Origin
Crystal, MN
Late night in Crystal on Friday
Local time
1:54 AM
CDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Crystal, MN to Apple Valley, MN
Compiled by the Trip.ovh editorial team · Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026 · Methodology
Drive Time
36m
Distance
27.8 mi
45 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 33m
★
6 AM
0h 36m
8 AM
0h 42m
10 AM
0h 38m
12 PM
0h 38m
3 PM
0h 39m
5 PM
0h 42m
8 PM
0h 34m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Crystal, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Apple Valley, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Crystal, MN to Apple Valley, MN covers 27.8 miles and takes about 36m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Cedar Avenue South, MN 100, Crosstown Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 11.6 miles on Cedar Avenue South. At current regular gas prices, budget about $4.14 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 36m. Total distance: 27.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
36m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (35%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile.
Drive Character
The drive from Crystal, MN to Apple Valley, MN covers 27.8 miles and takes about 36m, 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 8 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Cedar Avenue South is the longest continuous segment at about 11.6 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 6 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.5 miles in.
Driving Effort
5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 27.8 miles you will encounter 6 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: at 0.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 0.8 miles (MN 100): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 10.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 6 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
0.5 mi into trip
|
~1m in
Take the ramp toward MN 100 South
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward MN 100 South
5
0.8 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
MN 100
Merge onto MN 100
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
10.6 mi into trip
|
~13m in
Take the exit toward MN 62 East
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward MN 62 East
5
10.8 mi into trip
|
~14m in
|
MN 62 / Crosstown Highway
Merge onto MN 62 / Crosstown Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
15.8 mi into trip
|
~20m in
Take the exit toward MN 77 South
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward MN 77 South
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Cedar Avenue South | 11.6 mi | 14m |
| MN 100 | 9.8 mi | 12m |
| Crosstown Highway | 5 mi | 6m |
| 42nd Avenue North | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| County Road 42 | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
Cedar Avenue South
— 11.6 mi, about 14m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Crystal, MN and Apple Valley, MN.
1
Start on CR 9
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
42nd Avenue North
2
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
Toward MN 100 South
Use the right lane.
3
Merge onto MN 100
9.8 mi
·
12 min
·
MN 100
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
Toward MN 62 East
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Merge onto MN 62
5.0 mi
·
6 min
·
Crosstown Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
Toward MN 77 South
Use the slight right lane.
7
Merge onto MN 77
12 mi
·
14 min
·
Cedar Avenue South
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Arrive at destination
CR 42
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.14 one way
$8.27 round trip
$3.78/gal
25.4 MPG avg
10 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.07 | $4.46 | $8.92 |
| premium | $4.53 | $4.96 | $9.92 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.14 | $12.28 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 9.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8.3 | 0 | $2.92 | $1.33 |
| Efficient EV | 7 | 0 | $2.43 | $1.11 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 11.1 | 0 | $3.89 | $1.78 |
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (70% 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
Late night in Apple Valley on Friday
Local time
1:54 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
19 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
36m 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 Crystal, MN to Apple Valley, MN covers 27.8 miles and takes about 36m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Cedar Avenue South, MN 100, Crosstown Highway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 13.9 miles from Crystal, MN. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $4.14 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 27.8 miles you will encounter 6 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: at 0.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 0.8 miles (MN 100): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 10.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Crystal, MN to Apple Valley, MN does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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