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Trip from Saint Paul, MN to Rockford, MN

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 5, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

53m

Distance

36.2 mi

58 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$6

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 14 min
4 AM
0h 49m ★
6 AM
0h 54m
8 AM
1h 3m
10 AM
0h 57m
12 PM
0h 56m
3 PM
0h 57m
5 PM
1h 2m
8 PM
0h 51m

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
capital of the state of Minnesota, United States; county seat of Ramsey County, Minnesota

Saint Paul, MN

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Rockford, MN, MN

Rockford, MN

Tom Fisk

Trip Overview

The drive from Saint Paul, MN to Rockford, MN covers 36.2 miles and takes about 53m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Olson Memorial Highway, Purple Heart Memorial Highway, I 394 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly surface roads. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 21.3 miles on Olson Memorial Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $5.73 one way before food or hotel costs.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Olson Memorial Highway 21.3 mi 31m
Purple Heart Memorial Highway 9.9 mi 13m
I 394 1.9 mi 2m
Wabasha Street North 0.6 mi 2m
MN 100 0.5 mi <1m
Main Street 0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Olson Memorial Highway — 21.3 mi, about 31m

Traffic on I-94

Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 30 FHWA count stations on your route.

Peak

4 PM

~5,113 veh/hr typical

Quietest

2 AM

~309 veh/hr

Peak-to-quiet ratio

16.5×

busier at peak than in the quiet hours

12a 6a noon 6p 11p

Averaged across 100 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 Paul, MN and Rockford, MN.

1

Start on Wabasha Street North

0.6 mi · 2 min · Wabasha Street North
2

Take the ramp

347 ft · 8 sec
Toward I 35E South, I 94 West
3

Keep slight right at fork

0.3 mi · 39 sec
Toward I 94 West Use the slight right lane.
4

Merge onto I 94

9.9 mi · 13 min · Purple Heart Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5

Take the exit

0.6 mi · 59 sec
Exit 231A Toward I 394 West, US 12 West Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6

Merge onto I 394

1.9 mi · 2 min · I 394
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 11 sec
Exit 5B-A Toward MN 100 South, MN 100 North: Park Place-Xenia Use the slight right lane.
8

Keep slight right at fork

0.5 mi · 1 min
Toward MN 100 North
9

Merge onto MN 100

0.5 mi · 39 sec · MN 100
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 21 sec
Toward MN 55 West, MN 55 East Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Keep slight left at fork

0.1 mi · 17 sec
Toward MN 55 West Use the left lane.
12

Merge onto MN 55

21 mi · 31 min · Olson Memorial Highway
Use the left lane.
13

Turn right onto CR 20

0.1 mi · 18 sec · Main Street
14

Arrive at destination

CR 20

Where to Stop

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

city in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Saint Louis Park, MN

18 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

Greenfield, MN

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 36 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Saint Louis Park, MN

Meal break

The midpoint is around 18.1 miles from Saint Paul, 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 12

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.6 and 14.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

7
0.6 mi into trip | ~2m in

Keep slight right at fork toward I 94 West

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Toward I 94 West
8
10.8 mi into trip | ~16m in

Take the exit toward I 394 West, US 12 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 231A Toward I 394 West, US 12 West
8
13.3 mi into trip | ~19m in

Take the exit toward MN 100 South, MN 100 North: Park Place-Xenia

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight right lane. Exit 5B-A Toward MN 100 South, MN 100 North: Park Place-X...
7
14.5 mi into trip | ~21m in

Take the exit toward MN 55 West, MN 55 East

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. Toward MN 55 West, MN 55 East
8
14.7 mi into trip | ~22m in

Keep slight left at fork toward MN 55 West

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane. Toward MN 55 West

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$5.73 one way

$11.46 round trip

$4.02/gal 25.4 MPG avg 13 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.28 $6.10 $12.21
premium $4.85 $6.91 $13.82
diesel $5.60 $7.98 $15.96

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$6

Estimated CO2 emission: 12.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.

Driving Electric?

About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 10.9 0 $3.80 $1.74
Efficient EV 9.1 0 $3.17 $1.45
EV Truck/SUV 14.5 0 $5.07 $2.32

Gas CO2

13 kg

EV CO2

4 kg (69% 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 Aug 30, 2026

Origin

Saint Paul, MN

Late night in Saint Paul on Saturday

Local time

4:02 AM

CDT

Current temp

88°F

Slight Chance Rain Showers then Partly Sunny

ESE 5 to 10 mph 18% chance Live forecast

Beach Hazards Statement

Beach Hazards Statement issued August 30 at 2:44AM CDT until August 30 at 10:00PM CDT by NWS Duluth MN

Destination

Rockford, MN

Late night in Rockford on Saturday

Local time

4:02 AM

CDT

Current temp

87°F

Slight Chance Rain Showers then Partly Sunny

E 5 to 10 mph 19% chance Live forecast

Beach Hazards Statement

Beach Hazards Statement issued August 30 at 2:44AM CDT until August 30 at 10:00PM CDT by NWS Duluth MN

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

53m 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?

36.2 mi in 53m across surface roads — expect steady turns and local traffic rather than long highway runs.

Only 7% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 21.3 mi on Olson Memorial Highway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

10/10

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.6 miles in.

Driving Effort 10/10

Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a short but busy drive. With 12 decision points packed into just 36.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 53m.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 0.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 10.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 13.3 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

1,060 ft 789 ft

Total Climb

353 ft

Total Descent

229 ft

Highest Point

1,060 ft

~31 mi in

Elevation Range

271 ft

About the Cities

Starting in Saint Paul, MN

Full guide →

Founded 1854

Saint Paul (or St. Paul) is the capital city and the second largest city of the US state of Minnesota. Along with the slightly larger Minneapolis it forms the urban core of the Twin Cities region, the third largest metropolis in the Midwest.

Top landmarks

  • • Minnesota State Capitol — state capitol building of the U.S. state of Minnesota
  • • Cathedral of Saint Paul, National Shrine of the Apostle Paul — cathedral in Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA
  • • Saint Paul Union Depot — train station in Saint Paul, Minnesota

Arriving in Rockford, MN

Full guide →

Founded 1856

Top landmarks

  • • Ames-Florida House — house

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 53m. Total distance: 36.2 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

53m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

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

Scenic Drive

Mostly surface roads route profile.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 21.3 miles on Olson Memorial Highway. 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.

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 Rockford, 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 0.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 10.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 13.3 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 Rockford, 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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