This 144.3-mile drive from Sauk Centre, MN to Woodbury, MN will take you about 3 hours and 6 minutes, making it a perfect single-day trip. You'll primarily be on State Highway 210, Voyageur Highway, and MN 371, with about 60% of the journey on highways. The estimated fuel cost is around $21. This Midwest journey offers a mixed driving experience, so plan for a straightforward trip without needing an overnight stop. Its manageable distance and duration mean you can easily fit it into your schedule.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
72.2 miles from Sauk Centre, MN
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 33m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
State Highway 210
30.4 mi
38m
Voyageur Highway
30.3 mi
36m
MN 371
27.4 mi
31m
State Highway 27
21.8 mi
27m
Yorkshire Road
12.3 mi
18m
US 71
5.2 mi
7m
2nd Street Northwest
1.9 mi
3m
Broadway West
1.8 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
State Highway 210
— 30.4 mi, about 38m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Sauk Centre, MN and Woodbury, MN.
1
Start on CR 17
147 ft·9 sec·Sinclair Lewis Avenue
2
Turn left onto US 71; MN 28
0.6 mi·49 sec·Main Street South
3
Turn straight onto US 71; MN 28
12 mi·18 min·Yorkshire Road
4
Continue on US 71; MN 27
5.2 mi·7 min·US 71; MN 27
5
Turn right onto MN 27
1.0 mi·2 min·1st Avenue North
6
Continue on MN 27
22 mi·27 min·State Highway 27
7
Continue on MN 27; MN 28
1.8 mi·2 min·Broadway West
8
Continue on MN 27
0.8 mi·1 min·1st Avenue Northeast
9
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·44 sec
Toward US 10 West
10
Merge onto US 10
0.8 mi·52 sec·US 10
11
Keep slight right at fork onto MN 371
27 mi·31 min·MN 371
12
Turn right onto MN 210; MN 371 Business
1.0 mi·1 min·State Highway 210
13
Continue on MN 210; MN 371 Business
1.7 mi·3 min·West Washington Street
14
Continue on MN 210
1.5 mi·2 min·Northeast Washington Street
15
Continue on MN 210
12 mi·13 min·Voyageur Highway
16
Continue on MN 210
0.4 mi·25 sec·4th Street
17
Continue on MN 210
0.7 mi·45 sec·Oak Street
18
Continue on MN 210
0.4 mi·28 sec·3rd Avenue Southwest
19
Turn right onto MN 6; MN 210
1.1 mi·1 min·West Main Street
20
Enter roundabout onto MN 6; MN 210
110 ft·1 sec·Voyageur Highway
21
Continue on MN 6; MN 210
2.3 mi·2 min·Voyageur Highway
22
Continue on MN 6; MN 210
0.7 mi·50 sec·Archibald Road
23
At end of road, turn left onto MN 6; MN 210
0.4 mi·27 sec·East Front Street
24
Continue on MN 210
8.8 mi·10 min·Voyageur Highway
25
Continue on MN 210
1.9 mi·3 min·2nd Street Northwest
26
Continue on US 169; MN 210
7.5 mi·9 min·Voyageur Highway
27
Turn right onto MN 210
14 mi·17 min·State Highway 210
28
Continue on MN 210
1.2 mi·2 min·West Highway 210
29
Continue on MN 210
7.9 mi·9 min·State Highway 210
30
Continue on MN 210
1.5 mi·1 min·Tamarack Boulevard West
31
Continue on MN 210
7.6 mi·8 min·State Highway 210
32
Turn left onto CR 127
0.2 mi·27 sec·Gisler Road
33
Arrive at destination
CR 127
Trip Plan
With a duration of just over 3 hours, this 144.3-mile trip from Sauk Centre to Woodbury is easily manageable in one day. Consider departing in the morning to maximize your daylight hours and allow for a leisurely pace. You'll encounter just one recommended stop, and with a longest stretch of 30.4 miles on State Highway 210, you won't need to worry about long stretches without services. Keep an eye on your fuel, budgeting approximately $21 for the trip, and enjoy the flexibility this shorter drive offers.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 72.2 miles from Sauk Centre, MN, or about 1h 33m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 30.4 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 32 miles or 44m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 72.2 miles or 1h 33m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 34m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Woodbury, MN than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Sauk Centre, MN so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Sauk Centre, MN
This is one driving day of about 144.3 miles and 3h 6m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 32 miles from Sauk Centre, MN.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on State Highway 210 for about 30.4 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 10
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 93.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
3
0 mi into trip|~0m in|US 71; MN 28 / Main Street South
Turn left onto US 71; MN 28 / Main Street South
Navigation decision point
5
43.5 mi into trip|~1h in
Take the ramp toward US 10 West
Navigation decision point
Toward US 10 West
4
44.6 mi into trip|~1h 1m in|MN 371
Keep slight right at fork onto MN 371
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
4
90.4 mi into trip|~1h 57m in|MN 6; MN 210 / Voyageur Highway
Enter roundabout onto MN 6; MN 210 / Voyageur Highway
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
5
93.3 mi into trip|~2h 1m in|MN 6; MN 210 / East Front Street
At end of road, turn left onto MN 6; MN 210 / East Front Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$21.47 one way
$42.95 round trip
$3.78/gal25.4 MPG avg51 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.07
$23.14
$46.28
premium
$4.53
$25.75
$51.49
diesel
$5.61
$31.86
$63.72
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$21
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$46–$71
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 50.5 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $15 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
43.3
0
$15.15
$6.93
Efficient EV
36.1
0
$12.63
$5.77
EV Truck/SUV
57.7
0
$20.20
$9.24
Gas CO2
50 kg
EV CO2
17 kg (66% 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 Apr 15, 2026
Origin
Sauk Centre, MN
Night
in Sauk Centre on Saturday
Local time
11:42 PM
CDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Woodbury, MN
Night
in Woodbury on Saturday
Local time
11:42 PM
CDT
Current temp
63°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
5 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
3h 6m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a mixed drive on this route, with 60% of the mileage on highways. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 30.4 miles on State Highway 210. This suggests a varied experience, likely transitioning between faster highway speeds and potentially more local road segments. The road's personality will evolve as you progress, offering a dynamic feel behind the wheel rather than a monotonous journey.
60% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
33 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 30.4 mi on State Highway 210.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 71; MN 28 / Main Street South.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 3h 6m drive. You will face about 10 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 (US 71; MN 28 / Main Street South): Navigation decision point; at 43.5 miles: Navigation decision point; at 44.6 miles (MN 371): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
1,322 ft1,123 ft
Total Climb
311 ft
Total Descent
247 ft
Highest Point
1,322 ft
~20.6 mi in
Elevation Range
199 ft
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 6m. Total distance: 144.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
The longest stretch is about 30.4 miles on State Highway 210. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 71; MN 28 / Main Street South): Navigation decision point; at 43.5 miles: Navigation decision point; at 44.6 miles (MN 371): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Possible but tiring. At 3.1 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 6.2 hours — manageable with a long break at Woodbury, MN, but most travelers stay overnight.
