Origin
Elk River, MN
Late night in Elk River on Tuesday
Local time
4:13 AM
CDT
Current temp
57°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Elk River, MN to Maple Grove, MN
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
24m
Distance
19.3 mi
31 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 22m
★
6 AM
0h 25m
8 AM
0h 29m
10 AM
0h 26m
12 PM
0h 26m
3 PM
0h 26m
5 PM
0h 29m
8 PM
0h 23m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Elk River, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Maple Grove, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking for a quick commute between Elk River and Maple Grove, this 19.6-mile trip is an efficient way to navigate through Minnesota’s Midwest corridor. You can easily complete the drive in about 21 minutes, making it a perfect candidate for a single-day journey. With a fuel budget of just $3, this is an incredibly economical route that requires zero intermediate stops. The path relies on a combination of Main Street Northwest, Voyageur Highway, and I-94 East to get you to your destination quickly. Because the total duration is so short, there is no need to worry about overnight accommodations or complex travel planning. It is a straightforward, practical transition between these two communities.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 94 | 8.3 mi | 9m |
| MN 101 | 6.7 mi | 8m |
| I 494 | 1.2 mi | 1m |
| Voyageur Highway | 0.7 mi | <1m |
| Bass Lake Road | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Main Street Northwest | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Jackson Avenue Northwest | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 94
— 8.3 mi, about 9m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Elk River, MN and Maple Grove, MN.
1
Start on Jackson Avenue Northwest
261 ft
·
12 sec
·
Jackson Avenue Northwest
2
Turn left onto Main Street Northwest
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
·
Main Street Northwest
3
Take the ramp
167 ft
·
5 sec
4
Merge onto US 10
0.7 mi
·
57 sec
·
Voyageur Highway
5
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
48 sec
6
Merge onto MN 101
6.7 mi
·
8 min
·
MN 101
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 94 East: Minneapolis, Saint Paul
8
Merge onto I 94
8.3 mi
·
9 min
·
I 94
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
31 sec
Exit 216
Toward I 494 South
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on I 494
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
I 494
11
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
Exit 26
Toward CR 10: Bass Lake Road
Use the slight right lane.
12
Turn right onto CR 10
0.5 mi
·
50 sec
·
Bass Lake Road
Use the right lane.
13
Arrive at destination
CR 10
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 105 decision points cluster between mile 1.3 and 18.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
1.3 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
MN 101
Merge onto MN 101
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
7.9 mi into trip
|
~10m in
Take the exit toward I 94 East: Minneapolis, Saint Paul
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 94 East: Minneapolis, Saint Paul
7
16.9 mi into trip
|
~21m in
Take the exit toward I 494 South
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 216
Toward I 494 South
7
18.5 mi into trip
|
~23m in
Take the exit toward CR 10: Bass Lake Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 26
Toward CR 10: Bass Lake Road
6
18.8 mi into trip
|
~23m in
|
CR 10 / Bass Lake Road
Turn right onto CR 10 / Bass Lake Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.87 one way
$5.74 round trip
$3.78/gal
25.4 MPG avg
7 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.07 | $3.09 | $6.19 |
| premium | $4.53 | $3.44 | $6.89 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.26 | $8.52 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.8 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 | 5.8 | 0 | $2.03 | $0.93 |
| Efficient EV | 4.8 | 0 | $1.69 | $0.77 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 7.7 | 0 | $2.70 | $1.24 |
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
Maple Grove, MN
Late night in Maple Grove on Tuesday
Local time
4:13 AM
CDT
Current temp
57°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?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive that demands your full attention as you transition between roads. Unlike long-haul interstate routes, this trip features a 0% highway share, meaning you will be navigating surface streets and local connectors for the duration of the 19.6-mile trek. You will not find any long, monotonous stretches here, as the longest uninterrupted segment is 0 miles on Main Street Northwest. The personality of this drive is defined by its frequent transitions rather than high-speed cruising. You should prepare for a dynamic experience behind the wheel where the road environment changes constantly as you move toward Maple Grove.
84% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 8.3 mi on I 94.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 94 and MN 101. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.3 miles in near MN 101.
Driving Effort
7/10
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 19.3 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 1.3 miles (MN 101): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 7.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 16.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
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 Elk River, MN to Maple Grove, MN, road signs begin pointing toward Saint Paul along the way.
Saint Paul
7.9 mi in
|
~10m
About the Cities
Starting in Elk River, MN
Full guide →Elk River is a city in Northwestern Minnesota.
Arriving in Maple Grove, MN
Full guide →Founded 1858
Maple Grove is a suburban city in the Twin Cities of Minnesota.
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: 19.3 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 (84%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 8.3 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 Maple Grove, 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 1.3 miles (MN 101): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 7.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 16.9 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 Maple Grove, 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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