Origin
Saint Francis, MN
Late night in Saint Francis on Tuesday
Local time
4:25 AM
CDT
Current temp
57°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Saint Francis, MN to Apple Valley, MN
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 14m
Distance
54 mi
87 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 9m
★
6 AM
1h 14m
8 AM
1h 26m
10 AM
1h 19m
12 PM
1h 17m
3 PM
1h 19m
5 PM
1h 26m
8 PM
1h 11m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Saint Francis, MN
Tom Fisk
Apple Valley, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Saint Francis, MN to Apple Valley, MN is 54 miles and takes about 1 hour 14 minutes via Cedar Avenue South and I-94, with a fuel budget near $8 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Minnesota, traversing the Midwest region. Expect a mixed drive that balances highway speeds with more local road conditions. It's a straightforward journey, perfect for a quick trip without needing an overnight stay, offering a practical way to get from one point to another in the greater Minneapolis-St. Paul area.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Cedar Avenue South | 11.6 mi | 14m |
| I 94 | 7.7 mi | 9m |
| US 10 | 5.6 mi | 6m |
| 7th Avenue Northwest | 4.6 mi | 7m |
| Rum River Boulevard Northwest | 4.1 mi | 5m |
| I 35W | 4.1 mi | 5m |
| MN 252 | 3.4 mi | 4m |
| Rum River Boulevard | 2.1 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
Cedar Avenue South
— 11.6 mi, about 14m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Saint Francis, MN and Apple Valley, MN.
1
Start on CR 24
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
·
Bridge Street Northwest
2
Turn left onto CR 24
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
·
Ambassador Boulevard Northwest
3
Continue on CR 24
4.1 mi
·
5 min
·
Rum River Boulevard Northwest
4
Enter roundabout onto CR 7
122 ft
·
2 sec
·
Rum River Boulevard
5
Continue on CR 7
2.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Rum River Boulevard
6
Continue on CR 7
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Roanoke Street Northwest
7
Continue on CR 7
0.4 mi
·
35 sec
·
165th Avenue Northwest
8
Continue on CR 7
4.6 mi
·
7 min
·
7th Avenue Northwest
9
Turn left
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
Toward US 10 East, MN 47 South
Use the left lane.
10
Merge onto US 10; MN 47
5.6 mi
·
6 min
·
US 10; MN 47
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight right at fork onto MN 47
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
MN 47
Use the slight right lane.
12
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
Toward MN 610: Minneapolis
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Merge onto MN 610
1.7 mi
·
1 min
·
MN-610
14
Take the exit
0.9 mi
·
1 min
Exit 9
Toward MN 252 South: Minneapolis
Use the slight right lane.
15
Continue on MN 252
3.4 mi
·
4 min
·
MN 252
Use the left lane.
16
Keep slight left at fork
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 94 East: Minneapolis
17
Merge onto I 94
4.4 mi
·
5 min
·
I 94
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Keep slight left at fork onto I 94
3.3 mi
·
4 min
·
I 94
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
53 sec
Exit 233B
Toward I 35W South
Use the slight right lane.
20
Merge onto MN 65
0.2 mi
·
14 sec
·
MN 65
Toward I-35W South
21
Merge onto I 35W
4.1 mi
·
5 min
·
I 35W
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
22
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
Exit 11
Toward MN 62 East, MN 62 West
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
23
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
Toward MN 62 East, MN 62 West, CR 35: Portland Avenue, Lyndale Avenue
24
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Toward MN 62 East, CR 35: Portland Avenue
Use the slight left lane.
25
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
Toward MN 62 East
Use the slight left lane.
26
Merge onto MN 62
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Crosstown Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
27
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
Toward MN 77 South
Use the slight right lane.
28
Merge onto MN 77
12 mi
·
14 min
·
Cedar Avenue South
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
29
Arrive at destination
CR 42
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
27 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 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 27 miles from Saint Francis, 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 215 decision points cluster between mile 13.7 and 40.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
13.7 mi into trip
|
~20m in
Turn left toward US 10 East, MN 47 South
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the left lane.
Toward US 10 East, MN 47 South
7
22.8 mi into trip
|
~31m in
Take the exit toward MN 252 South: Minneapolis
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 9
Toward MN 252 South: Minneapolis
8
40.1 mi into trip
|
~55m in
Take the exit toward MN 62 East, MN 62 West
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 11
Toward MN 62 East, MN 62 West
9
40.7 mi into trip
|
~56m in
Keep slight left at fork toward MN 62 East, CR 35: Portland Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Toward MN 62 East, CR 35: Portland Avenue
8
40.9 mi into trip
|
~57m in
Keep slight left at fork toward MN 62 East
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward MN 62 East
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.04 one way
$16.07 round trip
$3.78/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.07 | $8.66 | $17.32 |
| premium | $4.53 | $9.63 | $19.27 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.92 | $23.85 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 18.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16.2 | 0 | $5.67 | $2.59 |
| Efficient EV | 13.5 | 0 | $4.73 | $2.16 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 21.6 | 0 | $7.56 | $3.46 |
Gas CO2
19 kg
EV CO2
6 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.
Destination
Apple Valley, MN
Late night in Apple Valley on Tuesday
Local time
4:25 AM
CDT
Current temp
36°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
21 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 14m 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 drive offers a 44% highway share, meaning you'll experience a blend of faster travel and more local road segments. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 11.6 miles on Cedar Avenue South. The profile is described as a 'Mixed drive,' suggesting you'll transition between different types of roads, from potentially quicker routes like I-94 to the more direct, possibly signal-heavy, Cedar Avenue South. Be prepared for varied driving conditions as you make your way.
44% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
29 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 11.6 mi on Cedar Avenue South.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 13.7 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 54 miles you will encounter 21 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 13.7 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 22.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 40.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
953 ft
768 ft
Total Climb
231 ft
Total Descent
196 ft
Highest Point
953 ft
~54 mi in
Elevation Range
185 ft
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 14m. Total distance: 54 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 14m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (44%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 11.6 miles on Cedar Avenue South. 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 Apple Valley, 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 13.7 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 22.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 40.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Apple Valley, 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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