Origin
Eden Prairie, MN
Evening in Eden Prairie on Friday
Local time
8:55 PM
CDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Eden Prairie, MN to Prior Lake, MN
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed May 16, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
24m
Distance
16.3 mi
26 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 22m
★
6 AM
0h 24m
8 AM
0h 28m
10 AM
0h 26m
12 PM
0h 25m
3 PM
0h 26m
5 PM
0h 28m
8 PM
0h 23m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Eden Prairie, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Prior Lake, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Eden Prairie, MN to Prior Lake, MN is 16.3 miles and takes about 24 minutes via US 169, with a fuel budget near $3 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within the Midwest region, connecting two points in Minnesota. It's a straightforward drive that's easy to fit into your schedule, whether you're heading out for the day or just need to get from point A to point B without much fuss. Expect a mix of driving conditions as you make your way south.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 169 | 4.9 mi | 5m |
| Eagle Creek Avenue | 3.3 mi | 5m |
| Herrgott Memorial Drive | 2.8 mi | 3m |
| MN 5 | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| US 212 | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Scenic Heights Road | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Mitchell Road | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Eagle Creek Avenue Southeast | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
US 169
— 4.9 mi, about 5m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Eden Prairie, MN and Prior Lake, 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
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
MN 5
Toward I 494 East, MN 5 East
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.9 mi
·
1 min
Exit 10A
Toward US 169 South
Use the slight right lane.
8
Merge onto US 169
4.9 mi
·
5 min
·
US 169
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
56 sec
Exit 115
Toward CR 21
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on CR 21
2.8 mi
·
3 min
·
Herrgott Memorial Drive
Use the left lane.
11
Continue on CR 21
3.3 mi
·
5 min
·
Eagle Creek Avenue
12
Enter roundabout onto CR 21
95 ft
·
1 sec
·
Eagle Creek Avenue Southeast
13
Continue on CR 21
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
Eagle Creek Avenue Southeast
14
Enter roundabout
133 ft
·
2 sec
15
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 105 decision points cluster between mile 0.9 and 9.5 — 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
3.7 mi into trip
|
~6m in
Take the exit toward US 169 South
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 10A
Toward US 169 South
7
9.5 mi into trip
|
~13m in
Take the exit toward CR 21
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 115
Toward CR 21
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.74 one way
$5.48 round trip
$4.27/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.60 | $2.95 | $5.91 |
| premium | $5.04 | $3.23 | $6.46 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $3.62 | $7.24 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 5.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-05-11.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 4.9 | 0 | $1.71 | $0.78 |
| Efficient EV | 4.1 | 0 | $1.43 | $0.65 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 6.5 | 0 | $2.28 | $1.04 |
Gas CO2
6 kg
EV CO2
2 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
Prior Lake, MN
Evening in Prior Lake on Friday
Local time
8:55 PM
CDT
Current temp
68°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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
24m 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 drive features a 46% highway share, with a significant portion on US 169. You'll encounter a longest stretch of 4.9 miles on US 169 before transitioning to surface roads. Expect to navigate some exits and merges as you transition between highway and local streets. The profile is mixed highway and surface, indicating a change in road type as you progress.
46% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 4.9 mi on US 169.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
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
9/10
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 10 decision points packed into just 16.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 24m.
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.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Eden Prairie, MN to Prior Lake, MN, road signs begin pointing toward Cr 21 along the way.
Cr 21
9.5 mi in
|
~13m
About the Cities
Starting in Eden Prairie, MN
Full guide →Founded 1858
Eden Prairie is a suburban city in the Twin Cities of Minnesota.
Arriving in Prior Lake, MN
Full guide →Founded 1891
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 24m. Total distance: 16.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
24m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (46%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 4.9 miles on US 169. 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 Prior Lake, 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 Prior Lake, 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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