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Trip from Apple Valley, MN to Minneapolis, MN

Last recalculated Apr 15, 2026

Drive Time

28m

Distance

19.9 mi

32 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$3

one way

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 7 min
4 AM
0h 26m ★
6 AM
0h 28m
8 AM
0h 33m
10 AM
0h 30m
12 PM
0h 29m
3 PM
0h 30m
5 PM
0h 33m
8 PM
0h 27m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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city in Dakota County, Minnesota, United States

Apple Valley, MN

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Apple Valley, MN to Minneapolis, MN covers 19.9 miles and takes about 28m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Cedar Avenue, I 35W, Crosstown Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 11.8 miles on Cedar Avenue. At current regular gas prices, budget about $2.96 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

0 planned breaks

This drive is short enough that no stops are needed.

Midpoint

9.9 miles from Apple Valley, MN

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 12m into the drive .

Drive Character

Expect a 28m drive with frequent turns across 19.9 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 11 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Cedar Avenue is the longest continuous segment at about 11.8 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near CR 23 / Cedar Avenue.

Route Complexity 10/10

Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly

This is a short but busy drive. With 8 decision points packed into just 19.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 28m.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: near the start (CR 23 / Cedar Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 11.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 12 miles (MN 62 / Crosstown Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 8 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

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.
6
11.8 mi into trip | ~15m in

Take the exit toward MN 62 West

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane. Toward MN 62 West
5
12 mi into trip | ~15m in | MN 62 / Crosstown Highway

Merge onto MN 62 / Crosstown Highway

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / right lanes.
7
13.4 mi into trip | ~17m in

Keep slight right at fork toward I 35W North

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward I 35W North
7
18.3 mi into trip | ~24m in | MN 65

Keep slight left at fork onto MN 65 toward I 94 West

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward I 94 West

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 Apple Valley, MN to Minneapolis, MN, road signs begin pointing toward 5Th Avenue South along the way.

5Th Avenue South

18.8 mi in | ~24m | via MN 65

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Cedar Avenue 11.8 mi 14m
I 35W 4.6 mi 6m
Crosstown Highway 1.4 mi 1m
MN 65 0.8 mi 1m
5th Avenue South 0.6 mi 2m
Washington Avenue South 0.2 mi <1m
County Road 42 <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Cedar Avenue — 11.8 mi, about 14m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Apple Valley, MN and Minneapolis, MN.

1

Start on CR 42

35 ft · 6 sec · County Road 42
2

Turn right onto CR 23

12 mi · 14 min · Cedar Avenue
Use the left lane.
3

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 25 sec
Toward MN 62 West Use the right lane.
4

Merge onto MN 62

1.4 mi · 1 min · Crosstown Highway
Use the straight / right lanes.
5

Keep slight right at fork

0.3 mi · 34 sec
Toward I 35W North Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6

Merge onto I 35W

4.6 mi · 6 min · I 35W
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7

Keep slight left at fork onto MN 65

0.5 mi · 32 sec · MN 65
Toward I 94 West Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Keep slight left at fork onto MN 65

0.3 mi · 42 sec · MN 65
Toward 5th Avenue South
9

Continue on 5th Avenue South

0.6 mi · 2 min · 5th Avenue South
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
10

Turn left onto CR 152

0.2 mi · 31 sec · Washington Avenue South
Use the left / straight lanes.
11

Arrive at destination

CR 152

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.

Evening Departure

Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 9.9 miles from Apple Valley, MN, or about 12m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 11.8 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 19.9 miles or 28m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 9.9 miles or 12m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 22m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Minneapolis, MN than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Have your navigation ready before leaving Apple Valley, MN.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Apple Valley, MN

This is one driving day of about 19.9 miles and 28m.

At 19.9 miles this is a quick drive — no planned stops needed.
The longest stretch is on Cedar Avenue for about 11.8 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 9.9 mi from Apple Valley, MN · 12m into the drive

Pacing Suggestions

Columbia Heights, MN

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 19.9 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Bloomington, MN

Meal break

The midpoint is around 9.9 miles from Apple Valley, MN, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Minneapolis, MN

Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Minneapolis, MN if you are unfamiliar with the area.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$2.96 one way

$5.92 round trip

$3.78/gal 25.4 MPG avg 7 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.07 $3.19 $6.38
premium $4.53 $3.55 $7.10
diesel $5.61 $4.39 $8.79

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$3

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$28–$53

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 71% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 6 0 $2.09 $0.96
Efficient EV 5 0 $1.74 $0.80
EV Truck/SUV 8 0 $2.79 $1.27

Gas CO2

7 kg

EV CO2

2 kg (71% 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 13, 2026

Origin

Apple Valley, MN

Evening in Apple Valley on Wednesday

Local time

5:32 PM

CDT

Current temp

74°F

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

ESE 5 to 10 mph 68% chance Live forecast

Special Weather Statement

Special Weather Statement issued April 13 at 1:40PM CDT by NWS Grand Forks ND

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 13 at 11:08AM CDT until April 19 at 3:00PM CDT by NWS Grand Forks ND

Destination

Minneapolis, MN

Evening in Minneapolis on Wednesday

Local time

5:32 PM

CDT

Current temp

67°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

7 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

28m 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Apple Valley, MN to Minneapolis, MN covers 19.9 miles and takes about 28m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Cedar Avenue, I 35W, Crosstown Highway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 9.9 miles from Apple Valley, MN. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $2.96 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
This is a short but busy drive. With 8 decision points packed into just 19.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 28m.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (CR 23 / Cedar Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 11.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 12 miles (MN 62 / Crosstown Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Apple Valley, MN to Minneapolis, MN, road signs begin pointing toward 5Th Avenue South along the way.

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