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Trip from Lakeland, MN to Saint Cloud, MN

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 51m

Distance

91.3 mi

147 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$14

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 24 min
4 AM
1h 43m ★
6 AM
1h 51m
8 AM
2h 7m
10 AM
1h 57m
12 PM
1h 55m
3 PM
1h 58m
5 PM
2h 7m
8 PM
1h 46m

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

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

Saint Cloud, MN

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Lakeland, MN to Saint Cloud, MN covers 91.3 miles and takes about 1h 51m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on 5th Street North, Saint Croix Trail North, I 94 West for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $13.59 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.

Midpoint

45.7 miles from Lakeland, MN

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 55m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 51m. Total distance: 91.3 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 51m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.

Scenic Drive

Turn-heavy local drive route profile.

Drive Character

Expect a 1h 51m drive with frequent turns across 91.3 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 22 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
5th Street North 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.

Driving Effort 1/10

Very easy - short and simple to drive

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

The drive from Lakeland, MN to Saint Cloud, MN is easy. At 1h 51m 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 Lakeland, MN to Saint Cloud, MN is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
5th Street North
Saint Croix Trail North
I 94 West
I 694 North
I-94 W
CR 7
Roosevelt Road
22nd Street South

Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.

Longest stretch: 5th Street North — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

1

Start on Quinnell Avenue North

36 ft · 7 sec · Quinnell Avenue North
2

Turn left onto 5th Street North

0.3 mi · 1 min · 5th Street North
3

Enter the roundabout and take exit 1 toward Saint Croix Trail North

Saint Croix Trail North
4

Exit the roundabout onto Saint Croix Trail North

0.6 mi · 1 min · Saint Croix Trail North
5

Turn left onto I 94 West, US 12 West, MN 95 South: Saint Paul

8.8 mi · 9 min · I 94 West, US 12 West, MN 95 South: Saint Paul
6

Take the exit slight right toward I 694 North, I 494 South

0.3 mi · 38 sec · I 694 North, I 494 South
7

Keep slight right to continue on I 694 North

0.4 mi · 50 sec · I 694 North
8

Merge slight left

12 mi · 14 min
9

Keep slight right

18 mi · 22 min
10

Continue on I-94 W

17 mi · 18 min · I-94 W
11

Keep slight left

29 mi · 30 min
12

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

0.3 mi · 43 sec · CR 7, CR 75: Saint Augusta, Saint Cloud
13

Keep slight right

522 ft · 13 sec
14

Turn straight onto Roosevelt Road

3.1 mi · 4 min · Roosevelt Road
15

Turn right onto 22nd Street South

128 ft · 7 sec · 22nd Street South
16

Turn left onto 11th Avenue South

0.5 mi · 1 min · 11th Avenue South
17

Turn right onto 15th Street South

0.1 mi · 22 sec · 15th Street South
18

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

0.9 mi · 2 min · 9th Avenue South
19

Continue on 10th Avenue South

0.3 mi · 50 sec · 10th Avenue South
20

Turn right onto 1st Street North

0.1 mi · 29 sec · 1st Street North
21

At the end of the road, turn left onto Courthouse Square

269 ft · 12 sec · Courthouse Square
22

Arrive at your destination

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 45.7 miles from Lakeland, MN, or about 55m 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 20 miles or 24m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 45.7 miles or 55m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 1h 31m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Saint Cloud, MN than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Lakeland, MN so your first major turns are already loaded.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Lakeland, MN

This is one driving day of about 91.3 miles and 1h 51m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 20 miles from Lakeland, MN.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 45.7 mi from Lakeland, MN · 55m into the drive

city in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Maple Grove, MN

46 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

Birchwood, MN

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 20 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Maple Grove, MN

Meal break

The midpoint is around 45.7 miles from Lakeland, 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

$13.59 one way

$27.17 round trip

$3.78/gal 25.4 MPG avg 32 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.07 $14.64 $29.28
premium $4.53 $16.29 $32.58
diesel $5.61 $20.16 $40.32

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$14

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$39–$64

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 31.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $10 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 27.4 0 $9.59 $4.38
Efficient EV 22.8 0 $7.99 $3.65
EV Truck/SUV 36.5 0 $12.78 $5.84

Gas CO2

32 kg

EV CO2

11 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.

Forecast as of Apr 16, 2026

Origin

Lakeland, MN

Late night in Lakeland on Friday

Local time

5:50 AM

CDT

Current temp

44°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Saint Cloud, MN

Late night in Saint Cloud on Friday

Local time

5:50 AM

CDT

Current temp

67°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

23 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 51m 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 Lakeland, MN to Saint Cloud, MN covers 91.3 miles and takes about 1h 51m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are 5th Street North, Saint Croix Trail North, I 94 West. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 45.7 miles from Lakeland, MN. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $13.59 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.

The drive from Lakeland, MN to Saint Cloud, MN is easy. At 1h 51m 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 Lakeland, MN to Saint Cloud, MN is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

The route from Lakeland, MN to Saint Cloud, MN does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

How this page is built

Compiled and maintained by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy (Helsinki). Each route is built from authoritative open government and mapping datasets rather than crowdsourced reviews. Distances and geometry come from OSRM over OpenStreetMap. Fuel cost uses EIA weekly regional averages. Pages are published only after passing our data-quality checks; our methodology page documents refresh cadence, editorial standards, and known limitations.

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