Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 12, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 34m
Distance
69.9 mi
113 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$11
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Maple Grove, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Walcott, MN
Tom Fisk
Maple Grove, MN to Walcott, MN is 69.9 miles and takes about 1h 34m via I 35W, I 494, and 240th Street East, with a fuel budget near $11 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Midwest region, specifically within Minnesota, making it a straightforward local drive. With most of the route on highways, you can expect a relatively quick transit between these two points. It's a good option if you're looking for a short, efficient drive with minimal fuss, fitting comfortably into a single day.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
35 miles from Maple Grove, MN
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 42m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 35W | 37.7 mi | 41m |
| I 494 | 20.1 mi | 25m |
| 240th Street East | 3.1 mi | 7m |
| Glynview Trail | 2.4 mi | 5m |
| Lyndale Avenue North | 2.2 mi | 3m |
| 9th Avenue Southwest | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Bass Lake Road | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Falk Avenue | 0.5 mi | 1m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 50 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~4,306 veh/hr typical · worst 5,021
Quietest
2 AM
~244 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
17.6×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 82 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Maple Grove, MN and Walcott, MN.
Start on CR 10
Take the ramp
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto I 494
Take the exit
Continue on this road
Merge onto I 35W
Take the exit
Continue on I 35 Business
Continue on MN 21; I 35 Business; I 35 Alternate
Continue on I 35 Business; MN 21; I 35 Alternate
Turn left onto Division Street West
Turn right onto 9th Avenue Southwest
Turn left onto 10th Street Southwest
At end of road, turn right onto Willow Street
Turn left onto CR 19
Continue on CR 19
Turn left onto CR 19
Turn right onto Falk Avenue
Arrive at destination
Given this is a short trip of under two hours, you have a lot of flexibility with your departure time. Leaving anytime in the morning or afternoon should allow you to complete the drive before dark. With only 69.9 miles, you likely won't need to make extensive stops, but there are certainly opportunities to pull off for fuel or a quick break. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge as you approach Walcott, as the estimated cost is $11. The transition from I 35W to I 494 is a key point to be aware of for navigation.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
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 15 miles or 19m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 35 miles or 42m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 9m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Walcott, MN than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Maple Grove, MN so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Maple Grove, MN
This is one driving day of about 69.9 miles and 1h 34m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
35 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.
A short stop after about 15 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 35 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.
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.5 and 61.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Take the ramp toward I 494 South
Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork toward I 494 South
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Merge onto I 494
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward I 35W South: Albert Lea
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Turn left onto Division Street West
Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$11.41 one way
$22.82 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.46 | $12.28 | $24.56 |
| premium | $4.95 | $13.63 | $27.26 |
| diesel | $5.97 | $16.42 | $32.84 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$11
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$36–$61
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 24.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-09-07.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 21 | 0 | $7.34 | $3.36 |
| Efficient EV | 17.5 | 0 | $6.12 | $2.80 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 28 | 0 | $9.79 | $4.47 |
Gas CO2
24 kg
EV CO2
8 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Night in Maple Grove on Friday
Local time
11:24 PM
CDT
Current temp
79°F
Sunny
Destination
Night in Walcott on Friday
Local time
11:24 PM
CDT
Current temp
77°F
Sunny
51°F
Apple Valley, MN
35 mi in
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
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
This route is primarily highway driving, with 83% of the 69.9 miles on interstates. You'll experience a longest stretch of 37.7 miles on I 35W before transitioning to other roads. Expect to see a higher density of exits and merging traffic as you navigate through the interstate system. The final portion of the drive will shift to surface roads, offering a change of pace from the high-speed interstate cruising.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 35W and I 494. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.5 miles in.
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 69.9 miles you will encounter 14 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.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
485 ft
Total Descent
239 ft
Highest Point
1,190 ft
~69.9 mi in
Elevation Range
382 ft
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).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 34m. Total distance: 69.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 34m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (83%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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