Origin
Eden Prairie, MN
Night in Eden Prairie on Saturday
Local time
11:42 PM
CDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Eden Prairie, MN to Apple Valley, MN
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
28m
Distance
20.9 mi
34 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 26m
★
6 AM
0h 29m
8 AM
0h 34m
10 AM
0h 30m
12 PM
0h 30m
3 PM
0h 31m
5 PM
0h 33m
8 PM
0h 27m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Eden Prairie, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Apple Valley, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Connecting Eden Prairie to Apple Valley, this 20.9-mile journey is a quick, straightforward transit across the Minnesota suburbs. You can easily complete the drive in about 24 minutes, making it a perfect candidate for a single-day trip. With no planned stops required and a low estimated fuel cost of just $3, it is an incredibly budget-friendly way to navigate between these two Midwest communities. Since both locations are within the same region, you won't need to worry about major geographic shifts or overnight planning. This is a practical, efficient route that prioritizes speed and convenience over scenic detours.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| MN 5 | 9.2 mi | 11m |
| Cedar Avenue South | 8.6 mi | 10m |
| US 212 | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Scenic Heights Road | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Mitchell Road | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| County Road 42 | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
MN 5
— 9.2 mi, about 11m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Eden Prairie, MN and Apple Valley, MN.
1
Start on Scenic Heights Road
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Scenic Heights Road
2
Turn left onto Mitchell Road
0.4 mi
·
51 sec
·
Mitchell Road
3
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
Toward US 212 East, MN 5 East
Use the right lane.
4
Merge onto US 212; MN 5
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
US 212; MN 5
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Take the exit onto MN 5
0.2 mi
·
17 sec
·
MN 5
Toward I 494 East, MN 5 East
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight left at fork onto MN 5
9.0 mi
·
11 min
·
MN 5
Toward I 494 East, MN 5 East
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
Exit 2C
Toward MN 77 South
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
Toward MN 77 South: Killebrew Drive
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
9
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi
·
55 sec
Toward MN 77 South
10
Merge onto MN 77
8.6 mi
·
10 min
·
Cedar Avenue South
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Arrive at destination
CR 42
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 95 decision points cluster between mile 0.9 and 11.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
0.9 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Take the ramp toward US 212 East, MN 5 East
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Toward US 212 East, MN 5 East
7
2.1 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
MN 5
Take the exit onto MN 5 toward I 494 East, MN 5 East
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.
Toward I 494 East, MN 5 East
8
2.4 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
MN 5
Keep slight left at fork onto MN 5 toward I 494 East, MN 5 East
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 494 East, MN 5 East
7
11.4 mi into trip
|
~15m 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
11.7 mi into trip
|
~16m 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
$3.11 one way
$6.22 round trip
$3.78/gal
25.4 MPG avg
7 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.07 | $3.35 | $6.70 |
| premium | $4.53 | $3.73 | $7.46 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.61 | $9.23 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 7.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 71% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6.3 | 0 | $2.19 | $1.00 |
| Efficient EV | 5.2 | 0 | $1.83 | $0.84 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 8.4 | 0 | $2.93 | $1.34 |
Gas CO2
7 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (71% 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
Night in Apple Valley on Saturday
Local time
11:42 PM
CDT
Current temp
66°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
19 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
28m 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 turn-heavy local drive that keeps you engaged as you transition between neighborhoods. You will primarily navigate via Mitchell Road, US 212 East, and I 494 East, which provide a mix of local streets and arterial highway connections. Because the highway share is 0%, you should prepare for a route dominated by surface streets and suburban traffic patterns rather than open, high-speed stretches. The road requires your full attention as you move through these interconnected areas. It lacks long, uninterrupted highway segments, ensuring that you remain focused on navigation throughout the entire 24-minute duration.
48% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
11 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 9.2 mi on MN 5.
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 0.9 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 9 decision points packed into just 20.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 28m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.9 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.1 miles (MN 5): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.4 miles (MN 5): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 28m. Total distance: 20.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
28m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (48%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 9.2 miles on MN 5. 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 0.9 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.1 miles (MN 5): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.4 miles (MN 5): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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