Origin
Credit River, MN
Morning in Credit River on Saturday
Local time
9:22 AM
CDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Credit River, MN to Apple Valley, MN
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
19m
Distance
13.2 mi
21 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 18m
★
6 AM
0h 19m
8 AM
0h 23m
10 AM
0h 20m
12 PM
0h 20m
3 PM
0h 21m
5 PM
0h 22m
8 PM
0h 18m
★
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Credit River, MN
Tom Fisk
Apple Valley, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Credit River, MN to Apple Valley, MN is 13.2 miles and takes about 19 minutes via I 35 and local roads, with a fuel budget near $2 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within Minnesota, traversing the Midwest region. Expect a drive with numerous turns as you navigate local roads, making it a straightforward, same-day excursion. It's a practical option for a quick journey between two points in the area.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 19m. Total distance: 13.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
19m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (18%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
This route is characterized as a turn-heavy local drive, with only 18% of the journey on highways. You'll experience a mix of faster highway travel and more intricate local road navigation. The longest uninterrupted stretch is 2.4 miles on I 35, after which you'll transition to local streets like Cleary Lake Avenue / Richard J. Ames Memorial Highway and 160th Street West. Be prepared for frequent adjustments in speed and direction as you get closer to your destination.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 12 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 35 is the longest continuous segment at about 2.4 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 1.4 miles in near CR 21 / Cleary Lake Avenue /Richard J. Ames Memorial Highway.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 19m drive. You will face about 5 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.4 miles (CR 21 / Cleary Lake Avenue /Richard J. Ames Memorial Highway): Navigation decision point; at 6 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 6.3 miles (I 35): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 5 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
1.4 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
CR 21 / Cleary Lake Avenue /Richard J. Ames Memorial Highway
Turn right onto CR 21 / Cleary Lake Avenue /Richard J. Ames Memorial Highway
Navigation decision point
6
6 mi into trip
|
~8m in
Take the ramp toward I 35 North: Minneapolis, Saint Paul
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Toward I 35 North: Minneapolis, Saint Paul
5
6.3 mi into trip
|
~9m in
|
I 35
Merge onto I 35
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
8.6 mi into trip
|
~11m in
Take the exit toward CR 46
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Exit 86
Toward CR 46
4
12.2 mi into trip
|
~17m in
|
CR 23 / Cedar Avenue
Turn left onto CR 23 / Cedar Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Credit River, MN and Apple Valley, MN, road signs point toward Saint Paul and Cr 46.
Saint Paul
6 mi in
|
~8m
Cr 46
8.6 mi in
|
~11m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 35 | 2.4 mi | 2m |
| Cleary Lake Avenue /Richard J. Ames Memorial Highway | 2.3 mi | 3m |
| 160th Street West | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| Texas Avenue | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| 185th Street West /Richard J. Ames Memorial Highway | 1.3 mi | 1m |
| 162nd Street West | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| Cedar Avenue | 1 mi | 1m |
| 185th Street East | 1 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
I 35
— 2.4 mi, about 2m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Credit River, MN and Apple Valley, MN.
1
Start on CR 27
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Texas Avenue
2
Turn right onto CR 21
2.3 mi
·
3 min
·
Cleary Lake Avenue /Richard J. Ames Memorial Highway
3
Continue on CR 21
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
185th Street East
4
Continue on CR 60
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
185th Street West /Richard J. Ames Memorial Highway
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
Toward I 35 North: Minneapolis, Saint Paul
Use the right lane.
6
Merge onto I 35
2.4 mi
·
2 min
·
I 35
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
Exit 86
Toward CR 46
Use the right lane.
8
Turn left onto CR 46
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
162nd Street West
9
Continue on CR 46
0.6 mi
·
56 sec
·
Isleton Way
10
Continue on CR 46
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
160th Street West
11
Turn left onto CR 23
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Cedar Avenue
Use the left lane.
12
Arrive at destination
CR 42
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.96 one way
$3.93 round trip
$3.78/gal
25.4 MPG avg
5 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.07 | $2.12 | $4.23 |
| premium | $4.53 | $2.36 | $4.71 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.91 | $5.83 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 4.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 4 | 0 | $1.39 | $0.63 |
| Efficient EV | 3.3 | 0 | $1.15 | $0.53 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 5.3 | 0 | $1.85 | $0.84 |
Gas CO2
5 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (60% 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
Apple Valley, MN
Morning in Apple Valley on Saturday
Local time
9:22 AM
CDT
Current temp
66°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
20 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
19m 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 Credit River, MN to Apple Valley, MN covers 13.2 miles and takes about 19m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 35, Cleary Lake Avenue /Richard J. Ames Memorial Highway, 160th Street West. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 6.6 miles from Credit River, MN. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $1.96 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 straightforward 19m drive. You will face about 5 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 1.4 miles (CR 21 / Cleary Lake Avenue /Richard J. Ames Memorial Highway): Navigation decision point; at 6 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 6.3 miles (I 35): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Between Credit River, MN and Apple Valley, MN, road signs point toward Saint Paul and Cr 46.
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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