If you are planning a trip from Eagan to Howard Lake, you are looking at a manageable 57-mile drive that typically takes about 1 hour and 18 minutes. This journey is perfectly suited for a day trip, as it is short enough to complete without needing an overnight stay. You should budget approximately $8 for fuel to cover the distance. Navigating through the Minnesota Midwest, the route relies on a combination of I-494, US-12, and the Officer Bill Mathews Memorial Highway. It is a straightforward, practical transit option for those moving between these two areas. Expect a balanced experience that keeps you moving efficiently while staying within the region.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 494
16.7 mi
20m
US 12
11.6 mi
15m
Officer Bill Mathews Memorial Highwa
11 mi
14m
Babcock Boulevard
6.1 mi
8m
Cedar Avenue
4.1 mi
4m
Diffley Road
2.5 mi
4m
Nelson Boulevard
1.1 mi
2m
60th Street Southeast
0.7 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 494
— 16.7 mi, about 20m
Traffic on I-494
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 13 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~3,968 veh/hr typical
Quietest
2 AM
~207 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
19.2×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 31 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Eagan, MN and Howard Lake, MN.
1
Start on CR 31
222 ft·6 sec·Pilot Knob Road
2
Turn left onto CR 30
2.0 mi·3 min·Diffley Road
Use the left lane.
3
Enter roundabout onto CR 30
100 ft·2 sec·Diffley Road
4
Continue on CR 30
0.5 mi·1 min·Diffley Road
5
Take the ramp
304 ft·8 sec
Toward MN 77 North: Cedar Avenue
6
Turn slight right
0.3 mi·34 sec
7
Merge onto MN 77
4.1 mi·4 min·Cedar Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi·25 sec
Toward I 494 West, MN 5 WestUse the right lane.
9
Merge onto I 494; MN 5
8.8 mi·11 min·I 494; MN 5
Use the straight / right lanes.
10
Keep slight left at fork onto I 494; MN 5
7.9 mi·9 min·I 494; MN 5
Use the straight / right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.3 mi·33 sec
Exit 19BToward US 12 West: WayzataUse the straight / right lanes.
12
Merge onto I 394
80 ft·1 sec·I 394
Exit 1A
13
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi·28 sec
Toward US 12 West: Carlson Parkway, Linner Road
14
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi·52 sec
Toward US 12 West: WayzataUse the straight / right lanes.
15
Merge onto US 12
11 mi·14 min·Officer Bill Mathews Memorial Highwa
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Enter roundabout onto US 12
135 ft·1 sec·Babcock Boulevard
17
Continue on US 12
2.0 mi·2 min·Babcock Boulevard
18
Keep slight right at fork onto US 12
4.1 mi·5 min·Babcock Boulevard
19
Continue on US 12
3.6 mi·5 min·US 12
20
Continue on US 12
0.2 mi·19 sec·60th Street Southeast
21
Continue on US 12
0.6 mi·51 sec·US 12
22
Turn slight right onto US 12; MN 25
0.5 mi·39 sec·60th Street Southeast
23
Merge onto US 12; MN 25
1.3 mi·1 min·US 12; MN 25
24
Continue on US 12; MN 25
1.1 mi·2 min·Nelson Boulevard
25
Continue on US 12
1.9 mi·2 min·US 12
26
Continue on US 12
0.7 mi·1 min·Pacific Avenue
27
Continue on US 12
4.1 mi·5 min·US 12
28
Continue on US 12
0.7 mi·1 min·6th Street
29
Arrive at destination
US 12
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
The midpoint is around 28.5 miles from Eagan, 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 15
5 decision points cluster between mile 7 and 24.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
7 mi into trip|~10m in
Take the exit toward I 494 West, MN 5 West
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Toward I 494 West, MN 5 West
6
16 mi into trip|~21m in|I 494; MN 5
Keep slight left at fork onto I 494; MN 5
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
7
23.9 mi into trip|~31m in
Take the exit toward US 12 West: Wayzata
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Exit 19B
Toward US 12 West: Wayzata
6
24.2 mi into trip|~32m in
Keep slight left at fork toward US 12 West: Carlson Parkway, Linner Road
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 12 West: Carlson Parkway, Linner Road
7
24.6 mi into trip|~32m in
Keep slight left at fork toward US 12 West: Wayzata
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Toward US 12 West: Wayzata
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.36 one way
$18.72 round trip
$4.17/gal25.4 MPG avg20 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.46
$10.01
$20.02
premium
$4.95
$11.10
$22.21
diesel
$5.35
$12.01
$24.01
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 19.9 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging
· 0 stops
· 65% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
17.1
0
$5.99
$2.74
Efficient EV
14.3
0
$4.99
$2.28
EV Truck/SUV
22.8
0
$7.98
$3.65
Gas CO2
20 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (65% 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 Jun 2, 2026
Origin
Eagan, MN
Afternoon
in Eagan on Wednesday
Local time
3:55 PM
CDT
Current temp
83°F
Sunny
SE 0 to 10 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued June 2 at 5:02AM CDT by NWS Grand Forks ND
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued June 2 at 3:10AM CDT by NWS Duluth MN
Destination
Howard Lake, MN
Afternoon
in Howard Lake on Wednesday
Local time
3:55 PM
CDT
Current temp
82°F
Mostly Sunny
SSE 5 to 10 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued June 2 at 5:02AM CDT by NWS Grand Forks ND
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued June 2 at 3:10AM CDT by NWS Duluth MN
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
1h 18m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This trip offers a mixed-drive profile, with about 50% of your time spent on major highways. You will start with the most significant stretch of the journey, covering 16.7 miles on I-494 before transitioning onto other roadways. The character of the drive shifts as you move away from the interstate and onto US-12 and the Officer Bill Mathews Memorial Highway. While the initial portion involves typical highway flow, the latter half provides a different pace as you navigate toward your destination. You can anticipate a functional commute that transitions from high-speed arterial roads to secondary highway travel.
50% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
29 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 16.7 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 7 miles in.
Driving Effort10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 57 miles you will encounter 15 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 7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 16 miles (I 494; MN 5): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 23.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
1,020 ft733 ft
Total Climb
373 ft
Total Descent
302 ft
Highest Point
1,020 ft
~57 mi in
Elevation Range
287 ft
Detours Along the Way
Tagged by where each one fits in your drive — first break, midpoint, final stretch.
Eagan is a city of 69,000 people (2021) in Minnesota on the south bank of the Minnesota River, upstream from the confluence with the Mississippi River. It is a suburb in the southern part of the Twin Cities region.
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 18m. Total distance: 57 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 18m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (50%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 16.7 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 Howard 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 7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 16 miles (I 494; MN 5): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 23.9 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 Howard Lake, MN before heading back.
