Origin
Maple Grove, MN
Late night in Maple Grove on Tuesday
Local time
3:10 AM
CDT
Current temp
57°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Maple Grove, MN to Castle Rock, 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
1h 3m
Distance
50.5 mi
81 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 58m
★
6 AM
1h 3m
8 AM
1h 14m
10 AM
1h 7m
12 PM
1h 6m
3 PM
1h 8m
5 PM
1h 13m
8 PM
1h 0m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Maple Grove, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Castle Rock, MN
Tom Fisk
Trip Overview
Maple Grove to Castle Rock is 50.5 miles and takes about 1 hour 3 minutes via I 494, with a fuel budget near $8 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Minnesota, moving you from the Midwest region towards its southern part. The route primarily utilizes major interstate highways, offering a straightforward and efficient travel experience. With a duration under two hours, it's ideal for a same-day excursion, whether for business or leisure.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 494 | 20.1 mi | 25m |
| I 35W | 19.7 mi | 21m |
| 280th Street West | 6.3 mi | 8m |
| Pillsbury Avenue | 1.7 mi | 2m |
| Deuce Road | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Bass Lake Road | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| 30th Street West | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| 260th Street East | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 494
— 20.1 mi, about 25m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Maple Grove, MN and Castle Rock, MN.
1
Start on CR 10
0.5 mi
·
54 sec
·
Bass Lake Road
2
Take the ramp
293 ft
·
7 sec
Toward I 494 South
Use the right lane.
3
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
Toward I 494 South
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4
Merge onto I 494
20 mi
·
25 min
·
I 494
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
Exit 5B
Toward I 35W South: Albert Lea
Use the slight right lane.
6
Continue on this road
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
·
this road
Exit 5B
Toward I 35W South: Albert Lea
7
Merge onto I 35W
20 mi
·
21 min
·
I 35W
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
Exit 76
Toward CR 2: Elko, New Market
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Turn left onto CR 2; I 35 ALT
261 ft
·
4 sec
·
260th Street East
10
Continue on CR 2; I 35 ALT
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Deuce Road
11
Enter roundabout onto CR 46; I 35 ALT
6 ft
·
0 sec
·
Pillsbury Avenue
12
Continue on CR 46; I 35 ALT
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
Pillsbury Avenue
13
Enter roundabout onto CH 86
217 ft
·
4 sec
·
30th Street West
14
Continue on CH 86
0.2 mi
·
13 sec
·
30th Street West
15
Continue on CR 86
6.3 mi
·
8 min
·
280th Street West
16
Turn left onto Danville Avenue West
55 ft
·
2 sec
·
Danville Avenue West
17
Arrive at destination
Danville Avenue West
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
25 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 25.3 miles from Maple Grove, 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 105 decision points cluster between mile 0.5 and 41.2 — 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
|
~0m in
Take the ramp toward I 494 South
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward I 494 South
8
0.5 mi into trip
|
~1m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 494 South
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 494 South
5
0.8 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
I 494
Merge onto I 494
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
20.9 mi into trip
|
~26m in
Take the exit toward I 35W South: Albert Lea
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 5B
Toward I 35W South: Albert Lea
8
41.2 mi into trip
|
~49m in
Take the exit toward CR 2: Elko, New Market
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 76
Toward CR 2: Elko, New Market
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.52 one way
$15.03 round trip
$3.78/gal
25.4 MPG avg
18 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.07 | $8.10 | $16.20 |
| premium | $4.53 | $9.01 | $18.02 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.15 | $22.30 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 17.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 15.1 | 0 | $5.30 | $2.42 |
| Efficient EV | 12.6 | 0 | $4.42 | $2.02 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 20.2 | 0 | $7.07 | $3.23 |
Gas CO2
18 kg
EV CO2
6 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
Castle Rock, MN
Late night in Castle Rock on Tuesday
Local time
3:10 AM
CDT
Current temp
56°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
1 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 3m 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 is predominantly on the highway, with 79% of the 50.5 miles on interstates like I 494 and I 35W. You'll encounter a 20.1-mile stretch on I 494, which is the longest continuous section of highway driving. After exiting the interstates, you'll navigate on 280th Street West for the remaining portion. Expect a fairly urban feel initially with merging traffic on the interstates, transitioning to more open cruising.
79% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 20.1 mi on I 494.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 494 and I 35W. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.5 miles in.
Driving Effort
7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 50.5 miles you will encounter 10 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 0.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 0.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 0.8 miles (I 494): Merge point - match speed before joining. 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.
Between Maple Grove, MN and Castle Rock, MN, road signs point toward Cr 2: Elko and New Market.
Cr 2: Elko
41.2 mi in
|
~49m
New Market
41.2 mi in
|
~49m
About the Cities
Starting 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 1h 3m. Total distance: 50.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 3m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (79%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 20.1 miles on I 494. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 1 rest area or service plaza 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 Castle Rock, 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: Lane positioning matters here; at 0.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 0.8 miles (I 494): 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 Castle Rock, 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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