Origin
Saint Cloud, MN
Evening in Saint Cloud on Wednesday
Local time
7:27 PM
CDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Saint Cloud, MN to Rush City, MN
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 10, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 37m
Distance
73 mi
118 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$12
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 30m
★
6 AM
1h 37m
8 AM
1h 52m
10 AM
1h 42m
12 PM
1h 41m
3 PM
1h 43m
5 PM
1h 51m
8 PM
1h 33m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Saint Cloud, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Rush City, MN
Tom Fisk
Trip Overview
Saint Cloud to Rush City is 73 miles and takes about 1 hour 37 minutes via Highway 95 Northeast, with a fuel budget near $12 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Minnesota, traversing the Midwest region. It's a straightforward drive that connects two points without significant detours. Given its short duration, it's ideal for a single-day excursion, allowing plenty of time for your destination or any spontaneous stops along the way. Consider this a simple point-to-point connection for your travel plans.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
36.5 miles from Saint Cloud, MN
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 48m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Highway 95 Northeast | 23.2 mi | 29m |
| Highway 95 Northwest | 12.9 mi | 16m |
| State Highway 95 | 12.5 mi | 16m |
| I 35 | 11.6 mi | 12m |
| 3rd Street Southeast | 5.3 mi | 7m |
| 1st Avenue West | 2.8 mi | 5m |
| Saint Croix Trail | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| West 4th Street | 1.1 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
Highway 95 Northeast
— 23.2 mi, about 29m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Saint Cloud, MN and Rush City, MN.
1
Start on Courthouse Square
7 ft
·
2 sec
·
Courthouse Square
2
Turn right onto 8th Avenue North
253 ft
·
13 sec
·
8th Avenue North
3
Turn right onto 2nd Street North
393 ft
·
9 sec
·
2nd Street North
4
Continue on 1st Street North
0.1 mi
·
21 sec
·
1st Street North
5
Turn right onto 5th Avenue North
0.2 mi
·
39 sec
·
5th Avenue North
6
Turn left onto MN 23
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
2nd Street South
7
Continue on MN 23
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
·
Granite City Crossing
8
Continue on MN 23
5.3 mi
·
7 min
·
3rd Street Southeast
9
Turn right onto MN 95
0.6 mi
·
48 sec
·
15th Street Northeast
10
Continue on MN 95
14 mi
·
16 min
·
Highway 95 Northeast
11
Continue on MN 95
7.7 mi
·
9 min
·
State Highway 95
12
Enter roundabout onto MN 95
120 ft
·
2 sec
·
State Highway 95
13
Continue on MN 95
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
State Highway 95
14
Enter roundabout onto MN 95
112 ft
·
2 sec
·
State Highway 95
15
Continue on MN 95
3.5 mi
·
4 min
·
State Highway 95
16
Continue on MN 95
5.9 mi
·
7 min
·
Highway 95 Northwest
17
Enter roundabout onto MN 95
135 ft
·
2 sec
·
Highway 95 Northwest
18
Continue on MN 95
6.9 mi
·
8 min
·
Highway 95 Northwest
19
Continue on MN 95
2.8 mi
·
5 min
·
1st Avenue West
20
Continue on MN 95
9.6 mi
·
12 min
·
Highway 95 Northeast
21
Continue on MN 95
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Saint Croix Trail
Use the straight lane.
22
Turn left
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
Toward I 35 North: Duluth
Use the left lane.
23
Merge onto I 35
12 mi
·
12 min
·
I 35
24
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
Toward CR 1: Rush City
25
Turn right onto West 4th Street
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
West 4th Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
26
Turn left onto South Eliot Avenue
277 ft
·
12 sec
·
South Eliot Avenue
27
Arrive at destination
South Eliot Avenue
Trip Plan
With only a 1 hour and 37 minute drive, you have a lot of flexibility in planning your departure. Leaving Saint Cloud in the morning allows you to arrive in Rush City with ample time for activities. Since the total distance is just 73 miles, you won't need to worry about long stretches without fuel options. The estimated fuel cost is around $12, so keep that in mind for your budget. Plan for a single stop at most, perhaps midway, to stretch your legs. A good tip is to check the specific signage for Highway 95 as it may change designations, ensuring you stay on the correct path to Rush City.
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 36.5 miles from Saint Cloud, MN, or about 48m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 23.2 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 16 miles or 21m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 36.5 miles or 48m 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 23m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Rush City, 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 73 miles and 1h 37m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 16 miles from Saint Cloud, MN.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Highway 95 Northeast for about 23.2 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
37 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 16 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 36.5 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 135 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 71.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
2nd Street North
Turn right onto 2nd Street North
Navigation decision point
5
0.3 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
5th Avenue North
Turn right onto 5th Avenue North
Navigation decision point
5
38.7 mi into trip
|
~51m in
|
MN 95 / Highway 95 Northwest
Enter roundabout onto MN 95 / Highway 95 Northwest
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
6
59.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 20m in
Turn left toward I 35 North: Duluth
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward I 35 North: Duluth
5
71.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 34m in
|
West 4th Street
Turn right onto West 4th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$11.92 one way
$23.83 round trip
$4.15/gal
25.4 MPG avg
26 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.46 | $12.82 | $25.65 |
| premium | $4.95 | $14.24 | $28.47 |
| diesel | $5.97 | $17.15 | $34.30 |
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: 25.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-09-07.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 21.9 | 0 | $7.67 | $3.50 |
| Efficient EV | 18.3 | 0 | $6.39 | $2.92 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 29.2 | 0 | $10.22 | $4.67 |
Gas CO2
26 kg
EV CO2
9 kg (65% 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
Rush City, MN
Evening in Rush City on Wednesday
Local time
7:27 PM
CDT
Current temp
64°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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 cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 37m 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 highway driving, with 82% of the trip on major roads. You'll encounter a longest stretch of 23.2 miles on Highway 95 Northeast, offering a solid period of consistent cruising. The majority of your travel will be on State Highway 95, which transitions between sections designated as Highway 95 Northeast and Highway 95 Northwest. Expect a fairly open road feel for most of the 73 miles, with fewer immediate exits than you might find in a more urban corridor.
82% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
27 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 23.2 mi on Highway 95 Northeast.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Highway 95 Northeast and Highway 95 Northwest. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near 2nd Street North.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 37m drive. You will face about 13 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 (2nd Street North): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (5th Avenue North): Navigation decision point; at 38.7 miles (MN 95 / Highway 95 Northwest): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
1,096 ft
914 ft
Total Climb
107 ft
Total Descent
216 ft
Highest Point
1,096 ft
~10.4 mi in
Elevation Range
182 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 Rush City, MN
Full guide →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 1h 37m. Total distance: 73 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 37m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (82%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 23.2 miles on Highway 95 Northeast. 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 (2nd Street North): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (5th Avenue North): Navigation decision point; at 38.7 miles (MN 95 / Highway 95 Northwest): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Rush City, 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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