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Trip from Saint Cloud, MN to Cokato, MN

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 4, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

57m

Distance

43.7 mi

70 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$7

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 14 min
4 AM
0h 53m ★
6 AM
0h 58m
8 AM
1h 7m
10 AM
1h 1m
12 PM
1h 0m
3 PM
1h 2m
5 PM
1h 7m
8 PM
0h 55m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time
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city on tripoint of Benton, Sherburne and Stearns Counties in Minnesota, United States

Saint Cloud, MN

Wikimedia Commons

city in Wright County, Minnesota, United States

Cokato, MN

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Saint Cloud, MN to Cokato, MN covers 43.7 miles and takes about 57m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on MN-15 S, 50th Street Southwest, US 12 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 34.6 miles on MN-15 S. At current regular gas prices, budget about $6.92 one way before food or hotel costs.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
MN-15 S 34.6 mi 44m
50th Street Southwest 2.7 mi 3m
US 12 2 mi 2m
3rd Street North 1.6 mi 3m
Parker Avenue West 1.3 mi 1m
2nd Street North 0.5 mi 1m
Cokato Street West 0.5 mi <1m
Broadway Avenue South 0.3 mi <1m
Longest stretch: MN-15 S — 34.6 mi, about 44m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Saint Cloud, MN and Cokato, MN.

1

Start on Courthouse Square

7 ft · 2 sec · Courthouse Square
2

Turn right onto 8th Avenue North

253 ft · 16 sec · 8th Avenue North
3

Turn left onto 2nd Street North

0.5 mi · 1 min · 2nd Street North
4

Turn right onto 16th Avenue North

407 ft · 16 sec · 16th Avenue North
5

Turn left onto 3rd Street North

1.6 mi · 3 min · 3rd Street North
6

Turn left onto MN 15

35 mi · 44 min · MN-15 S
Use the straight lane.
7

Turn left onto US 12

1.3 mi · 1 min · Parker Avenue West
8

Continue on US 12

2.0 mi · 2 min · US 12
9

Continue on US 12

2.7 mi · 3 min · 50th Street Southwest
10

Continue on US 12

0.5 mi · 38 sec · Cokato Street West
11

Turn right onto CR 3

0.3 mi · 30 sec · Broadway Avenue South
12

Arrive at destination

CR 3

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Downtown Kingston, MN, MN

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Kingston, MN

22 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

Rockville, MN

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Kingston, MN

Meal break

The midpoint is around 21.8 miles from Saint Cloud, 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 7

5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 36.9 — 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 | 8th Avenue North

Turn right onto 8th Avenue North

Navigation decision point

4
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | 2nd Street North

Turn left onto 2nd Street North

Navigation decision point

4
0.6 mi into trip | ~1m in | 16th Avenue North

Turn right onto 16th Avenue North

Navigation decision point

6
2.2 mi into trip | ~5m in | MN 15 / MN-15 S

Turn left onto MN 15 / MN-15 S

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight lane.
4
36.9 mi into trip | ~49m in | US 12 / Parker Avenue West

Turn left onto US 12 / Parker Avenue West

Navigation decision point

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$6.92 one way

$13.84 round trip

$4.02/gal 25.4 MPG avg 15 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.28 $7.37 $14.74
premium $4.85 $8.34 $16.68
diesel $5.60 $9.63 $19.27

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$7

Estimated CO2 emission: 15.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.

Driving Electric?

About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 13.1 0 $4.59 $2.10
Efficient EV 10.9 0 $3.82 $1.75
EV Truck/SUV 17.5 0 $6.12 $2.80

Gas CO2

15 kg

EV CO2

5 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 Sep 2, 2026

Origin

Saint Cloud, MN

Afternoon in Saint Cloud on Friday

Local time

3:17 PM

CDT

Current temp

63°F

Chance Rain Showers

0 mph 52% chance Live forecast

Severe Thunderstorm Warning

Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued September 2 at 12:58AM CDT until September 2 at 1:45AM CDT by NWS La Crosse WI

Severe Thunderstorm Watch

Severe Thunderstorm Watch issued September 2 at 12:45AM CDT until September 2 at 6:00AM CDT by NWS La Crosse WI

Destination

Cokato, MN

Afternoon in Cokato on Friday

Local time

3:17 PM

CDT

Current temp

63°F

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

0 mph 59% chance Live forecast

Severe Thunderstorm Warning

Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued September 2 at 12:58AM CDT until September 2 at 1:45AM CDT by NWS La Crosse WI

Severe Thunderstorm Watch

Severe Thunderstorm Watch issued September 2 at 12:45AM CDT until September 2 at 6:00AM CDT by NWS La Crosse WI

55°F

Kingston, MN

22 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

Very similar conditions

Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.

Road read

57m 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.

What kind of drive is this?

43.7 mi in 57m, mostly highway — 34.6 mi of that is on MN-15 S.

84% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 34.6 mi on MN-15 S.

How Hard Is This Drive?

2/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on MN-15 S and 50th Street Southwest. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near 8th Avenue North.

Driving Effort 2/10

Very easy - short and simple to drive

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

The drive from Saint Cloud, MN to Cokato, MN is easy. At 57m with 84% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: near the start (8th Avenue North): Navigation decision point; near the start (2nd Street North): Navigation decision point; at 0.6 miles (16th Avenue North): Navigation decision point.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

1,172 ft 1,020 ft

Total Climb

240 ft

Total Descent

216 ft

Highest Point

1,172 ft

~18.7 mi in

Elevation Range

152 ft

About the Cities

Starting in Saint Cloud, MN

Full guide →

Founded 1856

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

Arriving in Cokato, MN

Full guide →

Founded 1869

Top landmarks

  • • Cokato Museum & Gust Akerlund Studio — Museum in Cokato, Minnesota, United States

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 57m. Total distance: 43.7 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

57m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (84%). Straightforward navigation.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 34.6 miles on MN-15 S. 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 (8th Avenue North): Navigation decision point; near the start (2nd Street North): Navigation decision point; at 0.6 miles (16th Avenue North): Navigation decision point.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Cokato, 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, EIA for fuel prices, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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