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Trip from Maple Grove, MN to Wheaton, MN

Drive Time

3h 29m

Distance

172.4 mi

278 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$25

one way

EV Charging

None

0 DC fast

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 37 min
4 AM
3h 17m ★
6 AM
3h 29m
8 AM
3h 54m
10 AM
3h 38m
12 PM
3h 35m
3 PM
3h 39m
5 PM
3h 52m
8 PM
3h 22m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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Downtown Maple Grove, MN, MN

Maple Grove, MN

Tom Fisk

Downtown Wheaton, MN, MN

Wheaton, MN

Tom Fisk

Trip Overview

The drive from Maple Grove, MN to Wheaton, MN covers 172.4 miles and takes about 3h 29m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on I 94, MN 27, I 494 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 116 miles on I 94. At current regular gas prices, budget about $24.66 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

1 planned break

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

86.2 miles from Maple Grove, MN

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 34m into the drive .

Drive Character

This is a 3h 29m highway drive covering 172.4 miles, with most of the trip on I 94 and MN 27. The longest continuous stretch is about 116 miles on I 94.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 15 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 94 is the longest continuous segment at about 116 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 94 and MN 27. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.6 miles in.

Route Complexity 6/10

Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 172.4 miles you will encounter 10 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 0.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 0.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 10 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

7
0.6 mi into trip | ~1m in

Turn left toward I 494 North

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane. Toward I 494 North
5
0.7 mi into trip | ~1m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 494 North

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

Toward I 494 North
8
2 mi into trip | ~3m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 94 West: Saint Cloud

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left / slight right lanes. Exit 27 Toward I 94 West: Saint Cloud
5
118.6 mi into trip | ~2h 8m in | MN 27

Take the exit onto MN 27 toward MN 27 West, CR 46

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward MN 27 West, CR 46
5
119.3 mi into trip | ~2h 10m in | MN 27

Enter roundabout onto MN 27

Roundabout - know your exit number before entering

Towns Along This Route

On the drive from Maple Grove, MN to Wheaton, MN, road signs begin pointing toward Cr 46 along the way.

Cr 46

118.6 mi in | ~2h 8m | via MN 27

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 94 116 mi 2h 4m
MN 27 53 mi 1h 18m
I 494 1 mi 1m
Bass Lake Road 0.6 mi 1m
Broadway 0.4 mi <1m
5th Street South 0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 94 — 116 mi, about 2h 4m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Maple Grove, MN and Wheaton, MN.

1

Start on Bass Lake Road

0.6 mi · 1 min · Bass Lake Road
2

Turn left onto I 494 North

315 ft · 10 sec · I 494 North
3

Keep slight left to continue on I 494 North

0.3 mi · 45 sec · I 494 North
4

Merge slight left

1.0 mi · 1 min
5

Keep slight left to continue on I 94 West: Saint Cloud

0.6 mi · 50 sec · I 94 West: Saint Cloud
6

Continue straight

17 mi · 18 min
7

Keep slight left

99 mi · 1 hr 46 min
8

Take the exit slight right toward MN 27 West, CR 46

0.4 mi · 47 sec · MN 27 West, CR 46
9

Enter the roundabout and take exit 3 toward the route

210 ft · 4 sec · the route
10

Exit the roundabout

0.3 mi · 26 sec
11

Enter the roundabout and take exit 1 toward the route

102 ft · 2 sec · the route
12

Exit the roundabout

53 mi · 1 hr 18 min
13

Turn right onto 5th Street South

0.1 mi · 15 sec · 5th Street South
14

Turn left onto Broadway

0.4 mi · 39 sec · Broadway
15

Arrive at your destination

Trip Plan

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 86.2 miles from Maple Grove, MN, or about 1h 34m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 116 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 80 miles or 1h 27m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 86.2 miles or 1h 34m 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 42m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Maple Grove, 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 Maple Grove, MN

This is one driving day of about 172.4 miles and 3h 29m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Maple Grove, 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.
The longest stretch is on I 94 for about 116 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 86.2 mi from Maple Grove, MN · 1h 34m into the drive

Downtown Avon, MN, MN

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Avon, MN

86 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

Avon, MN

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Avon, MN

Meal break

The midpoint is around 86.2 miles from Maple Grove, MN, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before I 94 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 116 miles.

Arriving in Wheaton, MN

The final approach into Wheaton, 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 Wheaton, MN.

After long uninterrupted mileage, take five minutes before the last urban segment to reset and refocus on exits, merges, and city traffic.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$24.66 one way

$49.32 round trip

$3.63/gal 25.4 MPG avg 60 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $3.92 $26.61 $53.23
premium $4.39 $29.81 $59.62
diesel $5.64 $38.30 $76.60

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$25

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$50–$75

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 60.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $18 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 51.7 0 $18.10 $8.28
Efficient EV 43.1 0 $15.08 $6.90
EV Truck/SUV 69 0 $24.14 $11.03

Gas CO2

60 kg

EV CO2

20 kg (67% 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 data refreshed 2 hours ago

Origin

Maple Grove, MN

Late night in Maple Grove on Monday

Local time

4:18 AM

CDT

Current temp

51°F

Mostly Clear

WNW 0 to 5 mph 1% chance Live forecast

Flood Watch

Flood Watch issued April 12 at 9:45PM CDT by NWS Grand Forks ND

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 12 at 9:44PM CDT by NWS Grand Forks ND

Destination

Wheaton, MN

Late night in Wheaton on Monday

Local time

4:18 AM

CDT

Current temp

44°F

Patchy Fog

N 8 to 15 mph 4% chance Live forecast

Flood Watch

Flood Watch issued April 12 at 9:45PM CDT by NWS Grand Forks ND

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 12 at 9:44PM CDT by NWS Grand Forks ND

Along the Route

37°F

Avon, MN

86 mi in

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

7 degrees cooler at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

3h 29m on the road

The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Maple Grove, MN to Wheaton, MN covers 172.4 miles and takes about 3h 29m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 94, MN 27, I 494. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 86.2 miles from Maple Grove, MN. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $24.66 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.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 172.4 miles you will encounter 10 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 0.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 0.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Maple Grove, MN to Wheaton, MN, road signs begin pointing toward Cr 46 along the way.

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