Origin
Atwater, MN
Late night in Atwater on Saturday
Local time
3:59 AM
CDT
Current temp
44°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Atwater, MN to Saint Cloud, MN
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 16m
Distance
56.4 mi
91 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 10m
★
6 AM
1h 16m
8 AM
1h 28m
10 AM
1h 20m
12 PM
1h 19m
3 PM
1h 21m
5 PM
1h 27m
8 PM
1h 12m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Atwater, MN
Tom Fisk
Saint Cloud, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Atwater, MN to Saint Cloud, MN covers 56.4 miles and takes about 1h 16m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Minnesota Avenue, Main Street North, Pleasant Avenue East for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $8.39 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 16m. Total distance: 56.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 16m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 1h 16m drive with frequent turns across 56.4 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 14 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Minnesota Avenue is one of the defining roads on this drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive.
Driving Effort
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Atwater, MN to Saint Cloud, MN is easy. At 1h 16m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Atwater, MN to Saint Cloud, MN is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Minnesota Avenue | — | — |
| Main Street North | — | — |
| Pleasant Avenue East | — | — |
| Highway 22 | — | — |
| State Street | — | — |
| Meeker Avenue East | — | — |
| 3rd Street North | — | — |
| 16th Avenue North | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
Minnesota Avenue
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Atwater, MN and Saint Cloud, MN.
1
Start on the route
135 ft
·
15 sec
·
the route
2
Turn left onto Minnesota Avenue
154 ft
·
12 sec
·
Minnesota Avenue
3
Turn left onto Main Street North
144 ft
·
6 sec
·
Main Street North
4
Turn right onto Pleasant Avenue East
12 mi
·
15 min
·
Pleasant Avenue East
5
Turn left onto State Highway 22
12 mi
·
14 min
·
State Highway 22
6
Continue on State Street
0.3 mi
·
49 sec
·
State Street
7
Turn right onto Meeker Avenue East
12 mi
·
16 min
·
Meeker Avenue East
8
Turn left
18 mi
·
23 min
9
Turn right onto 3rd Street North
1.6 mi
·
3 min
·
3rd Street North
10
Turn right onto 16th Avenue North
407 ft
·
17 sec
·
16th Avenue North
11
Turn left onto 2nd Street North
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
2nd Street North
12
Turn right onto 8th Avenue North
253 ft
·
16 sec
·
8th Avenue North
13
Turn left onto Courthouse Square
7 ft
·
Courthouse Square
14
Arrive at your destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 28.2 mi from Atwater, MN · 38m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
28 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 28.2 miles from Atwater, MN, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Saint Cloud, MN
The final approach into Saint Cloud, MN usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.39 one way
$16.79 round trip
$3.78/gal
25.4 MPG avg
20 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.07 | $9.04 | $18.09 |
| premium | $4.53 | $10.06 | $20.13 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.45 | $24.90 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 19.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16.9 | 0 | $5.92 | $2.71 |
| Efficient EV | 14.1 | 0 | $4.94 | $2.26 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 22.6 | 0 | $7.90 | $3.61 |
Gas CO2
20 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (65% 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
Saint Cloud, MN
Late night in Saint Cloud on Saturday
Local time
3:59 AM
CDT
Current temp
67°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
71°F
Kingston, MN
28 mi in
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
23 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
1h 16m 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Atwater, MN to Saint Cloud, MN covers 56.4 miles and takes about 1h 16m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Minnesota Avenue, Main Street North, Pleasant Avenue East. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 28.2 miles from Atwater, MN. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $8.39 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.
The drive from Atwater, MN to Saint Cloud, MN is easy. At 1h 16m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Atwater, MN to Saint Cloud, MN is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Atwater, MN to Saint Cloud, MN does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh 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.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Saint Cloud, MN
More from Atwater, MN
More trips to Saint Cloud, MN
Explore more options from Atwater, MN or browse trips ending in Saint Cloud, MN.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse MN road trips.