Origin
Delano, MN
Late night in Delano on Tuesday
Local time
4:37 AM
CDT
Current temp
57°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Delano, MN to Apple Valley, MN
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
59m
Distance
44.2 mi
71 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 54m
★
6 AM
0h 59m
8 AM
1h 9m
10 AM
1h 3m
12 PM
1h 2m
3 PM
1h 3m
5 PM
1h 8m
8 PM
0h 56m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Delano, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Apple Valley, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Delano to Apple Valley is 44.2 miles and takes about 59 minutes via I 494 and Cedar Avenue South, with a fuel budget near $7 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Minnesota, connecting two points in the Midwest region. The route offers a mix of highway and surface roads, making it a straightforward drive. Given its short duration, this is an ideal day trip, allowing for flexibility in your schedule.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 494 | 16.1 mi | 20m |
| Babcock Boulevard | 13.2 mi | 17m |
| Cedar Avenue South | 8.6 mi | 10m |
| Babcock Boulevard West | 3.9 mi | 5m |
| Bridge Avenue East | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| County Road 42 | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
I 494
— 16.1 mi, about 20m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Delano, MN and Apple Valley, MN.
1
Start on Bridge Avenue East
0.1 mi
·
27 sec
·
Bridge Avenue East
2
Turn left onto US 12
3.9 mi
·
5 min
·
Babcock Boulevard West
3
Enter roundabout onto US 12
140 ft
·
1 sec
·
Babcock Boulevard
4
Continue on US 12
2.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Babcock Boulevard
5
Enter roundabout onto US 12
140 ft
·
1 sec
·
Babcock Boulevard
6
Continue on US 12
11 mi
·
14 min
·
Babcock Boulevard
Use the straight lane.
7
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
Exit 1A-B
Toward I 494: Carlson Parkway, Linner Road
Use the slight right lane.
8
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
Toward I 494
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight right at fork
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 494 South
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Merge onto I 494
16 mi
·
20 min
·
I 494
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
Exit 2C
Toward MN 77 South
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
Toward MN 77 South: Killebrew Drive
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
13
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi
·
55 sec
Toward MN 77 South
14
Merge onto MN 77
8.6 mi
·
10 min
·
Cedar Avenue South
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Arrive at destination
CR 42
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
22 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 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 22.1 miles from Delano, 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 125 decision points cluster between mile 17.3 and 34.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
17.3 mi into trip
|
~23m in
Take the exit toward I 494: Carlson Parkway, Linner Road
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 1A-B
Toward I 494: Carlson Parkway, Linner Road
7
17.6 mi into trip
|
~24m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 494
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 494
7
18 mi into trip
|
~24m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 494 South
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 494 South
7
34.6 mi into trip
|
~46m in
Take the exit toward MN 77 South
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 2C
Toward MN 77 South
8
34.9 mi into trip
|
~46m in
Keep slight right at fork toward MN 77 South: Killebrew Drive
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
Toward MN 77 South: Killebrew Drive
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.58 one way
$13.16 round trip
$3.78/gal
25.4 MPG avg
16 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.07 | $7.09 | $14.18 |
| premium | $4.53 | $7.89 | $15.77 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.76 | $19.52 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 15.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 13.3 | 0 | $4.64 | $2.12 |
| Efficient EV | 11.1 | 0 | $3.87 | $1.77 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 17.7 | 0 | $6.19 | $2.83 |
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 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
Apple Valley, MN
Late night in Apple Valley on Tuesday
Local time
4:37 AM
CDT
Current temp
36°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
57°F
Plymouth, MN
22 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
21 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
59m 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 drive features 36% highway travel, with your longest stretch on I 494 covering 16.1 miles. You'll transition from highway cruising to surface roads as you approach your destination. Expect to navigate Babcock Boulevard and Cedar Avenue South, which will involve more local traffic and intersections compared to the interstate portion.
36% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 16.1 mi on I 494.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
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 17.3 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
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 12 decision points packed into just 44.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 59m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 17.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 17.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 18 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
1,017 ft
739 ft
Total Climb
347 ft
Total Descent
315 ft
Highest Point
1,017 ft
~41 mi in
Elevation Range
278 ft
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 59m. Total distance: 44.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
59m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (36%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 16.1 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 Apple Valley, 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 17.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 17.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 18 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Apple Valley, 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, EIA for fuel prices, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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