Origin
Saint Cloud, MN
Morning in Saint Cloud on Sunday
Local time
9:39 AM
CDT
Current temp
67°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Saint Cloud, MN to French Lake, MN
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
46m
Distance
32.5 mi
52 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 43m
★
6 AM
0h 47m
8 AM
0h 55m
10 AM
0h 49m
12 PM
0h 49m
3 PM
0h 50m
5 PM
0h 54m
8 PM
0h 44m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Saint Cloud, MN
Wikimedia Commons
French Lake, MN
Tom Fisk
Trip Overview
Saint Cloud to French Lake is 32.5 miles and takes about 46 minutes via MN-15 S, MN 24, and County Road 3 Northwest, with a fuel budget near $5 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within Minnesota's Midwest region, offering a straightforward drive. It's a quick connection between two points, ideal for those who need to get from the Saint Cloud area to French Lake without a significant time commitment. You'll primarily be on established state and county roads for this entire trip.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| MN-15 S | 18.2 mi | 23m |
| MN 24 | 6.8 mi | 8m |
| County Road 3 Northwest | 3.7 mi | 6m |
| Oliver Avenue Northwest | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| 3rd Street North | 1.6 mi | 3m |
| 2nd Street North | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| 16th Avenue North | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| 8th Avenue North | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
MN-15 S
— 18.2 mi, about 23m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Saint Cloud, MN and French Lake, 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
18 mi
·
23 min
·
MN-15 S
Use the straight lane.
7
Turn sharp left onto MN 24; MN 55
6.8 mi
·
8 min
·
MN 24; MN 55
8
Turn right onto CR 3
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
·
County Road 3 Northwest
9
Continue on CR 3
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Oliver Avenue Northwest
10
Continue on CR 3
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
County Road 3 Northwest
11
Continue on CR 3
0.5 mi
·
54 sec
·
Oliver Avenue Northwest
12
Continue on CR 3
2.3 mi
·
4 min
·
County Road 3 Northwest
13
Arrive at destination
CR 3
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
16 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 32.5 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 16.3 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 75 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 20.4 — 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.
5
20.4 mi into trip
|
~28m in
|
MN 24; MN 55
Turn sharp left onto MN 24; MN 55
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.84 one way
$9.67 round trip
$3.78/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.07 | $5.21 | $10.42 |
| premium | $4.53 | $5.80 | $11.60 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.18 | $14.35 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.8 | 0 | $3.41 | $1.56 |
| Efficient EV | 8.1 | 0 | $2.84 | $1.30 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 13 | 0 | $4.55 | $2.08 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (64% 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
French Lake, MN
Morning in French Lake on Sunday
Local time
9:39 AM
CDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
68°F
Rockville, MN
16 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
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
46m 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 mostly highway, with 77% of the 32.5 miles taking place on higher-speed roads. You'll experience an 18.2-mile stretch on MN-15 S before transitioning to other state and county routes. Expect a mix of cruising on the highway and navigating through more local roads as you approach French Lake. The latter part of the drive will likely feel more rural.
77% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 18.2 mi on MN-15 S.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on MN-15 S and MN 24. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near 8th Avenue North.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 46m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
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.
About the Cities
Starting in Saint Cloud, MN
Full guide →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.
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 46m. Total distance: 32.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
46m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (77%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 18.2 miles on MN-15 S. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 1 rest area or service plaza within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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 French Lake, 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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