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 Circle Pines, MN
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
44m
Distance
33.9 mi
55 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 41m
★
6 AM
0h 45m
8 AM
0h 52m
10 AM
0h 48m
12 PM
0h 47m
3 PM
0h 48m
5 PM
0h 52m
8 PM
0h 43m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Eden Prairie, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Circle Pines, MN
Tom Fisk
Trip Overview
If you are planning a trip from Eden Prairie to Circle Pines, you are looking at a straightforward 33.9-mile journey across Minnesota. Expect the drive to take approximately 44 minutes under normal traffic conditions. This route is perfectly suited for a single-day excursion, meaning there is no need to worry about overnight logistics or mid-way lodging. Budgeting about $5 for fuel should comfortably cover the entire trip. Since both cities are located within the Midwest region, you will remain in a familiar environment throughout your travel.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| MN 100 | 13.2 mi | 16m |
| I 694 | 5.3 mi | 5m |
| US 212 | 4.4 mi | 5m |
| I 35W | 4 mi | 4m |
| Lake Drive Northeast | 2.1 mi | 3m |
| Crosstown Highway | 1.9 mi | 2m |
| Scenic Heights Road | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Mitchell Road | 0.4 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
MN 100
— 13.2 mi, about 16m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Eden Prairie, MN and Circle Pines, 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
4.4 mi
·
5 min
·
US 212; MN 5
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Continue on MN 62
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Crosstown Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Exit 108B
Toward MN 100 North
Use the right lane.
7
Merge onto MN 100
13 mi
·
16 min
·
MN 100
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 694 East
9
Merge onto I 694
5.3 mi
·
5 min
·
I 694
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
Exit 41B
Toward I 35W North
Use the straight / right lanes.
11
Merge onto I 35W
3.0 mi
·
3 min
·
I 35W
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35W
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
I 35W
13
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
Exit 31B
Toward Lake Drive
Use the slight right lane.
14
Continue on CH 23
2.1 mi
·
3 min
·
Lake Drive Northeast
Use the straight lane.
15
Turn left onto Pine Drive
319 ft
·
16 sec
·
Pine Drive
16
Turn slight left onto Crossway Drive
329 ft
·
14 sec
·
Crossway Drive
17
Arrive at destination
Crossway Drive
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 125 decision points cluster between mile 0.9 and 31.3 — 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
5
1.3 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
US 212; MN 5
Merge onto US 212; MN 5
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
7.6 mi into trip
|
~10m in
Take the exit toward MN 100 North
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Exit 108B
Toward MN 100 North
7
27 mi into trip
|
~35m in
Take the exit toward I 35W North
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Exit 41B
Toward I 35W North
7
31.3 mi into trip
|
~40m in
Take the exit toward Lake Drive
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 31B
Toward Lake Drive
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.04 one way
$10.09 round trip
$3.78/gal
25.4 MPG avg
12 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.07 | $5.44 | $10.87 |
| premium | $4.53 | $6.05 | $12.10 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.48 | $14.97 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10.2 | 0 | $3.56 | $1.63 |
| Efficient EV | 8.5 | 0 | $2.97 | $1.36 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 13.6 | 0 | $4.75 | $2.17 |
Gas CO2
12 kg
EV CO2
4 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
Circle Pines, MN
Night in Circle Pines on Saturday
Local time
11:42 PM
CDT
Current temp
45°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
2 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
44m 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 33.9-mile trek is a turn-heavy local drive rather than a high-speed interstate cruise. You will primarily navigate via Mitchell Road, US 212 East, and the Crosstown Highway, with a highway share of 0%. Because the longest uninterrupted stretch on Mitchell Road is 0 miles, you should stay alert for frequent turns and transitions. The personality of this route is defined by its local character, requiring more active attention behind the wheel compared to a straight highway slog.
79% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 13.2 mi on MN 100.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on MN 100 and I 694. 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 12 decision points packed into just 33.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 44m.
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 1.3 miles (US 212; MN 5): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 7.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 44m. Total distance: 33.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
44m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (79%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 13.2 miles on MN 100. 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 Circle Pines, 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 1.3 miles (US 212; MN 5): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 7.6 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 Circle Pines, 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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