Eagan, MN to Orrock, MN is 66.2 miles and takes about 1 hour 29 minutes via I-494, I-94, and MN-101, with a fuel budget near $10 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within the Midwest region and entirely within Minnesota, making it a straightforward connection between two points. Expect a mostly highway experience for this drive, which is ideal if you're looking to cover ground efficiently. It's a good option for a quick transfer or a day trip without extensive planning.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 494
24.8 mi
30m
I 94
8.3 mi
9m
MN 101
6.4 mi
7m
County Road 15
6.1 mi
8m
Voyageur Highway
5 mi
7m
Cedar Avenue
4.1 mi
4m
Diffley Road
2.5 mi
4m
184th Street
2.5 mi
6m
Longest stretch:
I 494
— 24.8 mi, about 30m
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 Orrock, 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
16 mi·19 min·I 494; MN 5
Use the straight / right lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork
0.6 mi·49 sec
Exit 27Toward I 94 West: Saint CloudUse the slight left / slight right lanes.
12
Continue on I 94
8.3 mi·9 min·I 94
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.3 mi·36 sec
Exit 207A-BToward MN 101, CR 81, MN 101 North: Rogers, Elk RiverUse the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Keep slight right at fork onto MN 101 North Bypass
0.8 mi·55 sec·MN 101 North Bypass
Exit 207BToward MN 101 Bypass North: Elk RiverUse the slight right lane.
15
Merge onto MN 101
6.4 mi·7 min·MN 101
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Continue on US 169
0.5 mi·35 sec·US Highway 169
17
Take the exit
0.1 mi·16 sec
18
Keep slight left at fork
438 ft·11 sec
19
Turn left onto Main Street Northwest
0.5 mi·52 sec·Main Street Northwest
20
Turn right onto US 10
5.0 mi·7 min·Voyageur Highway
21
Take the exit
0.3 mi·45 sec
22
Turn right onto County Road 15
6.1 mi·8 min·County Road 15
23
Turn left onto 237th Avenue Northwest
2.4 mi·3 min·237th Avenue Northwest
24
At end of road, turn right onto County Road 5
0.4 mi·59 sec·County Road 5
25
Continue on 184th Street
2.5 mi·6 min·184th Street
26
Turn left onto 261st Avenue
102 ft·4 sec·261st Avenue
27
Arrive at destination
261st Avenue
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
The midpoint is around 33.1 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 20
5 decision points cluster between mile 7 and 41.1 — 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.
8
32 mi into trip|~41m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 94 West: Saint Cloud
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Exit 27
Toward I 94 West: Saint Cloud
8
40.8 mi into trip|~51m in
Take the exit toward MN 101, CR 81, MN 101 North: Rogers, Elk River
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 207A-B
Toward MN 101, CR 81, MN 101 North: Rogers, Elk...
8
41.1 mi into trip|~52m in|MN 101 North Bypass
Keep slight right at fork onto MN 101 North Bypass toward MN 101 Bypass North: Elk River
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 207B
Toward MN 101 Bypass North: Elk River
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.94 one way
$19.89 round trip
$3.82/gal25.4 MPG avg23 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.12
$10.74
$21.47
premium
$4.60
$11.99
$23.98
diesel
$4.80
$12.50
$25.00
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 23.2 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging
· 0 stops
· 65% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
19.9
0
$6.95
$3.18
Efficient EV
16.6
0
$5.79
$2.65
EV Truck/SUV
26.5
0
$9.27
$4.24
Gas CO2
23 kg
EV CO2
8 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 Jul 11, 2026
Origin
Eagan, MN
Afternoon
in Eagan on Sunday
Local time
12:22 PM
CDT
Current temp
88°F
Mostly Sunny
S 10 mph6% chanceLive forecast
Fire Weather Watch
Fire Weather Watch issued July 11 at 3:33PM CDT until July 13 at 9:00PM CDT by NWS Grand Forks ND
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 11 at 3:24PM CDT until July 14 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS Aberdeen SD
Destination
Orrock, MN
Afternoon
in Orrock on Sunday
Local time
12:22 PM
CDT
Current temp
91°F
Sunny
S 10 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Fire Weather Watch
Fire Weather Watch issued July 11 at 3:33PM CDT until July 13 at 9:00PM CDT by NWS Grand Forks ND
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 11 at 3:24PM CDT until July 14 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS Aberdeen SD
88°F
Corcoran, MN
33 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
3 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
1h 29m 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 route features 61% highway driving, with the longest continuous stretch on I-494 covering 24.8 miles. You'll transition from primarily highway cruising to surface roads around the point where I-94 and MN-101 diverge. Be prepared for urban merging as you navigate the initial highway segments out of the Eagan area.
61% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
27 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 24.8 mi on I 494.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 494 and I 94. 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 66.2 miles you will encounter 20 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 32 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
989 ft696 ft
Total Climb
388 ft
Total Descent
354 ft
Highest Point
989 ft
~28.4 mi in
Elevation Range
293 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Eagan, MN and Orrock, MN, road signs point toward Cr 81 and Elk River.
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 29m. Total distance: 66.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 29m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (61%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 24.8 miles on I 494. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 4 rest areas or service plazas 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.
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 Orrock, 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 32 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 Orrock, MN before heading back.
