If you are planning a trip from Saint Cloud to Birchwood, Minnesota, expect a straightforward journey covering 77.3 miles. You should budget approximately 1 hour and 33 minutes of drive time for this trek across the Midwest. Given the manageable duration, this route works perfectly as a quick day trip rather than an overnight excursion. You can anticipate spending about $11 on fuel for the entire distance. Since the route utilizes local roads like 1st Street North, 9th Avenue North, and West Saint Germain Street, you will stay off the major interstates entirely. This trip is an ideal choice if you prefer local navigation over high-speed highway travel.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
38.7 miles from Saint Cloud, MN
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 47m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 94
52.3 mi
57m
I 694
16.8 mi
19m
Roosevelt Road
3.9 mi
6m
East County Line Road
1 mi
2m
North Century Avenue
0.9 mi
1m
Washington Memorial Drive
0.7 mi
1m
West Saint Germain Street
0.5 mi
1m
Cedar Street
0.4 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
I 94
— 52.3 mi, about 57m
Traffic on I-94
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 24 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~3,434 veh/hr typical
· worst 3,965
Quietest
2 AM
~208 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
16.5×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 47 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Saint Cloud, MN and Birchwood, MN.
1
Start on Courthouse Square
270 ft·13 sec·Courthouse Square
2
Turn right onto 1st Street North
215 ft·14 sec·1st Street North
3
Turn left onto 9th Avenue North
399 ft·13 sec·9th Avenue North
4
Turn right onto West Saint Germain Street
0.5 mi·1 min·West Saint Germain Street
5
Turn left onto Washington Memorial Drive
0.7 mi·1 min·Washington Memorial Drive
6
Turn left onto CR 75
3.9 mi·6 min·Roosevelt Road
7
Take the ramp
0.4 mi·49 sec
8
Merge onto I 94
52 mi·57 min·I 94
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight left at fork onto I 694
12 mi·12 min·I 694
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight left at fork onto I 694
1.3 mi·1 min·I 694
11
Keep slight right at fork onto I 694
3.8 mi·4 min·I 694
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.3 mi·35 sec
Exit 51Toward MN 120: Century AvenueUse the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Turn left onto MN 120
0.9 mi·1 min·North Century Avenue
Use the left / straight lanes.
14
Continue on MN 120
1.0 mi·2 min·East County Line Road
15
Turn right onto Cedar Street
0.4 mi·54 sec·Cedar Street
16
Continue on Cedar Street
298 ft·14 sec·Cedar Street
17
Turn right onto Wildwood Avenue
56 ft·8 sec·Wildwood Avenue
18
Turn left
90 ft·6 sec
19
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
Because this is a relatively short 1.5-hour drive, you have plenty of flexibility to plan your departure around your personal schedule. Since there are 0 planned stops in the data, try to handle any refueling or personal breaks before you head out or once you arrive at your destination. Keep a close eye on your GPS, as the heavy reliance on local roads like West Saint Germain Street means you will be making frequent turns throughout the journey. Carrying the estimated $11 in fuel costs is a smart baseline, though keeping a little extra for local traffic variations is always a good idea. Take advantage of the lack of highway monotony by staying refreshed and ready for the constant turns.
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 38.7 miles from Saint Cloud, MN, or about 47m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 52.3 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 17 miles or 23m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 38.7 miles or 47m 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 17m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Birchwood, MN than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Saint Cloud, MN so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Saint Cloud, MN
This is one driving day of about 77.3 miles and 1h 33m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 17 miles from Saint Cloud, MN.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 94 for about 52.3 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 13
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 74.7 — 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|1st Street North
Turn right onto 1st Street North
Navigation decision point
5
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|9th Avenue North
Turn left onto 9th Avenue North
Navigation decision point
6
57.9 mi into trip|~1h 8m in|I 694
Keep slight left at fork onto I 694
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
70.9 mi into trip|~1h 22m in|I 694
Keep slight right at fork onto I 694
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
74.7 mi into trip|~1h 27m in
Take the exit toward MN 120: Century Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 51
Toward MN 120: Century Avenue
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$11.61 one way
$23.22 round trip
$3.82/gal25.4 MPG avg27 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.12
$12.54
$25.07
premium
$4.60
$14.00
$28.00
diesel
$4.80
$14.60
$29.19
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$12
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$37–$62
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 27 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
23.2
0
$8.12
$3.71
Efficient EV
19.3
0
$6.76
$3.09
EV Truck/SUV
30.9
0
$10.82
$4.95
Gas CO2
27 kg
EV CO2
9 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 Jul 16, 2026
Origin
Saint Cloud, MN
Afternoon
in Saint Cloud on Sunday
Local time
12:40 PM
CDT
Current temp
66°F
Smoke
ENE 0 to 5 mph1% chanceLive forecast
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 15 at 2:44PM CDT until July 16 at 10:00PM CDT by NWS Aberdeen SD
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 15 at 1:58PM CDT until July 15 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS La Crosse WI
Destination
Birchwood, MN
Afternoon
in Birchwood on Sunday
Local time
12:40 PM
CDT
Current temp
70°F
Areas Of Smoke
ENE 0 to 5 mph4% chanceLive forecast
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 15 at 2:44PM CDT until July 16 at 10:00PM CDT by NWS Aberdeen SD
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 15 at 1:58PM CDT until July 15 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS La Crosse WI
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
4 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
1h 33m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
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 that feels quite different from a standard interstate cruise. Because the highway share is 0%, your focus will remain on navigating local streets rather than maintaining high speeds on a freeway. You will find yourself constantly adjusting to the flow of local traffic, as there is no single long stretch of road; in fact, the longest uninterrupted segment is 0 miles on 1st Street North. This character makes the journey feel more like a series of connected local segments than a singular open-road experience. Stay alert at intersections and be prepared for a drive that demands your full attention behind the wheel.
89% 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: 52.3 mi on I 94.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 94 and I 694. 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 1st Street North.
Driving Effort7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 77.3 miles you will encounter 13 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 0.1 miles (1st Street North): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (9th Avenue North): Navigation decision point; at 57.9 miles (I 694): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Saint Cloud is a city in Central Minnesota with a population of 68,000 (2018). Although it may have few attractions to draw the tourist, it is a nexus of medical advances, particularly in orthopedics (St. Cloud Orthopedics Associates, for example). It is also a college town as it is home to St. Cloud State University and St Cloud Technical College. The College of St. Benedict and St. John's University are nearby.
Top landmarks
•Michael Majerus House — House in St. Cloud, Minnesota, United States
•Carter Block — building in St. Cloud, Minnesota, United States
•First National Bank — historic bank building in St. Cloud, Minnesota, United States
This 77.3-mile drive is an easy same-day round trip from Saint Cloud to Birchwood, perfect for a quick weekend getaway with no breaks needed. You'll mostly be on the highway, making for a straightforward drive back.
Family Friendly
This 77.3-mile drive is short enough for kids, but the 7/10 complexity might make navigation a bit challenging for the driver. Thankfully, it's a quick trip, clocking in at just 1 hour and 33 minutes.
Solo Traveler
At 77.3 miles and just over 1.5 hours, this route is comfortable for a solo traveler. With 89% highway driving, it's a pretty engaging cruise, though the 7/10 complexity might keep you on your toes.
First-Time Driver
This route is a good option for a first-time driver, as it's mostly highway driving (89%) and a manageable 77.3 miles. The 1 hour 33 minute duration is also a plus, though the 7/10 complexity rating means you'll want to pay attention.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 52.3 miles on I 94. 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 Birchwood, 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 (1st Street North): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (9th Avenue North): Navigation decision point; at 57.9 miles (I 694): 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 Birchwood, MN before heading back.
