Origin
North Mankato, MN
Night in North Mankato on Tuesday
Local time
11:49 PM
CDT
Current temp
83°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from North Mankato, MN to Eden Prairie, MN
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 2, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 23m
Distance
64.1 mi
103 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 17m
★
6 AM
1h 23m
8 AM
1h 36m
10 AM
1h 28m
12 PM
1h 26m
3 PM
1h 28m
5 PM
1h 35m
8 PM
1h 19m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
North Mankato, MN
Tom Fisk
Eden Prairie, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
North Mankato, MN to Eden Prairie, MN is 64.1 miles and takes about 1h 23m via US 169, with a fuel budget near $9 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Minnesota, moving from the Midwest region to the Midwest region. You'll primarily be on surface roads for this drive, making it a straightforward option. With no overnight stay recommended, this is a convenient day trip for anyone looking to cover a moderate distance without extensive highway driving. Consider this a practical option for connecting these two Minnesota communities.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 169 | 42.9 mi | 51m |
| US 212 | 9.5 mi | 10m |
| Quaker Avenue | 5.4 mi | 8m |
| Jonathan Carver Parkway | 1.9 mi | 2m |
| Scenic Heights Road | 1 mi | 2m |
| County Road 40 | 0.6 mi | <1m |
| US 14 | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Lor Ray Drive | 0.5 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
US 169
— 42.9 mi, about 51m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between North Mankato, MN and Eden Prairie, MN.
1
Start on Lee Boulevard
51 ft
·
8 sec
·
Lee Boulevard
2
Turn left onto Lor Ray Drive
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Lor Ray Drive
3
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
32 sec
4
Merge onto US 14
0.5 mi
·
36 sec
·
US 14
5
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward US 169, MN 60: Minneapolis, Mankato, North Mankato
6
Merge onto US 169
21 mi
·
26 min
·
US 169
Use the straight lane.
7
Continue on US 169; MN 93
12 mi
·
13 min
·
US 169; MN 93
Use the straight lane.
8
Continue on US 169
9.6 mi
·
11 min
·
US 169
Use the straight lane.
9
Turn left onto CR 9
5.4 mi
·
8 min
·
Quaker Avenue
10
At end of road, turn right onto CR 11; CR 40
0.6 mi
·
52 sec
·
County Road 40
11
Continue on CR 11
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Jonathan Carver Parkway
12
Enter roundabout onto CR 11
99 ft
·
1 sec
·
Jonathan Carver Parkway
13
Continue on CR 11
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Jonathan Carver Parkway
14
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
55 sec
Toward US 212 East
15
Merge onto US 212
9.5 mi
·
10 min
·
US 212
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
1 min
Toward CR 4: Eden Prairie Road
Use the slight right lane.
17
Turn right onto CR 4
424 ft
·
11 sec
·
Eden Prairie Road
18
Turn left onto Scenic Heights Road
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Scenic Heights Road
19
Arrive at destination
Scenic Heights Road
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
32 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 14 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 32 miles from North Mankato, 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 115 decision points cluster between mile 0.5 and 62.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.5 mi into trip
|
~1m in
Take the ramp
Navigation decision point
5
1.3 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Take the exit toward US 169, MN 60: Minneapolis, Mankato, North Mankato
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 169, MN 60: Minneapolis, Mankato, Nor...
5
1.8 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
US 169
Merge onto US 169
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
5
53.1 mi into trip
|
~1h 8m in
|
US 212
Merge onto US 212
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
62.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 19m in
Take the exit toward CR 4: Eden Prairie Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward CR 4: Eden Prairie Road
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.15 one way
$20.30 round trip
$4.02/gal
25.4 MPG avg
22 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.28 | $10.81 | $21.62 |
| premium | $4.85 | $12.23 | $24.47 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $14.13 | $28.26 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 22.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 19.2 | 0 | $6.73 | $3.08 |
| Efficient EV | 16 | 0 | $5.61 | $2.56 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 25.6 | 0 | $8.97 | $4.10 |
Gas CO2
22 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (68% 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
Eden Prairie, MN
Night in Eden Prairie on Tuesday
Local time
11:49 PM
CDT
Current temp
81°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
81°F
Jordan, MN
32 mi in
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
2 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
1h 23m 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 route is 100% surface roads, meaning you won't encounter any limited-access highways. You'll be navigating local streets and US highways for the entire 64.1 miles, with your longest stretch likely being on US 169. Expect frequent intersections and traffic signals as you make your way through towns and developed areas. The drive begins on Lor Ray Drive and transitions to US 169, eventually involving Quaker Avenue.
86% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 42.9 mi on US 169.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 169 and US 212. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.5 miles in.
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 64.1 miles you will encounter 11 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: Navigation decision point; at 1.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.8 miles (US 169): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in North Mankato, MN
Full guide →Arriving in Eden Prairie, MN
Full guide →Founded 1858
Eden Prairie 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 23m. Total distance: 64.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 23m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (86%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 42.9 miles on US 169. 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: at 0.5 miles: Navigation decision point; at 1.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.8 miles (US 169): 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 Eden Prairie, 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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