Origin
Maple Grove, MN
Late night in Maple Grove on Sunday
Local time
2:59 AM
CDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Maple Grove, MN to Orono, MN
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
25m
Distance
16.1 mi
26 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 23m
★
6 AM
0h 26m
8 AM
0h 30m
10 AM
0h 27m
12 PM
0h 27m
3 PM
0h 27m
5 PM
0h 30m
8 PM
0h 24m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Maple Grove, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Orono, MN
Tom Fisk
Trip Overview
If you are looking to travel from Maple Grove to Orono, you are in for a quick 16.1-mile journey across the Minnesota landscape. This commute typically takes about 25 minutes, making it a perfect candidate for a single-day trip. You will navigate via I-494 South, US 12 West, and the Officer Bill Mathews Memorial Highway to reach your destination. With an estimated fuel cost of just $2, this is an incredibly budget-friendly excursion within the Midwest. Since the entire route stays within Minnesota, you won't have to worry about crossing regional borders or adjusting your travel plans for long-distance fatigue.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 494 | 6.1 mi | 7m |
| Officer Bill Mathews Memorial Highwa | 3.1 mi | 3m |
| Wayzata Boulevard | 2.9 mi | 5m |
| Old Crystal Bay Road North | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Watertown Road | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Leaf Street | 0.5 mi | 2m |
| Bass Lake Road | 0.5 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 494
— 6.1 mi, about 7m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Maple Grove, MN and Orono, 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
6.1 mi
·
7 min
·
I 494
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Exit 19B
Toward US 12 West: Wayzata
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi
·
52 sec
Toward US 12 West: Wayzata
Use the straight / right lanes.
7
Merge onto US 12
3.1 mi
·
3 min
·
Officer Bill Mathews Memorial Highwa
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
28 sec
Exit 152
Toward CR 112: Long Lake, Orono
Use the slight right lane.
9
Continue on CR 112
2.9 mi
·
5 min
·
Wayzata Boulevard
Use the straight lane.
10
Turn left onto Old Crystal Bay Road North
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Old Crystal Bay Road North
11
Turn right onto Watertown Road
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Watertown Road
12
Turn left onto Leaf Street
0.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Leaf Street
13
Turn left
44 ft
·
3 sec
14
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 115 decision points cluster between mile 0.5 and 11.1 — 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
7
6.9 mi into trip
|
~9m in
Take the exit toward US 12 West: Wayzata
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 19B
Toward US 12 West: Wayzata
7
7.5 mi into trip
|
~10m in
Keep slight left at fork toward US 12 West: Wayzata
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Toward US 12 West: Wayzata
8
11.1 mi into trip
|
~14m in
Take the exit toward CR 112: Long Lake, Orono
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 152
Toward CR 112: Long Lake, Orono
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.40 one way
$4.79 round trip
$3.78/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.07 | $2.58 | $5.16 |
| premium | $4.53 | $2.87 | $5.75 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.55 | $7.11 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 5.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 4.8 | 0 | $1.69 | $0.77 |
| Efficient EV | 4 | 0 | $1.41 | $0.64 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 6.4 | 0 | $2.25 | $1.03 |
Gas CO2
6 kg
EV CO2
2 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
Orono, MN
Late night in Orono on Sunday
Local time
2:59 AM
CDT
Current temp
69°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
23 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
25m 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 rather than a monotonous interstate grind on this 16.1-mile path. While you will utilize segments of I-494 and US 12, the route maintains a 0% highway-share classification, focusing instead on local maneuvering. You will find yourself navigating frequent turns as you transition between these roads. Because the total duration is only 25 minutes, you won't encounter any long, uninterrupted stretches of highway driving. Instead, prepare for a dynamic experience behind the wheel that requires your full attention as you move through the local infrastructure.
38% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 6.1 mi on I 494.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. 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
9/10
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 16.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 25m.
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 6.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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.
On the drive from Maple Grove, MN to Orono, MN, road signs begin pointing toward Cr 112: Long Lake along the way.
Cr 112: Long Lake
11.1 mi in
|
~14m
About the Cities
Starting in Maple Grove, MN
Full guide →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 25m. Total distance: 16.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
25m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (38%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 6.1 miles on I 494. 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 Orono, 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 6.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Orono, 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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