If you are traveling from Mankato to Apple Valley, you are looking at a straightforward 74.6-mile journey across the Minnesota Midwest. Expect the drive to take approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes, making it a perfect candidate for a single-day trip that doesn't require an overnight stay. You should budget about $10 for fuel to complete the trek. Because this route avoids highways entirely, you will find it is a dedicated local drive that moves through the heart of the region. It is an ideal option if you prefer to stay off the interstates and enjoy a more direct, ground-level travel experience between these two points.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
34.6 miles from Mankato, MN
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 44m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US 169
32.8 mi
39m
South Minnesota Avenue
11.6 mi
15m
County Road 42 West
5.8 mi
10m
Country Trail West /Richard J. Ames Memorial Highway
5 mi
6m
Langford Boulevard
3.5 mi
4m
Highway 13 South
3.3 mi
5m
Egan Drive
2.5 mi
3m
Country Trail East /Richard J. Ames Memorial Highway
1.3 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
US 169
— 32.8 mi, about 39m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Mankato, MN and Apple Valley, MN.
1
Start on Van Brunt Street
134 ft·8 sec·Van Brunt Street
2
Turn left onto South 2nd Street
0.6 mi·1 min·South 2nd Street
3
Continue on North 2nd Street
449 ft·20 sec·North 2nd Street
4
Turn left onto EastMulberry Street
0.2 mi·30 sec·EastMulberry Street
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·34 sec
Use the right lane.
6
Merge onto US 169; MN 60
11 mi·14 min·US 169; MN 60
Use the straight lane.
7
Continue on US 169; MN 22; MN 99
12 mi·15 min·South Minnesota Avenue
Use the straight lane.
8
Continue on US 169; MN 93
12 mi·13 min·US 169; MN 93
Use the straight lane.
9
Continue on US 169
9.6 mi·11 min·US 169
Use the straight lane.
10
Turn right onto MN 282
0.2 mi·20 sec·2nd Street West
11
Enter roundabout onto MN 282
99 ft·1 sec·2nd Street West
12
Continue on MN 282
0.6 mi·1 min·2nd Street West
13
Continue on MN 282
0.5 mi·50 sec·East 2nd Street /Richard J. Ames Memorial Highway
14
Continue on MN 282
5.0 mi·6 min·Country Trail West /Richard J. Ames Memorial Highway
15
Continue on MN 282
1.3 mi·1 min·Country Trail East /Richard J. Ames Memorial Highway
16
At end of road, turn left onto MN 13
3.5 mi·4 min·Langford Boulevard
17
Continue on MN 13
0.8 mi·1 min·Richard J. Ames Memorial Highway
18
Enter roundabout onto MN 13
135 ft·2 sec·Highway 13 South
19
Continue on MN 13
3.3 mi·5 min·Highway 13 South
Use the left lane.
20
Turn right onto CR 42
2.5 mi·3 min·Egan Drive
Use the right lane.
21
Continue on CR 42
5.8 mi·10 min·County Road 42 West
Use the left lane.
22
Arrive at destination
CR 42
Trip Plan
Since this is a relatively short 74.6-mile trip with zero mandatory stops, you have plenty of flexibility in your schedule. Aim to leave during off-peak hours to avoid potential local traffic congestion that can impact these smaller streets. Because you won't be hitting any major highway rest areas, make sure to handle any personal needs before you depart Mankato. Keep your $10 fuel budget in mind, and consider fueling up before you head out to ensure a smooth, uninterrupted ride. The best approach is to treat this as a simple point-to-point transit, utilizing the lack of required stops to arrive at your destination in Apple Valley as efficiently as possible.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 34.6 miles from Mankato, MN, or about 44m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 32.8 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 15 miles or 20m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 34.6 miles or 44m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 16m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Apple Valley, MN than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Mankato, MN so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Mankato, MN
This is one driving day of about 69.1 miles and 1h 34m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 15 miles from Mankato, MN.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on US 169 for about 32.8 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 10
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.7 and 60.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.7 mi into trip|~2m in|EastMulberry Street
Turn left onto EastMulberry Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
5
1 mi into trip|~2m in
Take the ramp
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
1.2 mi into trip|~3m in|US 169; MN 60
Merge onto US 169; MN 60
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
5
45.9 mi into trip|~57m in|MN 282 / 2nd Street West
Enter roundabout onto MN 282 / 2nd Street West
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
6
60.8 mi into trip|~1h 19m in|CR 42 / Egan Drive
Turn right onto CR 42 / Egan Drive
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.28 one way
$20.57 round trip
$3.78/gal25.4 MPG avg24 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.07
$11.08
$22.16
premium
$4.53
$12.33
$24.66
diesel
$5.61
$15.26
$30.51
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$10
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$35–$60
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 24.2 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
20.7
0
$7.26
$3.32
Efficient EV
17.3
0
$6.05
$2.76
EV Truck/SUV
27.6
0
$9.67
$4.42
Gas CO2
24 kg
EV CO2
8 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.
Forecast as of Apr 21, 2026
Origin
Mankato, MN
Late night
in Mankato on Tuesday
Local time
3:51 AM
CDT
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Apple Valley, MN
Late night
in Apple Valley on Tuesday
Local time
3:51 AM
CDT
Current temp
36°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
58°F
Jordan, MN
35 mi in
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
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
23 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
1h 34m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This trip is defined by its turn-heavy, local nature, offering a stark contrast to a typical interstate cruise. You will spend your time navigating through local streets like South 2nd Street, North 2nd Street, and East Mulberry Street rather than maintaining high speeds on a freeway. Since the highway share for this route is 0%, your focus will remain on the rhythm of local driving throughout the entire 1 hour and 20 minutes. There is no long-haul highway stretch here, as the longest segment is 0 miles on South 2nd Street. Expect a hands-on driving experience that requires your full attention as you transition between these specific local roads.
52% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 32.8 mi on US 169.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.7 miles in near EastMulberry Street.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 34m drive. You will face about 10 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.7 miles (EastMulberry Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 1 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 1.2 miles (US 169; MN 60): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Mankato (pronounced man-KAY-toh) is a city in Minnesota, USA, that exudes a college presence with several centers of higher learning, including Minnesota State University.
Top landmarks
•Blue Earth County Courthouse
•Federal Courthouse and Post Office — courthouse in Mankato, Minnesota, United States
•First National Bank of Mankato — building in Mankato, Minnesota, United States
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 32.8 miles on US 169. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 0.7 miles (EastMulberry Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 1 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 1.2 miles (US 169; MN 60): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Apple Valley, MN before heading back.
