Origin
Lake Elmo, MN
Afternoon in Lake Elmo on Sunday
Local time
3:15 PM
CDT
Current temp
38°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Lake Elmo, MN to Minnetonka, MN
Drive Time
55m
Distance
38.2 mi
62 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 51m
★
6 AM
0h 55m
8 AM
1h 4m
10 AM
0h 59m
12 PM
0h 58m
3 PM
0h 59m
5 PM
1h 4m
8 PM
0h 53m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Lake Elmo, MN
Tom Fisk
Minnetonka, MN
Tom Fisk
Trip Overview
The drive from Lake Elmo, MN to Minnetonka, MN covers 38.2 miles and takes about 55m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on MN 36, Minnesota State Highway 7, I 35W for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 10.6 miles on MN 36. At current regular gas prices, budget about $5.46 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
0 planned breaks
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
19.1 miles from Lake Elmo, MN
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 27m into the drive .
Drive Character
This is a 55m highway drive covering 38.2 miles, with most of the trip on MN 36 and Minnesota State Highway 7. The longest continuous stretch is about 10.6 miles on MN 36.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 26 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
MN 36 is the longest continuous segment at about 10.6 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on MN 36 and Minnesota State Highway 7. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 22.7 miles in.
Route Complexity
10/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
This is a demanding drive. With 23 significant decision points across 38.2 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 22.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 22.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 22.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 23 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
9
22.7 mi into trip
|
~32m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 35W South, I 94 West: 11th Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the none lane.
Exit 17B
Toward I 35W South, I 94 West: 11th Avenue
9
22.7 mi into trip
|
~32m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 94 West: 11th Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 17B
Toward I 94 West: 11th Avenue
9
22.8 mi into trip
|
~32m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 94 West
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Exit 17B
Toward I 94 West
8
25 mi into trip
|
~35m in
Take the exit toward I 394 West, US 12 West
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 231A
Toward I 394 West, US 12 West
8
27.5 mi into trip
|
~38m in
Take the exit toward MN 100 South, MN 100 North: Park Place-Xenia
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 5B-A
Toward MN 100 South, MN 100 North: Park Place-X...
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| MN 36 | 10.6 mi | 13m |
| Minnesota State Highway 7 | 7.8 mi | 11m |
| I 35W | 4.4 mi | 5m |
| 34th Street North | 3 mi | 4m |
| Stillwater Boulevard North | 2.2 mi | 3m |
| MN 55 | 2 mi | 2m |
| I 394 | 1.9 mi | 2m |
| Division Street | 1.4 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
MN 36
— 10.6 mi, about 13m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Lake Elmo, MN and Minnetonka, MN.
1
Start on CH 17
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Lake Elmo Avenue North
2
At end of road, turn left onto CH 14; CH 17
2.2 mi
·
3 min
·
Stillwater Boulevard North
Use the none lane.
3
Enter roundabout onto CH 14
146 ft
·
3 sec
·
34th Street North
4
Continue on CH 14
3.0 mi
·
4 min
·
34th Street North
Use the none lane.
5
At end of road, turn right onto MN 120
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
·
Century Avenue North
Use the right lane.
6
Continue on MN 120
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Division Street
Use the straight lane.
7
Turn sharp left onto MN 36
11 mi
·
13 min
·
MN 36
Use the left lane.
8
Merge onto I 35W
4.4 mi
·
5 min
·
I 35W
Use the straight lane.
9
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
38 sec
Exit 17B
Toward I 94 West: 11th Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight right at fork
133 ft
·
2 sec
Exit 17B
Toward I 35W South, I 94 West: 11th Avenue
Use the none lane.
11
Keep slight right at fork
417 ft
·
7 sec
Exit 17B
Toward I 94 West: 11th Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
12
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi
·
16 sec
Exit 17B
Toward I 94 West
Use the slight left lane.
13
Continue on MN 55
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
MN 55
Exit 17B
Toward I 94 West, MN 55 West
Use the none lane.
14
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
59 sec
Exit 231A
Toward I 394 West, US 12 West
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Merge onto I 394
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
I 394
Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.
16
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
11 sec
Exit 5B-A
Toward MN 100 South, MN 100 North: Park Place-Xenia
Use the slight right lane.
17
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
26 sec
Toward MN 100 South: Park Place-Xenia
18
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
47 sec
Toward MN 100 South
Use the straight / right lanes.
19
Keep slight left at fork
402 ft
·
9 sec
Use the straight / right lanes.
20
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
Toward MN 100 South
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
21
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
Toward MN 100 South
Use the slight left lane.
22
Merge onto MN 100
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
MN 100
Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.
23
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Toward MN 7 West
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
24
Merge onto MN 7
7.8 mi
·
11 min
·
Minnesota State Highway 7
Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.
25
Turn left onto CR 101
239 ft
·
10 sec
·
County Road 101
Use the left lane.
26
Arrive at destination
CR 101
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 19.1 miles from Lake Elmo, MN, or about 27m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 10.6 miles.
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 38.2 miles or 55m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 19.1 miles or 27m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 46m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Minnetonka, MN than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Lake Elmo, 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 Lake Elmo, MN
This is one driving day of about 38.2 miles and 55m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Lake Elmo, MN.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.
The longest stretch is on MN 36 for about 10.6 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 19.1 mi from Lake Elmo, MN · 27m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
19 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 38.2 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 19.1 miles from Lake Elmo, MN, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Minnetonka, MN
The final approach into Minnetonka, 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 Minnetonka, 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
$5.46 one way
$10.93 round trip
$3.63/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $3.92 | $5.90 | $11.79 |
| premium | $4.39 | $6.61 | $13.21 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $8.49 | $16.97 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$5
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$30–$55
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 13.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11.5 | 0 | $4.01 | $1.83 |
| Efficient EV | 9.6 | 0 | $3.34 | $1.53 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 15.3 | 0 | $5.35 | $2.44 |
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
Minnetonka, MN
Afternoon in Minnetonka on Sunday
Local time
3:15 PM
CDT
Current temp
40°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
2 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
55m 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 Lake Elmo, MN to Minnetonka, MN covers 38.2 miles and takes about 55m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are MN 36, Minnesota State Highway 7, I 35W. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 19.1 miles from Lake Elmo, MN. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $5.46 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 demanding drive. With 23 significant decision points across 38.2 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 22.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 22.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 22.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Lake Elmo, MN to Minnetonka, MN does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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