Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 3, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
58m
Distance
42.1 mi
68 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Eagan, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Rockford, MN
Tom Fisk
The drive from Eagan, MN to Rockford, MN covers 42.1 miles and takes about 58m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 494, MN 55, Cedar Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 19.1 miles on I 494. At current regular gas prices, budget about $6.67 one way before food or hotel costs.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 494 | 19.1 mi | 23m |
| MN 55 | 15.3 mi | 22m |
| Cedar Avenue | 4.1 mi | 4m |
| Diffley Road | 2.5 mi | 4m |
| Main Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Pilot Knob Road | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 33 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~3,860 veh/hr typical
Quietest
2 AM
~224 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
17.2×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 84 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Eagan, MN and Rockford, MN.
Start on CR 31
Turn left onto CR 30
Enter roundabout onto CR 30
Continue on CR 30
Take the ramp
Turn slight right
Merge onto MN 77
Take the exit
Merge onto I 494; MN 5
Keep slight left at fork onto I 494; MN 5
Take the exit
Turn left onto MN 55
Turn right onto CR 20
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
21 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.
A short stop after about 42 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 21 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.
5 decision points cluster between mile 2 and 26.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Enter roundabout onto CR 30 / Diffley Road
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Merge onto MN 77 / Cedar Avenue
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
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
Keep slight left at fork onto I 494; MN 5
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward MN 55
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$6.67 one way
$13.33 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.28 | $7.10 | $14.20 |
| premium | $4.85 | $8.04 | $16.07 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $9.28 | $18.56 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.6 | 0 | $4.42 | $2.02 |
| Efficient EV | 10.5 | 0 | $3.68 | $1.68 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 16.8 | 0 | $5.89 | $2.69 |
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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Night in Eagan on Wednesday
Local time
9:42 PM
CDT
Current temp
59°F
Mostly Clear
Destination
Night in Rockford on Wednesday
Local time
9:42 PM
CDT
Current temp
55°F
Mostly Clear
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
42.1 mi in 58m, mostly highway — 19.1 mi of that is on I 494.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 494 and MN 55. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2 miles in near CR 30 / Diffley Road.
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 42.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 58m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2 miles (CR 30 / Diffley Road): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 2.9 miles (MN 77 / Cedar Avenue): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
271 ft
Total Descent
308 ft
Highest Point
1,056 ft
~36 mi in
Elevation Range
252 ft
Founded 1860
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.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 58m. Total distance: 42.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
58m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (82%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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