Origin
Mounds View, MN
Afternoon in Mounds View on Sunday
Local time
4:58 PM
CDT
Current temp
66°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Mounds View, MN to Minneapolis, MN
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
18m
Distance
12.5 mi
20 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 17m
★
6 AM
0h 19m
8 AM
0h 22m
10 AM
0h 20m
12 PM
0h 20m
3 PM
0h 20m
5 PM
0h 22m
8 PM
0h 18m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Mounds View, MN
Tom Fisk
Trip Overview
This quick 12.5-mile drive from Mounds View to Minneapolis in Minnesota is easily manageable in about 15 minutes, making it a perfect candidate for a single-day trip. With a modest fuel cost estimated at $2, it's an economical choice for local travel. The route primarily utilizes local roads like Long Lake Road and Mounds View Boulevard, with a brief stint on I-35W South, but features a low highway percentage, indicating a more community-focused journey. Given its short distance and minimal duration, you won't need to consider overnight stays, and the lack of designated stops means flexibility is key. This drive stays within the Midwest region, offering a straightforward transition between two Minnesota locales.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 35W | 9.8 mi | 12m |
| Mounds View Boulevard | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| Washington Avenue South | 0.8 mi | 2m |
| Long Lake Road | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 35W
— 9.8 mi, about 12m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Mounds View, MN and Minneapolis, MN.
1
Start on CH 10
140 ft
·
11 sec
·
Mounds View Boulevard
2
Turn sharp left onto CH 45
107 ft
·
6 sec
·
Long Lake Road
Use the left lane.
3
Turn left onto CH 10
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Mounds View Boulevard
Use the left lane.
4
Continue on this road
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
this road
Toward I 35W South, US 10 East
Use the left lane.
5
Merge onto I 35W
9.8 mi
·
12 min
·
I 35W
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
42 sec
Exit 17C
Toward Washington Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
7
Turn right onto CR 152
0.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Washington Avenue South
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
8
Arrive at destination
CR 152
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 65 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 11.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
CH 45 / Long Lake Road
Turn sharp left onto CH 45 / Long Lake Road
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
CH 10 / Mounds View Boulevard
Turn left onto CH 10 / Mounds View Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
1.7 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
I 35W
Merge onto I 35W
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
11.5 mi into trip
|
~15m in
Take the exit toward Washington Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 17C
Toward Washington Avenue
6
11.8 mi into trip
|
~16m in
|
CR 152 / Washington Avenue South
Turn right onto CR 152 / Washington Avenue South
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.86 one way
$3.72 round trip
$3.78/gal
25.4 MPG avg
4 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.07 | $2.00 | $4.01 |
| premium | $4.53 | $2.23 | $4.46 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.76 | $5.52 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 4.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 75% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3.8 | 0 | $1.31 | $0.60 |
| Efficient EV | 3.1 | 0 | $1.09 | $0.50 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 5 | 0 | $1.75 | $0.80 |
Gas CO2
4 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (75% 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
Minneapolis, MN
Afternoon in Minneapolis on Sunday
Local time
4:58 PM
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
1 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
18m 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 for most of this 12.5-mile journey. With 0% highway share, you'll be navigating through residential and commercial areas, relying on roads like Long Lake Road and Mounds View Boulevard. The longest uninterrupted stretch is not specified, but the 'turn-heavy' profile suggests frequent intersections and changes in direction rather than long, open stretches. This means you'll be actively engaged with the road, making it feel like a typical urban or suburban commute rather than a leisurely cruise. The drive progresses by taking you through the heart of local communities.
78% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
8 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 9.8 mi on I 35W.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 35W and Mounds View Boulevard. You will hit about 6 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near CH 45 / Long Lake Road.
Driving Effort
5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 12.5 miles you will encounter 6 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: near the start (CH 45 / Long Lake Road): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach. Lane positioning matters here; near the start (CH 10 / Mounds View Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.7 miles (I 35W): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Arriving in Minneapolis, MN
Full guide →Minneapolis is a city of about 430,000 people (2019) and the largest city in Minnesota. Along with neighboring Saint Paul, it forms the urban core of the Twin Cities region, the third largest metropolitan area in the Midwest after Chicago and Detroit.
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 18m. Total distance: 12.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
18m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (78%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 9.8 miles on I 35W. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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: near the start (CH 45 / Long Lake Road): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach. Lane positioning matters here; near the start (CH 10 / Mounds View Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.7 miles (I 35W): 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 Minneapolis, 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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