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Trip from Brooklyn Center, MN to Saint Cloud, MN

Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026

Drive Time

1h 7m

Distance

56.6 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

Save up to 16 min
4 AM
1h 3m ★
6 AM
1h 8m
8 AM
1h 19m
10 AM
1h 12m
12 PM
1h 11m
3 PM
1h 12m
5 PM
1h 18m
8 PM
1h 5m

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

Downtown Brooklyn Center, MN, MN

Brooklyn Center, MN

Tom Fisk

city on tripoint of Benton, Sherburne and Stearns Counties in Minnesota, United States

Saint Cloud, MN

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Brooklyn Center, MN to Saint Cloud, MN covers 56.6 miles and takes about 1h 7m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on I 94, I-94 W, Roosevelt Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 33.7 miles on I 94. At current regular gas prices, budget about $8.42 one way before food or hotel costs.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 7m. Total distance: 56.6 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 7m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (90%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Drive Character

This is a 1h 7m highway drive covering 56.6 miles, with most of the trip on I 94 and I-94 W. The longest continuous stretch is about 33.7 miles on I 94.

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 94 is the longest continuous segment at about 33.7 miles.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

1,037 ft 857 ft

Total Climb

265 ft

Total Descent

85 ft

Highest Point

1,037 ft

~56.6 mi in

Elevation Range

180 ft

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 94 and I-94 W. 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 7/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 56.6 miles you will encounter 12 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: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 0.4 miles (I 94; I 694): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 51.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 12 key points

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

7
0 mi into trip | ~0m in

Turn left toward I 94 West, I 694 West

Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / left lanes. Toward I 94 West, I 694 West
5
0.4 mi into trip | ~1m in | I 94; I 694

Merge onto I 94; I 694

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

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
51.2 mi into trip | ~56m in

Take the exit toward CR 7, CR 75: Saint Augusta, Saint Cloud

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Exit 171 Toward CR 7, CR 75: Saint Augusta, Saint Cloud
5
56.5 mi into trip | ~1h 7m in | 1st Street North

Turn right onto 1st Street North

Navigation decision point

6
56.6 mi into trip | ~1h 7m in | Courthouse Square

At end of road, turn left onto Courthouse Square

Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between Brooklyn Center, MN and Saint Cloud, MN, road signs point toward Cr 7 and Cr 75: Saint Augusta.

Cr 7

51.2 mi in | ~56m

Cr 75: Saint Augusta

51.2 mi in | ~56m

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 94 33.7 mi 36m
I-94 W 17.1 mi 18m
Roosevelt Road 3.1 mi 4m
9th Avenue South 0.9 mi 2m
11th Avenue South 0.5 mi 1m
10th Avenue South 0.3 mi <1m
15th Street South 0.1 mi <1m
1st Street North 0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 94 — 33.7 mi, about 36m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Brooklyn Center, MN and Saint Cloud, MN.

1

Start on CR 152

195 ft · 8 sec · Brooklyn Boulevard
2

Turn left

0.4 mi · 52 sec
Toward I 94 West, I 694 West Use the straight / left lanes.
3

Merge onto I 94; I 694

5.1 mi · 6 min · I 94; I 694
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4

Continue on I 94

17 mi · 18 min · I-94 W
Exit 27 Toward I 94 West: Saint Cloud Use the straight / left lanes.
5

Keep slight left at fork onto I 94

29 mi · 30 min · I 94
6

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 42 sec
Exit 171 Toward CR 7, CR 75: Saint Augusta, Saint Cloud
7

Keep slight right at fork

521 ft · 12 sec
8

Turn straight onto CR 75

3.1 mi · 4 min · Roosevelt Road
9

Turn right onto 22nd Street South

127 ft · 7 sec · 22nd Street South
10

Turn left onto 11th Avenue South

0.5 mi · 1 min · 11th Avenue South
11

Turn right onto 15th Street South

0.1 mi · 22 sec · 15th Street South
12

At end of road, turn left onto 9th Avenue South

0.9 mi · 2 min · 9th Avenue South
13

Continue on 10th Avenue South

0.3 mi · 49 sec · 10th Avenue South
14

Turn right onto 1st Street North

0.1 mi · 29 sec · 1st Street North
15

At end of road, turn left onto Courthouse Square

270 ft · 11 sec · Courthouse Square
16

Arrive at destination

Courthouse Square

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 28.3 mi from Brooklyn Center, MN · 32m into the drive

city in Sherburne County, Minnesota, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Big Lake, MN

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

Maple Grove, MN

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Big Lake, MN

Meal break

The midpoint is around 28.3 miles from Brooklyn Center, 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

$8.42 one way

$16.85 round trip

$3.78/gal 25.4 MPG avg 20 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.07 $9.08 $18.15
premium $4.53 $10.10 $20.20
diesel $5.61 $12.50 $24.99

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$8

Estimated CO2 emission: 19.8 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 17 0 $5.94 $2.72
Efficient EV 14.2 0 $4.95 $2.26
EV Truck/SUV 22.6 0 $7.92 $3.62

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.

Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Brooklyn Center, MN

Afternoon in Brooklyn Center on Thursday

Local time

4:37 PM

CDT

Current temp

46°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Saint Cloud, MN

Afternoon in Saint Cloud on Thursday

Local time

4:37 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

21 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 7m 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 Brooklyn Center, MN to Saint Cloud, MN covers 56.6 miles and takes about 1h 7m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 94, I-94 W, Roosevelt Road. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 28.3 miles from Brooklyn Center, MN. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $8.42 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 56.6 miles you will encounter 12 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: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 0.4 miles (I 94; I 694): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 51.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Brooklyn Center, MN and Saint Cloud, MN, road signs point toward Cr 7 and Cr 75: Saint Augusta.
Mostly flat terrain. The route ranges from 857 ft to 1,037 ft elevation with about 265 ft of total climbing.

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