Eden Prairie, MN to Monticello, MN is 41.3 miles and takes about 52 minutes via I 94, with a fuel budget near $7 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within the Midwest region and the state of Minnesota. It's a straightforward drive primarily on major highways, making it an easy option for a quick relocation or a day trip. You won't encounter significant changes in scenery, but it offers a practical and efficient way to travel between these two points.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 94
22.6 mi
24m
I 494
13.3 mi
16m
Baker Road
1.7 mi
3m
Mitchell Road
1 mi
2m
Scenic Heights Road
0.5 mi
1m
Pine Street
0.5 mi
1m
Crosstown Highway
<0.1 mi
<1m
CR 62
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 94
— 22.6 mi, about 24m
Traffic on I-94
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 30 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~4,048 veh/hr typical
· worst 4,803
Quietest
2 AM
~191 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
21.2×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 99 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 Eden Prairie, MN and Monticello, MN.
1
Start on Scenic Heights Road
0.5 mi·1 min·Scenic Heights Road
2
Turn left onto Mitchell Road
1.0 mi·2 min·Mitchell Road
Use the left lane.
3
Continue on CR 60
1.7 mi·3 min·Baker Road
4
Turn slight right
288 ft·10 sec
5
Turn slight left onto CR 62
453 ft·9 sec·CR 62
6
Continue on MN 62
458 ft·15 sec·Crosstown Highway
7
Turn left
354 ft·8 sec
Toward I 494 NorthUse the straight / left lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi·48 sec
Toward I 494 North
9
Merge onto I 494
13 mi·16 min·I 494
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight left at fork
0.6 mi·49 sec
Exit 27Toward I 94 West: Saint CloudUse the slight left / slight right lanes.
11
Continue on I 94
17 mi·18 min·I 94
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight left at fork onto I 94
6.0 mi·6 min·I 94
13
Take the exit
0.4 mi·52 sec
14
Turn right onto MN 25
0.5 mi·1 min·Pine Street
15
Arrive at destination
MN 25
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
The midpoint is around 20.6 miles from Eden Prairie, 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 8
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.5 and 17.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.5 mi into trip|~1m in|Mitchell Road
Turn left onto Mitchell Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
8
3.5 mi into trip|~7m in
Turn left toward I 494 North
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
Toward I 494 North
5
3.5 mi into trip|~7m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 494 North
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I 494 North
5
3.9 mi into trip|~8m in|I 494
Merge onto I 494
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
17.1 mi into trip|~24m 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
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.54 one way
$13.08 round trip
$4.02/gal25.4 MPG avg15 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.28
$6.96
$13.93
premium
$4.85
$7.88
$15.77
diesel
$5.60
$9.10
$18.21
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.5 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging
· 0 stops
· 64% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
12.4
0
$4.34
$1.98
Efficient EV
10.3
0
$3.61
$1.65
EV Truck/SUV
16.5
0
$5.78
$2.64
Gas CO2
14 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (64% 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 Aug 24, 2026
Origin
Eden Prairie, MN
Late night
in Eden Prairie on Friday
Local time
12:20 AM
CDT
Current temp
66°F
Partly Cloudy
S 5 mph10% chanceLive forecast
Severe Thunderstorm Watch
Severe Thunderstorm Watch issued August 24 at 5:58PM CDT until August 25 at 1:00AM CDT by NWS Grand Forks ND
Destination
Monticello, MN
Late night
in Monticello on Friday
Local time
12:20 AM
CDT
Current temp
64°F
Mostly Cloudy then Slight Chance Rain Showers
S 5 mph18% chanceLive forecast
Severe Thunderstorm Watch
Severe Thunderstorm Watch issued August 24 at 5:58PM CDT until August 25 at 1:00AM CDT by NWS Grand Forks ND
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
52m 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 drive is mostly highway, with 87% of the 41.3 miles on major roads like I 94 and I 494. You'll encounter a long stretch of 22.6 miles on I 94 before transitioning to Baker Road. Expect frequent exits and merging traffic typical of interstate travel in this region. The majority of your time will be spent cruising on the interstate.
87% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 22.6 mi on I 94.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 94 and I 494. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.5 miles in near Mitchell Road.
Driving Effort8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 8 decision points packed into just 41.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 52m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.5 miles (Mitchell Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 3.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Doable as a same-day drive at 52m. Total distance: 41.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
52m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (87%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 22.6 miles on I 94. 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 Monticello, 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 0.5 miles (Mitchell Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 3.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Monticello, MN before heading back.
