Traveling the 102.8-mile path from Rochester to Maple Grove is a straightforward journey through the heart of the Midwest. You can expect to spend approximately 1 hour and 41 minutes on the road, making this an ideal day trip that requires no overnight stay. With a fuel budget of about $15, the route is both efficient and budget-friendly for a quick getaway. Because this trip stays entirely within Minnesota, you will remain within the same familiar regional landscape from start to finish. It is a practical choice if you are looking to bridge the distance between these two cities without committing to a multi-day expedition.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
50.9 miles from Rochester, MN
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 1m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US 52
65.8 mi
1h 16m
MN 55
13.2 mi
17m
I 494
11.6 mi
14m
Crosstown Highway
8.5 mi
10m
2nd Street Southwest
0.7 mi
2m
Bass Lake Road
0.6 mi
1m
3rd Street Southwest
0.2 mi
<1m
7th Avenue Southwest
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
US 52
— 65.8 mi, about 1h 16m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Rochester, MN and Maple Grove, MN.
1
Start on 5th Avenue Southwest
403 ft·15 sec·5th Avenue Southwest
2
Turn right onto 3rd Street Southwest
0.2 mi·26 sec·3rd Street Southwest
3
Turn right onto 7th Avenue Southwest
404 ft·15 sec·7th Avenue Southwest
4
Turn left onto 2nd Street Southwest
0.7 mi·2 min·2nd Street Southwest
5
Turn right onto 17th Avenue Southwest
150 ft·3 sec·17th Avenue Southwest
Use the right lane.
6
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi·25 sec
Toward US 52 North, US 63 North, US 14 WestUse the slight left lane.
7
Merge onto US 52; US 14; US 63
0.3 mi·24 sec·US 52; US 14; US 63
8
Continue on US 52; US 63
17 mi·19 min·US 52; US 63
9
Continue on US 52
9.1 mi·10 min·US 52
Use the straight lane.
10
Continue on US 52
40 mi·45 min·US 52
Use the straight lane.
11
Keep slight left at fork onto MN 55
13 mi·17 min·MN 55
Exit 121Toward MN 55 West: MinneapolisUse the slight left / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight left at fork onto MN 62
8.5 mi·10 min·Crosstown Highway
Toward I 35W South, MN 62Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.1 mi·16 sec
Toward I 494 North
14
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi·48 sec
Toward I 494 North
15
Merge onto I 494
12 mi·14 min·I 494
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Take the exit
0.3 mi·36 sec
Exit 26Toward CR 10: Bass Lake RoadUse the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Turn left onto CR 10
0.6 mi·1 min·Bass Lake Road
Use the left / straight lanes.
18
Arrive at destination
CR 10
Trip Plan
Since this is a relatively short trip, you have the flexibility to plan your departure around your personal schedule. We recommend checking your navigation settings before you head out, as the reliance on local streets means you should keep a close eye on your turn-by-turn directions. Because there are no formal stops scheduled along the 102.8-mile distance, consider fueling up in Rochester before you leave to ensure your $15 budget covers the full duration without interruption. Take advantage of the lack of highway miles to enjoy a more relaxed pace, but stay prepared for the frequent turns that define this specific path.
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.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 50.9 miles from Rochester, MN, or about 1h 1m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 65.8 miles.
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 22 miles or 27m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 50.9 miles or 1h 1m 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 40m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Maple Grove, MN than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Rochester, MN so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Rochester, MN
This is one driving day of about 101.8 miles and 2h 5m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 22 miles from Rochester, MN.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on US 52 for about 65.8 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 12
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 100.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|3rd Street Southwest
Turn right onto 3rd Street Southwest
Navigation decision point
9
1.1 mi into trip|~3m in
Keep slight left at fork toward US 52 North, US 63 North, US 14 West
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Toward US 52 North, US 63 North, US 14 West
8
67 mi into trip|~1h 19m in|MN 55
Keep slight left at fork onto MN 55 toward MN 55 West: Minneapolis
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Exit 121
Toward MN 55 West: Minneapolis
8
80.3 mi into trip|~1h 36m in|MN 62 / Crosstown Highway
Keep slight left at fork onto MN 62 / Crosstown Highway toward I 35W South, MN 62
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 35W South, MN 62
7
100.9 mi into trip|~2h 3m in
Take the exit toward CR 10: Bass Lake Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 26
Toward CR 10: Bass Lake Road
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$15.15 one way
$30.30 round trip
$3.78/gal25.4 MPG avg36 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.07
$16.32
$32.65
premium
$4.53
$18.16
$36.33
diesel
$5.61
$22.48
$44.95
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$15
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$40–$65
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 35.6 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $11 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
30.5
0
$10.69
$4.89
Efficient EV
25.5
0
$8.91
$4.07
EV Truck/SUV
40.7
0
$14.25
$6.52
Gas CO2
36 kg
EV CO2
12 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.
Forecast as of Apr 20, 2026
Origin
Rochester, MN
Late night
in Rochester on Tuesday
Local time
5:27 AM
CDT
Current temp
57°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Maple Grove, MN
Late night
in Maple Grove on Tuesday
Local time
5:27 AM
CDT
Current temp
57°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
40°F
Empire, MN
51 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
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
2h 5m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive rather than a monotonous interstate cruise, as this route relies on navigating streets like 3rd Street Southwest, 7th Avenue Southwest, and 2nd Street Southwest. With a highway share of 0%, your focus will be on local maneuvering rather than high-speed highway merging. The road profile is characterized by frequent turns, meaning you will need to stay alert behind the wheel compared to a standard freeway trip. Since there are no long, uninterrupted stretches of highway, the drive maintains a steady, active pace from departure until you reach your destination.
89% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 65.8 mi on US 52.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 52 and MN 55. 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 3rd Street Southwest.
Driving Effort9/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 12 significant decision points across 101.8 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (3rd Street Southwest): Navigation decision point; at 1.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 67 miles (MN 55): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Rochester, Minnesota, about 80 miles (130 km) southeast of Minneapolis/St. Paul, is home to the Mayo Clinic. Rochester is cold in the winter and warm, and many times hot, in the summer. It has a population of 107,890 in the city limits, with more in the surrounding areas, but hosts millions of out-of-town visitors coming for treatment at the Mayo Clinic. Owing to the large number of visitors, Rochester has a well developed infrastructure and is much busier than other cities of its size.
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 5m. Total distance: 101.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 5m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (89%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 65.8 miles on US 52. 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 Maple Grove, MN before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (3rd Street Southwest): Navigation decision point; at 1.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 67 miles (MN 55): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Maple Grove, MN before heading back.
