Origin
Oak Park Heights, MN
Late night in Oak Park Heights on Sunday
Local time
3:08 AM
CDT
Current temp
45°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Oak Park Heights, 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
36m
Distance
25.8 mi
42 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 33m
★
6 AM
0h 37m
8 AM
0h 43m
10 AM
0h 39m
12 PM
0h 38m
3 PM
0h 39m
5 PM
0h 42m
8 PM
0h 35m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Oak Park Heights, MN
Tom Fisk
Trip Overview
Oak Park Heights to Minneapolis is 25.8 miles and takes about 36 minutes via MN 36 and I-35W, with a fuel budget near $4 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a quick, highway-focused hop within Minnesota, connecting two points in the Midwest. Expect a straightforward drive that's ideal for a same-day trip. It's a short distance, so you won't need to worry about extensive planning or overnight stays.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| MN 36 | 19.6 mi | 24m |
| I 35W | 4.2 mi | 5m |
| Washington Avenue South | 0.8 mi | 2m |
| 60th Street North (South Frontage Road) | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Penrose Avenue North | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Osgood Ave North | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| 57th Street North | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
MN 36
— 19.6 mi, about 24m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Oak Park Heights, MN and Minneapolis, MN.
1
Start on this road
45 ft
·
7 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left onto 57th Street North
72 ft
·
5 sec
·
57th Street North
3
Turn right onto Penrose Avenue North
0.2 mi
·
54 sec
·
Penrose Avenue North
4
At end of road, turn left onto CH 23
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
60th Street North (South Frontage Road)
5
Turn right
282 ft
·
20 sec
6
Turn right onto CH 24
224 ft
·
8 sec
·
Osgood Ave North
7
Turn left onto MN 36
20 mi
·
24 min
·
MN 36
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Merge onto I 35W
4.2 mi
·
5 min
·
I 35W
Use the straight lane.
9
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
42 sec
Exit 17C
Toward Washington Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
10
Turn right onto CR 152
0.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Washington Avenue South
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
11
Arrive at destination
CR 152
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 95 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 25.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
57th Street North
Turn left onto 57th Street North
Navigation decision point
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Penrose Avenue North
Turn right onto Penrose Avenue North
Navigation decision point
5
20.6 mi into trip
|
~28m in
|
I 35W
Merge onto I 35W
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
7
24.8 mi into trip
|
~33m 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
25.1 mi into trip
|
~34m 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
$3.84 one way
$7.68 round trip
$3.78/gal
25.4 MPG avg
9 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.07 | $4.14 | $8.27 |
| premium | $4.53 | $4.60 | $9.21 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.70 | $11.39 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 9 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 | 7.7 | 0 | $2.71 | $1.24 |
| Efficient EV | 6.5 | 0 | $2.26 | $1.03 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 10.3 | 0 | $3.61 | $1.65 |
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
Minneapolis, MN
Late night in Minneapolis on Sunday
Local time
3:08 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
22 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
36m 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 predominantly a highway drive, with 92% of it on major roadways. You'll spend a good portion of your time on MN 36, which accounts for the longest uninterrupted stretch at 19.6 miles. The journey transitions to I-35W, offering a consistent, high-speed experience for most of the trip. The profile suggests a focus on efficient travel rather than scenic byways, making it a predictable commute.
92% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
11 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 19.6 mi on MN 36.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on MN 36 and I 35W. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near 57th Street North.
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 25.8 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: near the start (57th Street North): Navigation decision point; near the start (Penrose Avenue North): Navigation decision point; at 20.6 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 36m. Total distance: 25.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
36m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (92%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 19.6 miles on MN 36. 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 (57th Street North): Navigation decision point; near the start (Penrose Avenue North): Navigation decision point; at 20.6 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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