West Coon Rapids, MN to Mendota Heights, MN is 31.3 miles and takes about 42m via I 694 and I 35E, with a fuel budget near $5 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Midwest region, specifically within Minnesota. It's a relatively short drive that primarily uses interstate highways, making it a straightforward option for connecting two points. You'll spend most of your time on well-maintained roads, so it's a practical choice for getting from point A to point B efficiently.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 694
10.1 mi
10m
I 35E
6.9 mi
10m
Voyageur Highway
5.5 mi
6m
MN 252
3.4 mi
4m
Noble Parkway
1.9 mi
3m
West River Road
0.9 mi
1m
MN-610
0.6 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 694
— 10.1 mi, about 10m
Traffic on I-35
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 36 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~5,508 veh/hr typical
Quietest
2 AM
~287 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
19.2×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
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Averaged across 48 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 West Co on Rapids, MN and Mendota Heights, MN.
1
Start on CR 12
0.9 mi·1 min·West River Road
2
Continue on CR 12
1.9 mi·3 min·Noble Parkway
Use the straight lane.
3
Turn left
0.4 mi·59 sec
Toward MN 610 EastUse the left lane.
4
Merge onto MN 610
0.6 mi·42 sec·MN-610
5
Take the exit
0.6 mi·1 min
Exit 9Toward MN 252 SouthUse the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Continue on MN 252
3.4 mi·4 min·MN 252
Use the left lane.
7
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi·16 sec
Toward I 94 West, I 694Use the slight right lane.
8
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi·51 sec
Toward I 694 East
9
Merge onto I 694
10 mi·10 min·I 694
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight right at fork onto US 10
5.5 mi·6 min·Voyageur Highway
Exit 46Toward US 10 East, I 35 South: St PaulUse the slight right lane.
11
Keep slight right at fork onto I 35E
0.7 mi·48 sec·I 35E
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
12
Take the exit onto I 35E
6.2 mi·9 min·I 35E
Exit 241CToward I 35E SouthUse the slight left lane.
13
Take the exit
0.4 mi·47 sec
Exit 101AToward MN 62 EastUse the straight / right lanes.
14
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 10
5 decision points cluster between mile 2.9 and 24.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
2.9 mi into trip|~5m in
Turn left toward MN 610 East
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward MN 610 East
7
3.9 mi into trip|~6m in
Take the exit toward MN 252 South
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 9
Toward MN 252 South
8
7.9 mi into trip|~12m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 94 West, I 694
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 94 West, I 694
9
18.5 mi into trip|~24m in|US 10 / Voyageur Highway
Keep slight right at fork onto US 10 / Voyageur Highway toward US 10 East, I 35 South: St Paul
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 46
Toward US 10 East, I 35 South: St Paul
7
24.7 mi into trip|~31m in|I 35E
Take the exit onto I 35E toward I 35E South
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Exit 241C
Toward I 35E South
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.70 one way
$9.40 round trip
$3.82/gal25.4 MPG avg11 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.12
$5.08
$10.15
premium
$4.60
$5.67
$11.34
diesel
$4.80
$5.91
$11.82
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 11 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging
· 0 stops
· 64% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
9.4
0
$3.29
$1.50
Efficient EV
7.8
0
$2.74
$1.25
EV Truck/SUV
12.5
0
$4.38
$2.00
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (64% 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 13, 2026
Origin
West Co on Rapids, MN
Late night
in West Co on Rapids on Monday
Local time
2:23 AM
CDT
Current temp
95°F
Sunny
SW 10 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 13 at 3:44PM CDT until July 16 at 10:00PM CDT by NWS Aberdeen SD
Extreme Heat Warning
Extreme Heat Warning issued July 13 at 1:40PM CDT until July 14 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS Duluth MN
Destination
Mendota Heights, MN
Late night
in Mendota Heights on Monday
Local time
2:23 AM
CDT
Current temp
95°F
Sunny
SW 5 to 10 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 13 at 3:44PM CDT until July 16 at 10:00PM CDT by NWS Aberdeen SD
Extreme Heat Warning
Extreme Heat Warning issued July 13 at 1:40PM CDT until July 14 at 7:00PM 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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
42m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route is mostly highway, with 73% of the drive on interstates like I 694 and I 35E. The longest continuous stretch on a single highway is 10.1 miles on I 694. After leaving the main interstates, you'll transition to Voyageur Highway, which will likely involve more local traffic and potentially more frequent exits as you approach your destination. Expect a good amount of merging traffic as you navigate the interstate system.
73% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 10.1 mi on I 694.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 694 and I 35E. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2.9 miles in.
Driving Effort10/10
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 10 decision points packed into just 31.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 42m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2.9 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 3.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 7.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Doable as a same-day drive at 42m. Total distance: 31.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
42m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (73%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 10.1 miles on I 694. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 2 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.
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 Mendota Heights, 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 2.9 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 3.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 7.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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 Mendota Heights, MN before heading back.
