Origin
Cross Lake, MN
Afternoon in Cross Lake on Sunday
Local time
4:25 PM
CDT
Current temp
38°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Cross Lake, MN to Lakeville, MN
Drive Time
3h 1m
Distance
168.1 mi
270 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$24
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
2h 50m
★
6 AM
3h 2m
8 AM
3h 24m
10 AM
3h 10m
12 PM
3h 7m
3 PM
3h 11m
5 PM
3h 23m
8 PM
2h 55m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Lakeville, MN
Tom Fisk
Trip Overview
Traveling from Cross Lake to Lakeville covers 168.1 miles of Minnesota landscape, typically requiring about 3 hours and 1 minute of driving time. Because this route avoids major interstates entirely, you should budget approximately $24 for fuel to complete the journey. It is a straightforward trip that functions perfectly as a single-day excursion, making an overnight stay unnecessary unless you prefer a slower pace. You will navigate primarily via County Road 3, County Road 11, and West Main Street throughout the Midwest. Expect a steady, local-focused experience rather than a high-speed transit, as the path relies on secondary roads to reach your destination.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
84 miles from Cross Lake, MN
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 30m into the drive .
Drive Character
This journey offers a turn-heavy local drive that demands your full attention behind the wheel. With a 0% highway share, you will stay off major thoroughfares and instead navigate a series of interconnected local roads. You will find that there is no single long stretch of road, as the longest uninterrupted segment on County Road 3 is 0 miles, indicating frequent transitions and turns. The personality of this drive is intimate and precise, favoring careful navigation over cruising speed. Shifting from the quiet stretches near Cross Lake toward the environment of Lakeville keeps the experience engaging as you wind through the local grid.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 36 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
County Road 3 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.
Route Complexity
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
The drive from Cross Lake, MN to Lakeville, MN is easy. At 3h 1m 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 Cross Lake, MN to Lakeville, MN is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| County Road 3 | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| County Road 11 | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| West Main Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Voyageur Highway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Archibald Road | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| East Front Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Highway 18 | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Highway 169 | Unavailable | Refreshing |
Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.
Longest stretch:
County Road 3
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Cross Lake, MN and Lakeville, MN.
1
Start on County Road 11
3.2 mi
·
4 min
·
County Road 11
2
Keep slight right to continue on County Road 3
341 ft
·
6 sec
·
County Road 3
3
Enter the roundabout and take exit 3 toward County Road 11
213 ft
·
5 sec
·
County Road 11
4
Exit the roundabout onto County Road 11
3.6 mi
·
4 min
·
County Road 11
5
Continue on County Road 11
7.7 mi
·
10 min
·
County Road 11
6
Turn right
4.7 mi
·
8 min
7
Turn left onto West Main Street
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
West Main Street
8
Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward Voyageur Highway
108 ft
·
1 sec
·
Voyageur Highway
9
Exit the roundabout onto Voyageur Highway
2.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Voyageur Highway
10
Continue on Archibald Road
0.7 mi
·
51 sec
·
Archibald Road
11
At the end of the road, turn left onto East Front Street
0.4 mi
·
29 sec
·
East Front Street
12
Turn right
9.4 mi
·
16 min
13
Turn left onto State Highway 18
4.3 mi
·
7 min
·
State Highway 18
14
Turn straight onto US Highway 169
37 mi
·
42 min
·
US Highway 169
15
Continue on Central Avenue
2.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Central Avenue
16
Continue on US Highway 169
9.5 mi
·
10 min
·
US Highway 169
17
Keep slight right to continue on US Highway 169
26 mi
·
30 min
·
US Highway 169
18
Continue on POW/MIA Memorial Highway
384 ft
·
5 sec
·
POW/MIA Memorial Highway
19
Continue straight
6.9 mi
·
8 min
20
Take the exit slight right toward I 94 East: Minneapolis, Saint Paul
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
I 94 East: Minneapolis, Saint Paul
21
Merge slight left
8.3 mi
·
9 min
22
Take the exit slight right toward I 494 South
0.4 mi
·
32 sec
·
I 494 South
23
Continue straight
22 mi
·
27 min
24
Take the exit slight right toward I 35W South: Albert Lea
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
·
I 35W South: Albert Lea
25
Continue on I 35W South: Albert Lea
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
·
I 35W South: Albert Lea
26
Merge slight left
11 mi
·
12 min
27
Take the exit slight right toward CR 5, CR 50
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
CR 5, CR 50
28
Turn left onto Kenwood Trail
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Kenwood Trail
29
Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward Kenwood Trail /Richard J. Ames Memorial Highway
128 ft
·
3 sec
·
Kenwood Trail /Richard J. Ames Memorial Highway
30
Exit the roundabout onto Kenwood Trail /Richard J. Ames Memorial Highway
2.2 mi
·
3 min
·
Kenwood Trail /Richard J. Ames Memorial Highway
31
Continue on Kenwood Trai/Richard J. Ames Memorial Highway
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
·
Kenwood Trai/Richard J. Ames Memorial Highway
32
Continue on 202nd Street West / Richard J. Ames Memorial Highway
0.5 mi
·
48 sec
·
202nd Street West / Richard J. Ames Memorial Highway
33
Enter the roundabout and take exit 1 toward 202nd Street West
13 ft
·
202nd Street West
34
Exit the rotary onto Holyoke Avenue
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Holyoke Avenue
35
Turn left onto 207th Street West
23 ft
·
1 sec
·
207th Street West
36
Arrive at your destination
Trip Plan
Given the 168.1-mile distance, plan for at least one dedicated stop to stretch your legs and keep your focus sharp on the winding local roads. Leaving early in the morning is your best strategy to avoid fatigue, as the lack of highway stretches means your average speed will remain lower than a typical interstate trip. Since this is a turn-heavy route, ensure your GPS is updated and clear before you depart from Cross Lake. You have plenty of flexibility to adjust your pace, but remember that the constant turns make the 3-hour drive feel more active than a straight highway haul. Keep your $24 fuel budget in mind, and prioritize a mid-trip break to manage the technical nature of the drive.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 84 miles from Cross Lake, MN, or about 1h 30m into the drive.
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 80 miles or 1h 26m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 84 miles or 1h 30m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 28m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Lakeville, MN than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Cross Lake, MN so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Cross Lake, MN
This is one driving day of about 168.1 miles and 3h 1m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Cross Lake, MN.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 84 mi from Cross Lake, MN · 1h 30m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
84 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 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 84 miles from Cross Lake, MN, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Lakeville, MN
The final approach into Lakeville, MN usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Lakeville, MN.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$24.04 one way
$48.09 round trip
$3.63/gal
25.4 MPG avg
59 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $3.92 | $25.95 | $51.90 |
| premium | $4.39 | $29.07 | $58.13 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $37.35 | $74.69 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$24
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$49–$74
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 58.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $18 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 50.4 | 0 | $17.65 | $8.07 |
| Efficient EV | 42 | 0 | $14.71 | $6.72 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 67.2 | 0 | $23.53 | $10.76 |
Gas CO2
59 kg
EV CO2
20 kg (66% 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
Lakeville, MN
Afternoon in Lakeville on Sunday
Local time
4:25 PM
CDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
33 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
3h 1m 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 Cross Lake, MN to Lakeville, MN covers 168.1 miles and takes about 3h 1m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are County Road 3, County Road 11, West Main Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 84 miles from Cross Lake, MN. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $24.04 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
The drive from Cross Lake, MN to Lakeville, MN is easy. At 3h 1m 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 Cross Lake, MN to Lakeville, MN is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Cross Lake, MN to Lakeville, MN does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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