Origin
Maple Grove, MN
Late night in Maple Grove on Tuesday
Local time
4:15 AM
CDT
Current temp
57°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Maple Grove, MN to Circle Pines, 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
28m
Distance
22.1 mi
36 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 26m
★
6 AM
0h 29m
8 AM
0h 34m
10 AM
0h 31m
12 PM
0h 30m
3 PM
0h 31m
5 PM
0h 34m
8 PM
0h 27m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Maple Grove, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Circle Pines, MN
Tom Fisk
Trip Overview
This short 22.1-mile drive from Maple Grove to Circle Pines in Minnesota will take you about 28 minutes, making it a perfect candidate for a single-day trip. You'll primarily navigate using I-494 North, I-94 East, and I-35W North, with a minimal highway share. The estimated fuel cost for this journey is around $3, reflecting its brevity. This route is characterized by frequent turns and local road sections, offering a varied driving experience within the Midwest region. It’s a straightforward trip suitable for a quick errand or a short hop between these two Minnesota communities.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 694 | 6.5 mi | 7m |
| I 94 | 6.3 mi | 7m |
| I 35W | 4 mi | 4m |
| Lake Drive Northeast | 2.1 mi | 3m |
| I 494 | 1 mi | 1m |
| Bass Lake Road | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Crossway Drive | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Pine Drive | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 694
— 6.5 mi, about 7m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Maple Grove, MN and Circle Pines, MN.
1
Start on CR 10
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Bass Lake Road
2
Turn left
316 ft
·
9 sec
Toward I 494 North
Use the left lane.
3
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
Toward I 494 North
4
Merge onto I 494
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
I 494
5
Keep slight right at fork
0.5 mi
·
35 sec
Toward I 94 East, I 694 East
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
6
Merge onto I 94; I 694
6.3 mi
·
7 min
·
I 94; I 694
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight left at fork onto I 694
6.5 mi
·
7 min
·
I 694
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
Exit 41B
Toward I 35W North
Use the straight / right lanes.
9
Merge onto I 35W
3.0 mi
·
3 min
·
I 35W
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight left at fork onto I 35W
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
I 35W
11
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
Exit 31B
Toward Lake Drive
Use the slight right lane.
12
Continue on CH 23
2.1 mi
·
3 min
·
Lake Drive Northeast
Use the straight lane.
13
Turn left onto Pine Drive
319 ft
·
16 sec
·
Pine Drive
14
Turn slight left onto Crossway Drive
329 ft
·
14 sec
·
Crossway Drive
15
Arrive at destination
Crossway Drive
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 115 decision points cluster between mile 0.6 and 19.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
0.6 mi into trip
|
~1m in
Turn left toward I 494 North
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward I 494 North
8
2 mi into trip
|
~3m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 94 East, I 694 East
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward I 94 East, I 694 East
6
8.8 mi into trip
|
~11m in
|
I 694
Keep slight left at fork onto I 694
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
15.3 mi into trip
|
~19m in
Take the exit toward I 35W North
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Exit 41B
Toward I 35W North
7
19.5 mi into trip
|
~24m in
Take the exit toward Lake Drive
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 31B
Toward Lake Drive
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.29 one way
$6.58 round trip
$3.78/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.07 | $3.54 | $7.09 |
| premium | $4.53 | $3.94 | $7.89 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.88 | $9.76 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 7.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6.6 | 0 | $2.32 | $1.06 |
| Efficient EV | 5.5 | 0 | $1.93 | $0.88 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 8.8 | 0 | $3.09 | $1.41 |
Gas CO2
8 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (63% 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
Circle Pines, MN
Late night in Circle Pines on Tuesday
Local time
4:15 AM
CDT
Current temp
59°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
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
28m 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' for this 22.1-mile route, with no long stretches of uninterrupted highway driving. While you'll utilize major interstate segments like I-494 North, I-94 East, and I-35W North, the overall profile suggests a journey with numerous changes in direction and a significant portion on local roads. The highway share is 0%, indicating that the bulk of your time will be spent navigating city streets and intersections rather than high-speed cruising. This means you'll need to stay attentive to traffic signals and local road signage throughout the approximately 28-minute travel time.
80% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 6.5 mi on I 694.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 694 and I 94. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.6 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
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 11 decision points packed into just 22.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 28m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 8.8 miles (I 694): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
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 28m. Total distance: 22.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
28m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (80%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 6.5 miles on I 694. 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 Circle Pines, 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 0.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 8.8 miles (I 694): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Circle Pines, 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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