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Trip from Woodbury, 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

3h 1m

Distance

142.2 mi

229 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$23

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 35 min
4 AM
2h 50m ★
6 AM
3h 2m
8 AM
3h 25m
10 AM
3h 10m
12 PM
3h 7m
3 PM
3h 11m
5 PM
3h 23m
8 PM
2h 55m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time
Google Maps Waze Apple Maps
Download GPX
city in Washington County, Minnesota, United States

Woodbury, MN

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Rockford, MN, MN

Rockford, MN

Tom Fisk

Trip Overview

The drive from Woodbury, MN to Rockford, MN covers 142.2 miles and takes about 3h 1m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on State Highway 65, US Highway 169, MN 23 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 53.3 miles on State Highway 65. At current regular gas prices, budget about $22.52 one way before food or hotel costs.

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

71.1 miles from Woodbury, MN

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 28m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
State Highway 65 53.3 mi 1h 7m
US Highway 169 32.9 mi 37m
MN 23 18.3 mi 20m
MN 210 16.9 mi 20m
Jansen Avenue Southeast 4.4 mi 10m
MN 101 4 mi 4m
MN 241 3.3 mi 4m
Labeaux Avenue Northeast 3.1 mi 4m
Longest stretch: State Highway 65 — 53.3 mi, about 1h 7m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Woodbury, MN and Rockford, MN.

1

Start on CR 127

0.2 mi · 29 sec · Gisler Road
2

Turn right onto MN 210

17 mi · 20 min · MN 210
3

Turn left onto MN 65

53 mi · 1 hr 7 min · State Highway 65
4

Turn right onto MN 23

18 mi · 20 min · MN 23
5

Turn left

0.4 mi · 45 sec
6

Merge onto US 169

6.5 mi · 7 min · US Highway 169
7

Keep slight right at fork onto US 169

26 mi · 30 min · US Highway 169
8

Continue on US 169

383 ft · 4 sec · POW/MIA Memorial Highway
9

Continue on MN 101

4.0 mi · 4 min · MN 101
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 54 sec
Toward CR 36: 53rd Street, 45th Street Use the slight right lane.
11

Turn right onto CR 36

2.4 mi · 3 min · 45th Street Northeast
Use the right lane.
12

Enter roundabout onto MN 241

96 ft · 2 sec · MN 241
13

Continue on MN 241

3.3 mi · 4 min · MN 241
14

Turn left onto CR 19

0.7 mi · 1 min · Main Street North
15

Continue on CR 19

2.6 mi · 3 min · Labeaux Avenue Northeast
16

Turn slight left onto CR 19

0.2 mi · 19 sec · Labeaux Avenue Northeast
17

Enter roundabout onto CR 19

156 ft · 3 sec · Labeaux Avenue Northeast
18

Continue on CR 19

0.2 mi · 24 sec · Labeaux Avenue Northeast
19

Enter roundabout onto CR 20

16 ft · 0 sec · River Road Northeast
20

Continue on CR 20

1.0 mi · 2 min · River Road Northeast
21

Continue on CR 20

4.4 mi · 10 min · Jansen Avenue Southeast
22

Continue on CR 20

0.7 mi · 1 min · Main Street
23

Arrive at destination

CR 20

Trip Plan

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 71.1 miles from Woodbury, MN, or about 1h 28m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 53.3 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 31 miles or 38m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 71.1 miles or 1h 28m 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 20m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Rockford, 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 142.2 miles and 3h 1m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 31 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 State Highway 65 for about 53.3 miles.

Where to Stop

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

city in Sherburne County, Minnesota, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Zimmerman, MN

71 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

McGrath, MN

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 31 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Mora, MN

Meal break

The midpoint is around 71.1 miles from Woodbury, 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.

Stops Along Your Drive

Picked by where they fit in your drive — first break, midpoint reset, final stretch.

Best meal stop · final third

Chapala Mexican Restaurant in Princeton

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Princeton, Minnesota

Later in the drive, short detour

Final third · 52min to go 1.1 mi from route ~3 min detour $10 to $20

Hours: 11 am–9 pm

+17632007541

Visit website

Chapala Mexican Restaurant in Princeton

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Later in the drive, short detour

Final third 1.1 mi from route ~3 min detour $10 to $20

Princeton, Minnesota

Hours: 11 am–9 pm

+17632007541

Visit website

Woodland Trails Regional Park

4.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, ~10 min detour

Home stretch 3.8 mi from route ~10 min detour

Elk River, Minnesota

Hours: 6 am–10 pm

+17636351150

Visit website

Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 12

5 decision points cluster between mile 17.1 and 136 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

4
17.1 mi into trip | ~21m in | MN 65 / State Highway 65

Turn left onto MN 65 / State Highway 65

Navigation decision point

7
126.1 mi into trip | ~2h 31m in

Take the exit toward CR 36: 53rd Street, 45th Street

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

Use the slight right lane. Toward CR 36: 53rd Street, 45th Street
5
126.5 mi into trip | ~2h 32m in | CR 36 / 45th Street Northeast

Turn right onto CR 36 / 45th Street Northeast

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.
5
135.8 mi into trip | ~2h 46m in | CR 19 / Labeaux Avenue Northeast

Enter roundabout onto CR 19 / Labeaux Avenue Northeast

Roundabout - know your exit number before entering

6
136 mi into trip | ~2h 46m in | CR 20 / River Road Northeast

Enter roundabout onto CR 20 / River Road Northeast

Roundabout - know your exit number before entering

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$22.52 one way

$45.03 round trip

$4.02/gal 25.4 MPG avg 50 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.28 $23.98 $47.96
premium $4.85 $27.14 $54.28
diesel $5.60 $31.35 $62.69

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$23

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$48–$73

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 49.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.

Driving Electric?

About $15 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 42.7 0 $14.93 $6.83
Efficient EV 35.6 0 $12.44 $5.69
EV Truck/SUV 56.9 0 $19.91 $9.10

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 Sep 4, 2026

Origin

Woodbury, MN

Evening in Woodbury on Friday

Local time

7:43 PM

CDT

Current temp

49°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Rockford, MN

Evening in Rockford on Friday

Local time

7:43 PM

CDT

Current temp

56°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

7 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 1m 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?

142.2 mi in 3h 1m, mostly highway — 53.3 mi of that is on State Highway 65.

91% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
23 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 53.3 mi on State Highway 65.

How Hard Is This Drive?

4/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on State Highway 65 and US Highway 169. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 17.1 miles in near MN 65 / State Highway 65.

Driving Effort 4/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a straightforward 3h 1m drive. You will face about 12 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 17.1 miles (MN 65 / State Highway 65): Navigation decision point; at 126.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 126.5 miles (CR 36 / 45th Street Northeast): Lane positioning matters here.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

1,317 ft 873 ft

Total Climb

143 ft

Total Descent

548 ft

Highest Point

1,317 ft

Elevation Range

445 ft

About the Cities

Starting in Woodbury, MN

Full guide →

Founded 1967

Woodbury is a suburban city in the Twin Cities of 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 3h 1m. Total distance: 142.2 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

3h 1m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (91%). Straightforward navigation.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 53.3 miles on State Highway 65. 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: at 17.1 miles (MN 65 / State Highway 65): Navigation decision point; at 126.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 126.5 miles (CR 36 / 45th Street Northeast): Lane positioning matters here.

Possible but tiring. At 3.0 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 6.1 hours — manageable with a long break at Rockford, MN, but most travelers stay overnight.

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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