Origin
Apple Valley, MN
Afternoon in Apple Valley on Saturday
Local time
3:41 PM
CDT
Current temp
66°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Apple Valley, MN to Inver Grove Heights, MN
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
21m
Distance
14.6 mi
23 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 20m
★
6 AM
0h 22m
8 AM
0h 26m
10 AM
0h 23m
12 PM
0h 23m
3 PM
0h 23m
5 PM
0h 26m
8 PM
0h 21m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Apple Valley, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Inver Grove Heights, MN
Tom Fisk
Trip Overview
Apple Valley, MN to Inver Grove Heights, MN is 14.6 miles and takes about 21 minutes via I 35E and Cedar Avenue, with a fuel budget near $2 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within the Midwest region and the state of Minnesota, making it a straightforward local journey. Expect a mixed drive that's primarily highway but with some surface street navigation. It's a quick hop perfect for a day trip or an easy commute, with minimal time commitment. This route is ideal if you're looking for a simple, direct path between two points in the Minneapolis-Saint Paul metropolitan area.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 35E | 5 mi | 5m |
| Cedar Avenue | 2.9 mi | 4m |
| 70th Street East | 2.2 mi | 3m |
| 70th Street West | 1.9 mi | 3m |
| Lone Oak Road | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| County Road 42 | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 35E
— 5 mi, about 5m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Apple Valley, MN and Inver Grove Heights, MN.
1
Start on CR 42
35 ft
·
6 sec
·
County Road 42
2
Turn right onto CR 23
2.9 mi
·
4 min
·
Cedar Avenue
Use the left lane.
3
Take the exit
0.9 mi
·
1 min
Exit 2A
Toward I 35E North: Saint Paul
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4
Merge onto I 35E
5.0 mi
·
5 min
·
I 35E
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
46 sec
Exit 98
Toward CR 26: Lone Oak Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Turn right onto CH 26
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Lone Oak Road
Use the right lane.
7
Continue on CH 26
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
70th Street West
8
Enter roundabout onto CH 26
104 ft
·
1 sec
·
70th Street West
9
Continue on CH 26
0.5 mi
·
49 sec
·
70th Street West
10
Enter roundabout onto CH 26
115 ft
·
2 sec
·
70th Street East
11
Continue on CH 26
2.1 mi
·
3 min
·
70th Street East
Use the straight lane.
12
Arrive at destination
CH 26
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 85 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 9.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
CR 23 / Cedar Avenue
Turn right onto CR 23 / Cedar Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
7
2.9 mi into trip
|
~4m in
Take the exit toward I 35E North: Saint Paul
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 2A
Toward I 35E North: Saint Paul
5
3.8 mi into trip
|
~6m in
|
I 35E
Merge onto I 35E
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
8.8 mi into trip
|
~11m in
Take the exit toward CR 26: Lone Oak Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 98
Toward CR 26: Lone Oak Road
5
9.2 mi into trip
|
~12m in
|
CH 26 / Lone Oak Road
Turn right onto CH 26 / Lone Oak Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.17 one way
$4.35 round trip
$3.78/gal
25.4 MPG avg
5 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.07 | $2.34 | $4.68 |
| premium | $4.53 | $2.61 | $5.21 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.22 | $6.45 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 5.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 4.4 | 0 | $1.53 | $0.70 |
| Efficient EV | 3.7 | 0 | $1.28 | $0.58 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 5.8 | 0 | $2.04 | $0.93 |
Gas CO2
5 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (60% 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.
Destination
Inver Grove Heights, MN
Afternoon in Inver Grove Heights on Saturday
Local time
3:41 PM
CDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
19 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
21m 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?
This is a mixed drive, with about 34% of the route utilizing major highways like I 35E. You'll experience a 5-mile stretch on I 35E, offering a taste of faster freeway travel. The drive transitions from interstate speeds to more local road conditions as you approach Inver Grove Heights. Expect some city driving and traffic lights on Cedar Avenue and 70th Street East. The road character shifts, moving from open highway to navigating through suburban and commercial areas.
34% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 5 mi on I 35E.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near CR 23 / Cedar Avenue.
Driving Effort
6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 14.6 miles you will encounter 8 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (CR 23 / Cedar Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 3.8 miles (I 35E): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 21m. Total distance: 14.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
21m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (34%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 5 miles on I 35E. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 Inver Grove 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: near the start (CR 23 / Cedar Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 3.8 miles (I 35E): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Inver Grove Heights, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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