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Trip from Lakeville, MN to Monticello, MN

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jul 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 17m

Distance

62.5 mi

101 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$9

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 18 min
4 AM
1h 12m ★
6 AM
1h 18m
8 AM
1h 30m
10 AM
1h 22m
12 PM
1h 21m
3 PM
1h 23m
5 PM
1h 29m
8 PM
1h 14m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time
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city in Dakota County, Minnesota, United States

Lakeville, MN

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Monticello, MN, MN

Monticello, MN

Tom Fisk

Trip Overview

Lakeville, MN to Monticello, MN is 62.5 miles and takes about 1 hour 17 minutes via I-35W, I-494, and I-94, with a fuel budget near $9 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Minnesota's Midwest region, offering a straightforward connection between two points in the state. It's a relatively short drive, making it ideal for a single-day excursion. Most of the route is on major interstates, so expect typical interstate driving conditions for the majority of the trip. Consider this route if you're looking for a quick and efficient way to get from point A to point B without much fuss.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 94 22.6 mi 24m
I 494 21.7 mi 27m
I 35W 8.3 mi 9m
I 35 2.6 mi 2m
Kenwood Trail /Richard J. Ames Memorial Highway 1.6 mi 2m
Kenwood Trail 1.2 mi 2m
Kenwood Trail / Richard J. Ames Memorial Highway 0.7 mi 1m
202nd Street West / Richard J. Ames Memorial Highway 0.5 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 94 — 22.6 mi, about 24m

Traffic on I-35

Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 25 FHWA count stations on your route.

Peak

4 PM

~4,290 veh/hr typical

Quietest

2 AM

~243 veh/hr

Peak-to-quiet ratio

17.7×

busier at peak than in the quiet hours

12a 6a noon 6p 11p

Averaged across 34 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 Lakeville, MN and Monticello, MN.

1

Start on 207th Street West

22 ft · 5 sec · 207th Street West
2

Turn right onto Holyoke Avenue

0.4 mi · 1 min · Holyoke Avenue
3

Enter roundabout onto CR 50

198 ft · 3 sec · 202nd Street West / Richard J. Ames Memorial Highway
4

Continue on CR 50

0.5 mi · 50 sec · 202nd Street West / Richard J. Ames Memorial Highway
5

Continue on CR 5

0.7 mi · 1 min · Kenwood Trail / Richard J. Ames Memorial Highway
6

Continue on CR 5

1.6 mi · 2 min · Kenwood Trail /Richard J. Ames Memorial Highway
7

Enter roundabout onto CR 5

125 ft · 2 sec · Kenwood Trail
8

Continue on CR 5

1.2 mi · 2 min · Kenwood Trail
Use the right lane.
9

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 23 sec
Toward I 35 North Use the right lane.
10

Merge onto I 35

2.6 mi · 2 min · I 35
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Keep slight left at fork onto I 35W

8.3 mi · 9 min · I 35W
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
12

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 37 sec
Exit 8B-C Toward I 494 East, MN 5 East Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13

Keep slight left at fork

0.8 mi · 1 min
Toward I 494 West, MN 5 West
14

Merge onto I 494; MN 5

5.8 mi · 7 min · I 494; MN 5
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15

Keep slight left at fork onto I 494; MN 5

16 mi · 19 min · I 494; MN 5
Use the straight / right lanes.
16

Keep slight left at fork

0.6 mi · 49 sec
Exit 27 Toward I 94 West: Saint Cloud Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
17

Continue on I 94

17 mi · 18 min · I 94
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18

Keep slight left at fork onto I 94

6.0 mi · 6 min · I 94
19

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 52 sec
20

Turn right onto MN 25

0.5 mi · 1 min · Pine Street
21

Arrive at destination

MN 25

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

city in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Minnetonka, MN

31 mi into the route

Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset

This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.

Pacing Suggestions

Bloomington, MN

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 14 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Plymouth, MN

Meal break

The midpoint is around 31.3 miles from Lakeville, 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 15

5 decision points cluster between mile 4.5 and 38.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

6
4.5 mi into trip | ~7m in

Take the ramp toward I 35 North

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane. Toward I 35 North
6
7.3 mi into trip | ~10m in | I 35W

Keep slight left at fork onto I 35W

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
8
15.6 mi into trip | ~20m in

Take the exit 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. Exit 8B-C Toward I 494 East, MN 5 East
6
15.9 mi into trip | ~21m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 494 West, MN 5 West

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward I 494 West, MN 5 West
8
38.4 mi into trip | ~50m 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

$9.39 one way

$18.77 round trip

$3.82/gal 25.4 MPG avg 22 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.12 $10.14 $20.27
premium $4.60 $11.32 $22.64
diesel $4.80 $11.80 $23.60

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$9

Estimated CO2 emission: 21.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.

Driving Electric?

About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 18.8 0 $6.56 $3.00
Efficient EV 15.6 0 $5.47 $2.50
EV Truck/SUV 25 0 $8.75 $4.00

Gas CO2

22 kg

EV CO2

7 kg (68% 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 Jul 16, 2026

Origin

Lakeville, MN

Morning in Lakeville on Sunday

Local time

10:30 AM

CDT

Current temp

90°F

Smoke

SSE 0 to 5 mph 14% chance Live forecast

Special Weather Statement

Special Weather Statement issued July 16 at 11:16AM CDT by NWS La Crosse WI

Heat Advisory

Heat Advisory issued July 16 at 10:25AM CDT until July 16 at 10:00PM CDT by NWS Grand Forks ND

Destination

Monticello, MN

Morning in Monticello on Sunday

Local time

10:30 AM

CDT

Current temp

92°F

Smoke

S 0 to 5 mph 10% chance Live forecast

Special Weather Statement

Special Weather Statement issued July 16 at 11:16AM CDT by NWS La Crosse WI

Heat Advisory

Heat Advisory issued July 16 at 10:25AM CDT until July 16 at 10:00PM 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 warmer at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

1h 17m 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.

What kind of drive is this?

This drive is predominantly highway, with 88% of the 62.5 miles covered on interstates like I-35W, I-494, and I-94. You'll encounter your longest continuous stretch on I-94, covering 22.6 miles. Expect a dense network of exits and merging traffic as you navigate through the Minneapolis-Saint Paul metropolitan area. The transition to surface roads will occur near the end of your trip, marking the end of the high-speed interstate cruising.

88% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
21 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?

9/10

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 4.5 miles in.

Driving Effort 9/10

Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 62.5 miles you will encounter 15 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 4.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 7.3 miles (I 35W): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 15.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

1,016 ft 819 ft

Total Climb

292 ft

Total Descent

335 ft

Highest Point

1,016 ft

~4.5 mi in

Elevation Range

197 ft

About the Cities

Starting in Lakeville, MN

Full guide →

Founded 1850

Arriving in Monticello, MN

Full guide →

Monticello is a city in 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 1h 17m. Total distance: 62.5 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 17m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (88%). 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.

Yes — we found about 3 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.

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 4.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 7.3 miles (I 35W): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 15.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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 Monticello, 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, EIA for fuel prices, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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