Origin
Maple Grove, MN
Late night in Maple Grove on Sunday
Local time
4:59 AM
CDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Maple Grove, MN to Waite Park, MN
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 5m
Distance
57.7 mi
93 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 0m
★
6 AM
1h 5m
8 AM
1h 16m
10 AM
1h 9m
12 PM
1h 8m
3 PM
1h 10m
5 PM
1h 15m
8 PM
1h 2m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Maple Grove, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Waite Park, MN
Tom Fisk
Trip Overview
Maple Grove, MN to Waite Park, MN is 57.7 miles and takes about 1 hour 5 minutes via I 94 and MN-15 N, with a fuel budget near $9 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Minnesota, traversing the Midwest region. It's a straightforward drive, primarily on major highways, making it a practical choice for a quick relocation or a short day trip. You'll find the journey efficient, with most of the miles covered on the interstate. Consider this route if you're looking for a simple, direct path between these two points without much fuss.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 94 | 49.6 mi | 53m |
| MN-15 N | 3.8 mi | 4m |
| I 494 | 1 mi | 1m |
| Division Street | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Bass Lake Road | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| 6th Avenue North | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 94
— 49.6 mi, about 53m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Maple Grove, MN and Waite Park, 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 left at fork
0.6 mi
·
49 sec
Exit 27
Toward I 94 West: Saint Cloud
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
6
Continue on I 94
17 mi
·
18 min
·
I 94
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight left at fork onto I 94
33 mi
·
35 min
·
I 94
8
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward MN 15 North: Saint Cloud
9
Merge onto MN 15
3.8 mi
·
4 min
·
MN-15 N
Use the straight lane.
10
Turn left onto CR 75
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Division Street
Use the left lane.
11
Turn right onto 6th Avenue North
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
·
6th Avenue North
12
Arrive at destination
6th Avenue North
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
29 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 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 28.9 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 95 decision points cluster between mile 0.6 and 52.7 — 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
5
0.7 mi into trip
|
~1m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 494 North
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I 494 North
8
2 mi into trip
|
~3m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 94 West: Saint Cloud
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Exit 27
Toward I 94 West: Saint Cloud
4
19.3 mi into trip
|
~22m in
|
I 94
Keep slight left at fork onto I 94
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
5
52.7 mi into trip
|
~58m in
|
MN 15 / MN-15 N
Merge onto MN 15 / MN-15 N
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.59 one way
$17.17 round trip
$3.78/gal
25.4 MPG avg
20 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.07 | $9.25 | $18.50 |
| premium | $4.53 | $10.30 | $20.59 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.74 | $25.48 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 20.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 17.3 | 0 | $6.06 | $2.77 |
| Efficient EV | 14.4 | 0 | $5.05 | $2.31 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 23.1 | 0 | $8.08 | $3.69 |
Gas CO2
20 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (65% 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
Waite Park, MN
Late night in Waite Park on Sunday
Local time
4:59 AM
CDT
Current temp
67°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
21 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
1h 5m 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 is a highway-focused drive, with 94% of the route utilizing major interstates. You'll experience a consistent pace for the majority of your journey, with the longest uninterrupted stretch being 49.6 miles on I 94. Expect a smooth, fast-paced experience as you navigate these primary roadways. The road character remains largely consistent, prioritizing direct travel over varied scenery. It's designed for efficient transit, so settle in for a straightforward highway experience.
94% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 49.6 mi on I 94.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 94 and MN-15 N. 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
8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 57.7 miles you will encounter 9 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 0.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 0.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
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 1h 5m. Total distance: 57.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 5m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (94%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 49.6 miles on I 94. 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 Waite Park, 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 0.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 2 miles: 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 Waite Park, 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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