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Trip from Saint Cloud, MN to Shorewood, MN

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jul 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 26m

Distance

70.2 mi

113 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$11

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 20 min
4 AM
1h 19m ★
6 AM
1h 26m
8 AM
1h 39m
10 AM
1h 31m
12 PM
1h 29m
3 PM
1h 31m
5 PM
1h 39m
8 PM
1h 22m

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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Download GPX
city on tripoint of Benton, Sherburne and Stearns Counties in Minnesota, United States

Saint Cloud, MN

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Shorewood, MN, MN

Shorewood, MN

Tom Fisk

Trip Overview

Saint Cloud, MN to Shorewood, MN is 70.2 miles and takes about 1h 26m via I 94, I 494, and MN-7, with a fuel budget near $10 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Minnesota, connecting two points in the Midwest region. It's a straightforward drive that’s primarily on major highways, making it a simple option for a quick transfer or a day trip. You'll spend most of your time on well-maintained interstates, so expect a predictable and efficient commute. Given the short duration, it’s ideal for a same-day trip, allowing you to maximize your time at your destination.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 94 45.4 mi 48m
I 494 11.1 mi 13m
Minnesota State Highway 7 5.9 mi 8m
Roosevelt Road 3.9 mi 6m
Washington Memorial Drive 0.7 mi 1m
Smithtown Road 0.7 mi 1m
West Saint Germain Street 0.5 mi 1m
Oak Street 0.5 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 94 — 45.4 mi, about 48m

Traffic on I-94

Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 19 FHWA count stations on your route.

Peak

4 PM

~3,094 veh/hr typical · worst 3,644

Quietest

2 AM

~163 veh/hr

Peak-to-quiet ratio

19×

busier at peak than in the quiet hours

12a 6a noon 6p 11p

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 Shorewood, 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

45 mi · 48 min · I 94
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 31 sec
Exit 216 Toward I 494 South Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10

Continue on I 494

11 mi · 13 min · I 494
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Take the exit

0.5 mi · 1 min
Exit 16B Toward MN 7 West Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12

Turn straight onto MN 7

5.9 mi · 8 min · Minnesota State Highway 7
13

Turn right onto CR 19

0.5 mi · 58 sec · Oak Street
14

Continue on CR 19

0.6 mi · 1 min · Smithtown Road
15

Turn left onto Smithtown Road

87 ft · 2 sec · Smithtown Road
Use the left lane.
16

Arrive at destination

Smithtown Road

Where to Stop

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

city in Wright County, Minnesota, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Albertville, MN

35 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

Annandale, MN

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 15 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Albertville, MN

Meal break

The midpoint is around 35.1 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 9

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 62.6 — 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

5
5.7 mi into trip | ~11m in | I 94

Merge onto I 94

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
51.1 mi into trip | ~1h in

Take the exit toward I 494 South

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 216 Toward I 494 South
7
62.6 mi into trip | ~1h 14m in

Take the exit toward MN 7 West

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 16B Toward MN 7 West

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$10.54 one way

$21.09 round trip

$3.82/gal 25.4 MPG avg 25 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.12 $11.38 $22.77
premium $4.60 $12.72 $25.43
diesel $4.80 $13.26 $26.51

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$11

Estimated CO2 emission: 24.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.

Driving Electric?

About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 21.1 0 $7.37 $3.37
Efficient EV 17.6 0 $6.14 $2.81
EV Truck/SUV 28.1 0 $9.83 $4.49

Gas CO2

25 kg

EV CO2

8 kg (68% 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 11, 2026

Origin

Saint Cloud, MN

Afternoon in Saint Cloud on Sunday

Local time

12:40 PM

CDT

Current temp

89°F

Mostly Sunny

S 10 mph 5% chance Live forecast

Heat Advisory

Heat Advisory issued July 11 at 6:58AM CDT until July 14 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS Aberdeen SD

Heat Advisory

Heat Advisory issued July 11 at 2:05AM CDT until July 11 at 9:00PM CDT by NWS Grand Forks ND

Destination

Shorewood, MN

Afternoon in Shorewood on Sunday

Local time

12:40 PM

CDT

Current temp

88°F

Mostly Sunny

S 5 to 10 mph 6% chance Live forecast

Heat Advisory

Heat Advisory issued July 11 at 6:58AM CDT until July 14 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS Aberdeen SD

Heat Advisory

Heat Advisory issued July 11 at 2:05AM CDT until July 11 at 9:00PM CDT by NWS Grand Forks ND

90°F

Albertville, MN

35 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

1 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 26m 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?

This route is heavily highway-based, with 89% of the drive taking place on interstates like I 94 and I 494. You'll experience a longest stretch of 45.4 miles on I 94, offering a good opportunity for consistent cruising. The transition from highway to surface roads, specifically Minnesota State Highway 7, will likely occur as you approach your destination. Be prepared for a higher density of exits and potential merging traffic as you get closer to the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area.

89% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 45.4 mi on I 94.

How Hard Is This Drive?

4/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 94 and I 494. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near 1st 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 26m drive. You will face about 9 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

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 5.7 miles (I 94): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

1,037 ft 884 ft

Total Climb

263 ft

Total Descent

317 ft

Highest Point

1,037 ft

Elevation Range

153 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 Shorewood, MN

Full guide →

Founded 1956

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 26m. Total distance: 70.2 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 26m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

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

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (89%). Straightforward navigation.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 45.4 miles on I 94. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Yes — we found about 8 rest areas or service plazas 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: at 0.1 miles (1st Street North): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (9th Avenue North): Navigation decision point; at 5.7 miles (I 94): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Shorewood, 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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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