Origin
Dassel, MN
Morning in Dassel on Sunday
Local time
10:49 AM
CDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Dassel, MN to Saint Cloud, MN
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
50m
Distance
37.6 mi
61 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 47m
★
6 AM
0h 51m
8 AM
0h 59m
10 AM
0h 54m
12 PM
0h 53m
3 PM
0h 54m
5 PM
0h 59m
8 PM
0h 48m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Dassel, MN
Tom Fisk
Saint Cloud, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This straightforward 37.6-mile drive from Dassel to Saint Cloud, Minnesota, can be completed in about 50 minutes, making it an easy day trip. You'll primarily be on State Highway 15, with a small portion on 3rd Street North and Parker Avenue West. With a fuel cost estimated at $5, this is a very budget-friendly option. The route is almost entirely highway, offering a quick and efficient journey through the Midwest. Since it's such a short distance, you can easily adjust your departure time and enjoy the flexibility this offers.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| State Highway 15 | 34.5 mi | 44m |
| 3rd Street North | 1.6 mi | 3m |
| Parker Avenue West | 0.8 mi | <1m |
| 2nd Street North | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| 16th Avenue North | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| 8th Avenue North | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| 1st Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Courthouse Square | <0.1 mi | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
State Highway 15
— 34.5 mi, about 44m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Dassel, MN and Saint Cloud, MN.
1
Start on 1st Street
75 ft
·
3 sec
·
1st Street
2
Turn right onto US 12
0.8 mi
·
58 sec
·
Parker Avenue West
3
Turn right onto MN 15
35 mi
·
44 min
·
State Highway 15
Use the straight lane.
4
Turn right onto 3rd Street North
1.6 mi
·
3 min
·
3rd Street North
5
Turn right onto 16th Avenue North
407 ft
·
16 sec
·
16th Avenue North
6
Turn left onto 2nd Street North
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
2nd Street North
7
Turn right onto 8th Avenue North
253 ft
·
16 sec
·
8th Avenue North
8
Turn left onto Courthouse Square
7 ft
·
0 sec
·
Courthouse Square
9
Arrive at destination
Courthouse Square
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
19 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 37.6 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 18.8 miles from Dassel, 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 65 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 37.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
3
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 12 / Parker Avenue West
Turn right onto US 12 / Parker Avenue West
Navigation decision point
6
0.8 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
MN 15 / State Highway 15
Turn right onto MN 15 / State Highway 15
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
4
37.1 mi into trip
|
~49m in
|
2nd Street North
Turn left onto 2nd Street North
Navigation decision point
4
37.6 mi into trip
|
~50m in
|
8th Avenue North
Turn right onto 8th Avenue North
Navigation decision point
4
37.6 mi into trip
|
~50m in
|
Courthouse Square
Turn left onto Courthouse Square
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.60 one way
$11.19 round trip
$3.78/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.07 | $6.03 | $12.06 |
| premium | $4.53 | $6.71 | $13.42 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.30 | $16.60 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 13.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11.3 | 0 | $3.95 | $1.80 |
| Efficient EV | 9.4 | 0 | $3.29 | $1.50 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 15 | 0 | $5.26 | $2.41 |
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (69% 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 Cloud, MN
Morning in Saint Cloud on Sunday
Local time
10:49 AM
CDT
Current temp
67°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
68°F
Rockville, MN
19 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
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
50m 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?
Expect a highway-focused experience for most of this 37.6-mile trip. Approximately 92% of the route utilizes main roads like State Highway 15, which forms the longest uninterrupted stretch at 34.5 miles. This suggests a largely consistent driving pace, allowing you to cover ground quickly. The transition from Dassel to Saint Cloud will feel efficient, with limited changes in road type, making it a predictable drive.
92% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
9 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 34.5 mi on State Highway 15.
How Hard Is This Drive?
2/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on State Highway 15 and 3rd Street North. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 12 / Parker Avenue West.
Driving Effort
2/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Dassel, MN to Saint Cloud, MN is easy. At 50m with 92% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 12 / Parker Avenue West): Navigation decision point; at 0.8 miles (MN 15 / State Highway 15): Lane positioning matters here; at 37.1 miles (2nd Street North): Navigation decision point.
About the Cities
Arriving in Saint Cloud, MN
Full guide →Saint Cloud is a city in Central Minnesota with a population of 68,000 (2018). Although it may have few attractions to draw the tourist, it is a nexus of medical advances, particularly in orthopedics (St. Cloud Orthopedics Associates, for example). It is also a college town as it is home to St. Cloud State University and St Cloud Technical College. The College of St. Benedict and St. John's University are nearby.
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 50m. Total distance: 37.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
50m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (92%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 34.5 miles on State Highway 15. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 1 rest area or service plaza within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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: near the start (US 12 / Parker Avenue West): Navigation decision point; at 0.8 miles (MN 15 / State Highway 15): Lane positioning matters here; at 37.1 miles (2nd Street North): Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Saint Cloud, 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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