Origin
Bloomington, MN
Afternoon in Bloomington on Thursday
Local time
2:49 PM
CDT
Current temp
48°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Bloomington, MN to Atwater, MN
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
1h 55m
Distance
86 mi
138 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$13
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 47m
★
6 AM
1h 56m
8 AM
2h 13m
10 AM
2h 2m
12 PM
2h 0m
3 PM
2h 3m
5 PM
2h 12m
8 PM
1h 51m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Bloomington, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Atwater, MN
Tom Fisk
Trip Overview
The drive from Bloomington, MN to Atwater, MN covers 86 miles and takes about 1h 55m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on US 12, I 494, US Highway 12 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 15.4 miles on US 12. At current regular gas prices, budget about $12.80 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.
Midpoint
43 miles from Bloomington, MN
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 58m into the drive .
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 55m. Total distance: 86 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 55m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (50%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
The drive from Bloomington, MN to Atwater, MN covers 86 miles and takes about 1h 55m, using a mix of highways and local roads.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 37 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
US 12 is the longest continuous segment at about 15.4 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive.
Driving Effort
10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 86 miles you will encounter 18 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: Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 1.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 18 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
Take the ramp toward I 35W North
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
Toward I 35W North
8
1.1 mi into trip
|
~1m in
Take the exit toward I 494 East, MN 5 East
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 8B-C
Toward I 494 East, MN 5 East
6
1.3 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 494 West, MN 5 West
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 494 West, MN 5 West
7
15.9 mi into trip
|
~21m in
Take the exit toward US 12 West: Wayzata
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Exit 19B
Toward US 12 West: Wayzata
7
16.6 mi into trip
|
~22m in
Keep slight left at fork toward US 12 West: Wayzata
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Toward US 12 West: Wayzata
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 12 | 15.4 mi | 20m |
| I 494 | 13.7 mi | 17m |
| US Highway 12 | 12.8 mi | 17m |
| Parker Avenue East | 11.8 mi | 13m |
| Officer Bill Mathews Memorial Highwa | 11 mi | 14m |
| Babcock Boulevard | 6.1 mi | 8m |
| 60th Street Southwest | 3.5 mi | 4m |
| 50th Street Southwest | 2.7 mi | 3m |
Longest stretch:
US 12
— 15.4 mi, about 20m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Bloomington, MN and Atwater, MN.
1
Start on West 90th Street
163 ft
·
10 sec
·
West 90th Street
2
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
Toward I 35W North
3
Merge onto I 35W
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
I 35W
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
Exit 8B-C
Toward I 494 East, MN 5 East
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Keep slight left at fork
0.8 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 494 West, MN 5 West
6
Merge onto I 494; MN 5
5.8 mi
·
7 min
·
I 494; MN 5
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight left at fork onto I 494; MN 5
7.9 mi
·
9 min
·
I 494; MN 5
Use the straight / right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
Exit 19B
Toward US 12 West: Wayzata
Use the straight / right lanes.
9
Merge onto I 394
80 ft
·
1 sec
·
I 394
Exit 1A
10
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
28 sec
Toward US 12 West: Carlson Parkway, Linner Road
11
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi
·
52 sec
Toward US 12 West: Wayzata
Use the straight / right lanes.
12
Merge onto US 12
11 mi
·
14 min
·
Officer Bill Mathews Memorial Highwa
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Enter roundabout onto US 12
135 ft
·
1 sec
·
Babcock Boulevard
14
Continue on US 12
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Babcock Boulevard
15
Keep slight right at fork onto US 12
4.1 mi
·
5 min
·
Babcock Boulevard
16
Continue on US 12
3.6 mi
·
5 min
·
US 12
17
Continue on US 12
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
·
60th Street Southeast
18
Continue on US 12
0.6 mi
·
51 sec
·
US 12
19
Turn slight right onto US 12; MN 25
0.5 mi
·
39 sec
·
60th Street Southeast
20
Merge onto US 12; MN 25
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
US 12; MN 25
21
Continue on US 12; MN 25
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Nelson Boulevard
22
Continue on US 12
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
US 12
23
Continue on US 12
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Pacific Avenue
24
Continue on US 12
4.1 mi
·
5 min
·
US 12
25
Continue on US 12
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
6th Street
26
Continue on US 12
3.5 mi
·
4 min
·
60th Street Southwest
27
Continue on US 12
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
US 12
28
Continue on US 12
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Cokato Street
29
Continue on US 12
2.7 mi
·
3 min
·
50th Street Southwest
30
Continue on US 12
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
US 12
31
Continue on US 12
12 mi
·
13 min
·
Parker Avenue East
32
Turn right onto US 12; MN 22
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
North Sibley Avenue
33
Continue on US 12; MN 22
13 mi
·
17 min
·
US Highway 12
34
Turn left onto CR 2
144 ft
·
5 sec
·
Main Street North
35
Turn right onto Minnesota Avenue
154 ft
·
8 sec
·
Minnesota Avenue
36
Turn right
135 ft
·
9 sec
37
Arrive at destination
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 43 miles from Bloomington, MN, or about 58m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 15.4 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 miles or 25m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 43 miles or 58m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 38m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Atwater, MN than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Bloomington, MN so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Bloomington, MN
This is one driving day of about 86 miles and 1h 55m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 19 miles from Bloomington, MN.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on US 12 for about 15.4 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 43 mi from Bloomington, MN · 58m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
43 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 19 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 43 miles from Bloomington, MN, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Atwater, MN
The final approach into Atwater, 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
$12.80 one way
$25.60 round trip
$3.78/gal
25.4 MPG avg
30 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.07 | $13.79 | $27.58 |
| premium | $4.53 | $15.34 | $30.69 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $18.99 | $37.98 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$13
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$38–$63
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 30.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $9 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 25.8 | 0 | $9.03 | $4.13 |
| Efficient EV | 21.5 | 0 | $7.52 | $3.44 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 34.4 | 0 | $12.04 | $5.50 |
Gas CO2
30 kg
EV CO2
10 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.
Destination
Atwater, MN
Afternoon in Atwater on Thursday
Local time
2:49 PM
CDT
Current temp
44°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
66°F
Medina, MN
43 mi in
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 cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 55m 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 Bloomington, MN to Atwater, MN covers 86 miles and takes about 1h 55m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are US 12, I 494, US Highway 12. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 43 miles from Bloomington, MN. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $12.80 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 86 miles you will encounter 18 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: near the start: Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 1.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
The route from Bloomington, MN to Atwater, MN does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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