Woodbury, MN to Lonsdale, MN is 183.1 miles and takes about 3h 41m via I 35 and I 35W, with a fuel budget near $30 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This route stays entirely within Minnesota, traversing the Midwest region. It's a straightforward trip, primarily on major highways, making it a convenient option for a single-day drive. You'll find it practical for getting from one point to another without extensive detours.
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
91.6 miles from Woodbury, MN
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 55m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 35
86.9 mi
1h 33m
I 35W
60.1 mi
1h 10m
State Highway 73
23.7 mi
40m
Lonsdale Boulevard West
6.5 mi
8m
MN 210
3.6 mi
4m
Arrowhead Lane
0.7 mi
1m
Folz Boulevard
0.5 mi
1m
Central Street East
0.3 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 35
— 86.9 mi, about 1h 33m
Traffic on I-35
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 76 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~3,678 veh/hr typical
· worst 4,337
Quietest
2 AM
~211 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
17.4×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
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Averaged across 86 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 Woodbury, MN and Lonsdale, MN.
1
Start on CR 127
0.2 mi·33 sec·Gisler Road
2
Turn left onto MN 210
3.6 mi·4 min·MN 210
3
Turn right onto MN 73
6.2 mi·10 min·State Highway 73
4
Continue on MN 73
16 mi·26 min·State Highway 73
5
Continue on MN 27; MN 73
0.5 mi·1 min·Folz Boulevard
6
Turn right onto MN 73; CR 61
0.7 mi·1 min·Arrowhead Lane
7
Continue on MN 73; CR 61
0.8 mi·1 min·State Highway 73
8
Enter roundabout onto State Highway 73
136 ft·8 sec·State Highway 73
9
Continue on State Highway 73
0.7 mi·1 min·State Highway 73
10
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·26 sec
Toward I 35 South: Saint Paul, Minneapolis
11
Merge onto I 35
87 mi·1 hr 33 min·I 35
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight right at fork onto I 35W
60 mi·1 hr 10 min·I 35W
Toward I 35W: MinneapolisUse the straight / right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.3 mi·40 sec
Exit 69Toward MN 19: Northfield, New PragueUse the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Turn right onto MN 19; CR 46; I 35 ALT
6.5 mi·8 min·Lonsdale Boulevard West
Use the left lane.
15
Continue on MN 19
0.2 mi·15 sec·Central Avenue East
16
Continue on MN 19
0.3 mi·43 sec·Central Street East
17
Turn left onto CR 33
120 ft·3 sec·South Main Street
18
Arrive at destination
CR 33
Trip Plan
For this 183.1-mile drive, leaving in the morning is advisable to maximize daylight and allow for a relaxed pace. With a duration of just under 4 hours, you won't need to split the drive, but planning one stop around the halfway point for a break is a good idea. Keep an eye on your fuel, as the estimated cost is $30; filling up before you leave Woodbury or in a larger town along I 35W is recommended. Given the mostly highway profile, pay attention to traffic conditions, especially around the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area if you depart during peak hours.
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 91.6 miles from Woodbury, MN, or about 1h 55m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 86.9 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 40 miles or 1h in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 91.6 miles or 1h 55m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 1m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Lonsdale, MN than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Woodbury, 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 Woodbury, MN
This is one driving day of about 183.1 miles and 3h 41m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 40 miles from Woodbury, 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 I 35 for about 86.9 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 27.9 and 175.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
27.9 mi into trip|~46m in|State Highway 73
Enter roundabout onto State Highway 73
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
6
28.7 mi into trip|~47m in
Take the ramp toward I 35 South: Saint Paul, Minneapolis
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 35 South: Saint Paul, Minneapolis
5
28.9 mi into trip|~48m in|I 35
Merge onto I 35
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
115.8 mi into trip|~2h 21m in|I 35W
Keep slight right at fork onto I 35W toward I 35W: Minneapolis
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Toward I 35W: Minneapolis
8
175.9 mi into trip|~3h 31m in
Take the exit toward MN 19: Northfield, New Prague
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 69
Toward MN 19: Northfield, New Prague
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$30.69 one way
$61.37 round trip
$4.26/gal25.4 MPG avg64 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.53
$32.68
$65.37
premium
$5.15
$37.10
$74.21
diesel
$6.18
$44.54
$89.08
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$31
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$56–$81
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 64.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-12.
Driving Electric?
About $19 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
54.9
0
$19.23
$8.79
Efficient EV
45.8
0
$16.02
$7.32
EV Truck/SUV
73.2
0
$25.63
$11.72
Gas CO2
64 kg
EV CO2
21 kg (67% 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 Oct 19, 2026
Origin
Woodbury, MN
Late night
in Woodbury on Tuesday
Local time
4:32 AM
CDT
Current temp
62°F
Sunny
NE 0 to 5 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Lonsdale, MN
Late night
in Lonsdale on Tuesday
Local time
4:32 AM
CDT
Current temp
66°F
Mostly Sunny
SSE 0 to 5 mph0% chanceLive 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
4 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
3h 41m 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 trip is overwhelmingly a highway drive, with 95% of the route on major roads like I 35 and I 35W. You'll experience a long stretch of 86.9 miles on I 35, offering consistent cruising. The transition to surface roads will be minimal, occurring only in the final miles as you approach Lonsdale. Expect a steady pace with frequent exits along the main highway sections.
95% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 86.9 mi on I 35.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 35 and I 35W. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 27.9 miles in near State Highway 73.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 3h 41m 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: at 27.9 miles (State Highway 73): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 28.7 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 28.9 miles (I 35): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
1,317 ft830 ft
Total Climb
323 ft
Total Descent
546 ft
Highest Point
1,317 ft
Elevation Range
488 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Woodbury, MN to Lonsdale, MN, road signs begin pointing toward Minneapolis along the way.
The longest stretch is about 86.9 miles on I 35. 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, 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: at 27.9 miles (State Highway 73): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 28.7 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 28.9 miles (I 35): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Possible but tiring. At 3.7 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 7.4 hours — manageable with a long break at Lonsdale, MN, but most travelers stay overnight.
