Maple Grove, MN to Jackson, MN is 156.9 miles and takes about 3h 15m via US 169 and State Highway 4, with a fuel budget near $23 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a straightforward trip within the Midwest, entirely within Minnesota. You'll be spending most of your time on highways, making it a quick and efficient drive. It's a good option if you need to get from point A to point B without much fuss, ideal for a same-day trip.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
78.4 miles from Maple Grove, MN
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 39m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US 169
84.3 mi
1h 41m
State Highway 4
17.8 mi
22m
I 494
13.7 mi
17m
I 90
13.3 mi
14m
US 212
12.7 mi
14m
County Road 11
5.4 mi
8m
70th Avenue
3 mi
3m
Jonathan Carver Parkway
2 mi
3m
Longest stretch:
US 169
— 84.3 mi, about 1h 41m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Maple Grove, MN and Jackson, 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 SouthUse the right lane.
3
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi·35 sec
Toward I 494 SouthUse the straight / slight right lanes.
4
Merge onto I 494
14 mi·17 min·I 494
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Take the exit
0.5 mi·59 sec
Exit 11CToward MN 5 West, US 212 WestUse the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Merge onto US 212; MN 5
1.1 mi·1 min·US 212; MN 5
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight left at fork onto US 212
12 mi·13 min·US 212
Use the slight left lane.
8
Take the exit
0.4 mi·54 sec
Toward CR 11: Jonathan Carver ParkwayUse the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Turn left onto CR 11
310 ft·5 sec·County Road 11
10
Continue on CR 11
1.1 mi·1 min·Jonathan Carver Parkway
11
Enter roundabout onto CR 11
111 ft·2 sec·Jonathan Carver Parkway
12
Continue on CR 11
0.9 mi·1 min·Jonathan Carver Parkway
13
Continue on CR 11; CR 40
0.6 mi·55 sec·County Road 40
14
Turn left onto CR 11
5.4 mi·7 min·County Road 11
15
Turn right onto US 169
5.7 mi·6 min·US 169
Use the left / straight lanes.
16
Continue on US 169
3.8 mi·4 min·US 169
Use the straight lane.
17
Continue on US 169
24 mi·29 min·US 169
Use the straight lane.
18
Continue on US 169; MN 99
14 mi·18 min·US 169; MN 99
Use the straight lane.
19
Continue on US 169; MN 60
37 mi·42 min·US 169; MN 60
Use the straight lane.
20
Take the exit
0.3 mi·41 sec
Toward MN 4 South, CR 57: Sherburn
21
Turn left onto MN 4
14 mi·18 min·State Highway 4
Use the straight lane.
22
Continue on MN 4
0.1 mi·20 sec·Broadway Avenue South
23
Continue on MN 4
3.7 mi·4 min·State Highway 4
24
Continue on MN 4
3.0 mi·3 min·70th Avenue
25
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·35 sec
Toward I 90 West: Jackson
26
Merge onto I 90
13 mi·14 min·I 90
27
Take the exit
0.2 mi·29 sec
Toward US 71: Jackson, Windom
28
Turn left onto US 71
1.5 mi·3 min·US 71
29
Arrive at destination
US 71; CR 34
Trip Plan
Given the 3h 15m duration, leaving Maple Grove in the morning is a good plan, allowing you to arrive in Jackson with plenty of time. The route has only one designated stop, but with a drive under four hours, you might not need to stop at all. Keep an eye on your fuel as you approach the $23 budget; it's always wise to top off before heading out. A practical tip for this drive is to be mindful of the transition from US 169 to State Highway 4, as this is where the highway feel will change.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 78.4 miles from Maple Grove, MN, or about 1h 39m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 84.3 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 35 miles or 45m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 78.4 miles or 1h 39m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 39m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Jackson, MN than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Maple Grove, MN so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Maple Grove, MN
This is one driving day of about 156.9 miles and 3h 15m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 35 miles from Maple Grove, MN.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on US 169 for about 84.3 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 16
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.5 and 27.6 — 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
8
14.5 mi into trip|~18m in
Take the exit toward MN 5 West, US 212 West
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 11C
Toward MN 5 West, US 212 West
6
16 mi into trip|~21m in|US 212
Keep slight left at fork onto US 212
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
6
27.6 mi into trip|~34m in
Take the exit toward CR 11: Jonathan Carver Parkway
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward CR 11: Jonathan Carver Parkway
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$23.35 one way
$46.70 round trip
$3.78/gal25.4 MPG avg55 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.07
$25.16
$50.32
premium
$4.53
$27.99
$55.99
diesel
$5.61
$34.64
$69.28
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$23
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$48–$73
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 54.9 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $16 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
47.1
0
$16.47
$7.53
Efficient EV
39.2
0
$13.73
$6.28
EV Truck/SUV
62.8
0
$21.97
$10.04
Gas CO2
55 kg
EV CO2
18 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 20, 2026
Origin
Maple Grove, MN
Late night
in Maple Grove on Tuesday
Local time
3:08 AM
CDT
Current temp
57°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Jackson, MN
Late night
in Jackson on Tuesday
Local time
3:08 AM
CDT
Current temp
57°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
3h 15m 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?
Almost all of this route, 93%, is highway driving. You'll experience a long stretch of 84.3 miles on US 169 before transitioning to other roads. Expect to see a high concentration of exits on the highway portions, characteristic of driving through populated areas and connecting to major routes. The remaining 7% of the drive will be on non-highway roads, likely leading you into smaller towns or more rural settings.
93% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
29 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 84.3 mi on US 169.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 169 and State Highway 4. 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 Effort8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 16 significant decision points across 156.9 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
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 14.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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 Maple Grove, MN to Jackson, MN, road signs begin pointing toward Cr 57: Sherburn along the way.
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 15m. Total distance: 156.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 15m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (93%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 84.3 miles on US 169. 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 Jackson, MN before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. There are 3 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
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 14.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Possible but tiring. At 3.3 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 6.5 hours — manageable with a long break at Jackson, MN, but most travelers stay overnight.
