Origin
Bloomington, MN
Afternoon in Bloomington on Saturday
Local time
12:01 PM
CDT
Current temp
48°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Bloomington, MN to Oak Park Heights, MN
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
48m
Distance
35.9 mi
58 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 44m
★
6 AM
0h 48m
8 AM
0h 56m
10 AM
0h 51m
12 PM
0h 50m
3 PM
0h 51m
5 PM
0h 56m
8 PM
0h 46m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Bloomington, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Oak Park Heights, MN
Tom Fisk
Trip Overview
The drive from Bloomington, MN to Oak Park Heights, MN covers 35.9 miles and takes about 48m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 494, MN 36, I 694 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 20 miles on I 494. At current regular gas prices, budget about $5.34 one way before food or hotel costs.
About the Cities
Starting in Bloomington, MN
Full guide →Bloomington, Minnesota is a suburb of Minneapolis. It is near the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP IATA) and home to the Mall of America, the United States' largest shopping mall. Bloomington has a population of 89,000 people (as of 2021). Bloomington was established as a post–World War II housing boom suburb connected to Minneapolis's urban street grid, and is served by two major freeways: Interstate 35W and Interstate 494.
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 48m. Total distance: 35.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
48m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (93%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 48m highway drive covering 35.9 miles, with most of the trip on I 494 and MN 36. The longest continuous stretch is about 20 miles on I 494.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 16 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 494 is the longest continuous segment at about 20 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 494 and MN 36. 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
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 12 decision points packed into just 35.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 48m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start: Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.2 miles (I 35W): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 1.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 12 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
5
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
I 35W
Merge onto I 35W
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
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
7
1.3 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 494 East, MN 5 East
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 494 East, MN 5 East
7
26.9 mi into trip
|
~34m in
Take the exit toward MN 36 East: Stillwater
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 52B
Toward MN 36 East: Stillwater
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 494 | 20 mi | 24m |
| MN 36 | 7.4 mi | 9m |
| I 694 | 5.4 mi | 6m |
| I 35W | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| 60th Street North (South Frontage Road) | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Penrose Avenue North | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| 59th Street North | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Osgood Avenue North | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 494
— 20 mi, about 24m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Bloomington, MN and Oak Park Heights, 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 right at fork
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
Toward I 494 East, MN 5 East
6
Merge onto I 494; MN 5
20 mi
·
24 min
·
I 494; MN 5
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Continue on I 694
5.4 mi
·
6 min
·
I 694
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Exit 52B
Toward MN 36 East: Stillwater
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Merge onto MN 36
7.4 mi
·
9 min
·
MN 36
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Turn right onto CH 24
0.1 mi
·
20 sec
·
Osgood Avenue North
11
Turn left onto CH 26
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
·
59th Street North
12
Continue on CH 26
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
60th Street North (South Frontage Road)
13
Turn right onto Penrose Avenue North
0.2 mi
·
54 sec
·
Penrose Avenue North
14
Turn left onto 57th Street North
72 ft
·
4 sec
·
57th Street North
15
Turn right
45 ft
·
3 sec
16
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 18 mi from Bloomington, MN · 23m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
18 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 35.9 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 18 miles from Bloomington, MN, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Oak Park Heights, MN
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Oak Park Heights, 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
$5.34 one way
$10.69 round trip
$3.78/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.07 | $5.76 | $11.51 |
| premium | $4.53 | $6.41 | $12.81 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.93 | $15.85 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10.8 | 0 | $3.77 | $1.72 |
| Efficient EV | 9 | 0 | $3.14 | $1.44 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 14.4 | 0 | $5.03 | $2.30 |
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (69% 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
Oak Park Heights, MN
Afternoon in Oak Park Heights on Saturday
Local time
12:01 PM
CDT
Current temp
45°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
3 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
48m 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 Oak Park Heights, MN covers 35.9 miles and takes about 48m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 494, MN 36, I 694. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 18 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 $5.34 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 12 decision points packed into just 35.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 48m.
The main spots that need attention: near the start: Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.2 miles (I 35W): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 1.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
The route from Bloomington, MN to Oak Park Heights, 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.
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