Origin
Minnetonka Mills, MN
Night in Minnetonka Mills on Saturday
Local time
11:41 PM
CDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Minnetonka Mills, MN to Apple Valley, MN
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
33m
Distance
25.1 mi
40 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 31m
★
6 AM
0h 34m
8 AM
0h 39m
10 AM
0h 36m
12 PM
0h 35m
3 PM
0h 36m
5 PM
0h 39m
8 PM
0h 32m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Minnetonka Mills, MN
Tom Fisk
Apple Valley, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Traveling from Minnetonka Mills to Apple Valley is a straightforward 25.1-mile journey that typically takes about 33 minutes. Given the short duration, this is easily accomplished as a one-day trip, requiring no overnight stays. You will primarily navigate via I-494, Cedar Avenue South, and Minnetonka Boulevard to complete the transit. With a fuel cost of approximately $4, the drive is an economical choice for commuters or weekend travelers within the Midwest. While the trip is brief, it effectively bridges the gap between these two Minnesota communities through a mix of arterial roads and interstate travel.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 494 | 14.4 mi | 18m |
| Cedar Avenue South | 8.6 mi | 10m |
| Minnetonka Boulevard | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| McGinty Road West | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Shady Oak Road | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| County Road 42 | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
I 494
— 14.4 mi, about 18m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Minnetonka Mills, MN and Apple Valley, MN.
1
Start on CR 61
320 ft
·
16 sec
·
Shady Oak Road
2
Turn left onto CR 5; CR 61
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Minnetonka Boulevard
Use the straight lane.
3
Turn right onto CR 16
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
·
McGinty Road West
4
Take the ramp
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
Toward I 494 South
5
Merge onto I 494
14 mi
·
18 min
·
I 494
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
Exit 2C
Toward MN 77 South
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
Toward MN 77 South: Killebrew Drive
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
8
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi
·
55 sec
Toward MN 77 South
9
Merge onto MN 77
8.6 mi
·
10 min
·
Cedar Avenue South
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Arrive at destination
CR 42
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 85 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 15.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
CR 5; CR 61 / Minnetonka Boulevard
Turn left onto CR 5; CR 61 / Minnetonka Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
5
1 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Take the ramp toward I 494 South
Navigation decision point
Toward I 494 South
5
1.1 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
I 494
Merge onto I 494
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
15.6 mi into trip
|
~20m in
Take the exit toward MN 77 South
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 2C
Toward MN 77 South
8
15.9 mi into trip
|
~21m in
Keep slight right at fork toward MN 77 South: Killebrew Drive
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
Toward MN 77 South: Killebrew Drive
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.74 one way
$7.47 round trip
$3.78/gal
25.4 MPG avg
9 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.07 | $4.02 | $8.05 |
| premium | $4.53 | $4.48 | $8.96 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.54 | $11.08 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 8.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7.5 | 0 | $2.64 | $1.20 |
| Efficient EV | 6.3 | 0 | $2.20 | $1.00 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 10 | 0 | $3.51 | $1.61 |
Gas CO2
9 kg
EV CO2
3 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
Apple Valley, MN
Night in Apple Valley on Saturday
Local time
11:41 PM
CDT
Current temp
66°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
5 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
33m 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 mixed driving experience that transitions from local streets to major highway corridors. Roughly 57% of your travel occurs on highways, including a significant 14.4-mile stretch along I-494. This segment provides the bulk of the speed and consistency for the trip. Once you exit the interstate, the character of the road shifts as you navigate onto Cedar Avenue South and Minnetonka Boulevard. You will find that the rhythm of the drive changes as you move from the high-capacity flow of the highway into the more varied pacing of local road segments.
57% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
10 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 14.4 mi on I 494.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
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 0.1 miles in near CR 5; CR 61 / Minnetonka Boulevard.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 8 decision points packed into just 25.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 33m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (CR 5; CR 61 / Minnetonka Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 1 miles: Navigation decision point; at 1.1 miles (I 494): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 33m. Total distance: 25.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
33m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (57%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 14.4 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 Apple Valley, 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 0.1 miles (CR 5; CR 61 / Minnetonka Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 1 miles: Navigation decision point; at 1.1 miles (I 494): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Apple Valley, 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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