapolis, MN
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
34m
Distance
23 mi
37 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 32m
★
6 AM
0h 35m
8 AM
0h 41m
10 AM
0h 37m
12 PM
0h 36m
3 PM
0h 37m
5 PM
0h 40m
8 PM
0h 33m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Cottage Grove, MN
Tom Fisk
Trip Overview
Cottage Grove, MN to Minneapolis, MN is 23 miles and takes about 34 minutes via I 94, with a fuel budget near $3 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a short, straightforward drive primarily on interstate highways connecting two points within the Midwest region of Minnesota. Given its brevity, this route is ideal for a quick transition between locations, whether you're moving or just heading into the city for an event. The minimal distance and time commitment make it a practical choice for a same-day trip with plenty of flexibility.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 94 | 10.3 mi | 14m |
| US 10 | 9.5 mi | 12m |
| Washington Avenue South | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| Hillside Trail | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Cedar Avenue South | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| East Point Douglas Road South | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| 80th Street South | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Hyde Avenue South | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 94
— 10.3 mi, about 14m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Cottage Grove, MN and Minneapolis, MN.
1
Start on Hyde Avenue South
60 ft
·
7 sec
·
Hyde Avenue South
2
Turn left onto Hillside Trail
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Hillside Trail
3
At end of road, turn right onto East Point Douglas Road South
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
·
East Point Douglas Road South
4
Turn slight right
219 ft
·
11 sec
Use the right lane.
5
Turn straight onto East Point Douglas Road South
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
·
East Point Douglas Road South
6
Turn left onto 80th Street South
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
·
80th Street South
Use the straight lane.
7
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
Toward US 10 West, US 61 North
Use the right lane.
8
Merge onto US 10; US 61
8.9 mi
·
11 min
·
US 10; US 61
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit onto US 10; US 61
0.6 mi
·
56 sec
·
US 10; US 61
10
Merge onto I 94
10 mi
·
14 min
·
I 94
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
Exit 234C
Toward Cedar Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Turn right onto CR 152
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Cedar Avenue South
Use the straight / right lanes.
13
Continue on CR 152
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Washington Avenue South
14
Arrive at destination
CR 152
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 105 decision points cluster between mile 1.1 and 21.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
1.1 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
80th Street South
Turn left onto 80th Street South
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
7
1.4 mi into trip
|
~3m in
Take the ramp toward US 10 West, US 61 North
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Toward US 10 West, US 61 North
5
1.7 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
US 10; US 61
Merge onto US 10; US 61
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
11.2 mi into trip
|
~16m in
|
I 94
Merge onto I 94
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
7
21.4 mi into trip
|
~30m in
Take the exit toward Cedar Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 234C
Toward Cedar Avenue
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.42 one way
$6.85 round trip
$3.78/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.07 | $3.69 | $7.38 |
| premium | $4.53 | $4.10 | $8.21 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.08 | $10.16 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6.9 | 0 | $2.41 | $1.10 |
| Efficient EV | 5.8 | 0 | $2.01 | $0.92 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 9.2 | 0 | $3.22 | $1.47 |
Gas CO2
8 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (63% 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
Minneapolis, MN
Late night in Minneapolis on Sunday
Local time
5:01 AM
CDT
Current temp
67°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
22 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
34m 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?
This route is heavily highway-focused, with 86% of the drive on interstates and major roads like I 94 and US 10. You'll experience a consistent driving pace for most of the journey, with the longest uninterrupted stretch being 10.3 miles on I 94. Expect a typical interstate experience, characterized by efficient travel and multiple lanes. The transition into Minneapolis may involve navigating urban interchanges as you approach Washington Avenue South, but the overall feel remains predominantly that of a high-speed highway commute.
86% 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: 10.3 mi on I 94.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 94 and US 10. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.1 miles in near 80th Street South.
Driving Effort
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 10 decision points packed into just 23 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 34m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.1 miles (80th Street South): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.4 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.7 miles (US 10; US 61): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Arriving in Minneapolis, MN
Full guide →Minneapolis is a city of about 430,000 people (2019) and the largest city in Minnesota. Along with neighboring Saint Paul, it forms the urban core of the Twin Cities region, the third largest metropolitan area in the Midwest after Chicago and Detroit.
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 34m. Total distance: 23 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
34m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (86%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 10.3 miles on I 94. 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 Minneapolis, 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 1.1 miles (80th Street South): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.4 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.7 miles (US 10; US 61): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Minneapolis, 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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