Trip from Minneapolis, MN to Madison Lake, MN

Q: What are the main roads on this route?

The main roads are I 35W, State Highway 60, Morristown Boulevard. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.

Q: Is this a good same-day trip?

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

Q: Where should I stop halfway?

The midpoint is about 38.6 miles from Minneapolis, MN. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

Q: How much does gas cost for this trip?

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $11.06 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.

Q: What is the best time to leave?

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

Q: What towns show up on signs driving from Minneapolis, MN to Madison Lake, MN?

The route from Minneapolis, MN to Madison Lake, MN does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

Drive Time

1h 34m

Distance

77.3 mi

124 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$11

one way

EV Charging

station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 21 min

4 AM

1h 28m ★

6 AM

1h 35m

8 AM

1h 49m

10 AM

1h 40m

12 PM

1h 39m

3 PM

1h 41m

5 PM

1h 49m

8 PM

1h 31m

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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Trip Overview

The drive from Minneapolis, MN to Madison Lake, MN covers 77.3 miles and takes about 1h 34m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on I 35W, State Highway 60, Morristown Boulevard for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 47.8 miles on I 35W. At current regular gas prices, budget about $11.06 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

38.6 miles from Minneapolis, MN

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 45m into the drive .

Drive Character

This is a 1h 34m highway drive covering 77.3 miles, with most of the trip on I 35W and State Highway 60. The longest continuous stretch is about 47.8 miles on I 35W.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.

There are about 16 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.

I 35W is the longest continuous segment at about 47.8 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 35W and State Highway 60. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near 3rd Avenue South.

Route Complexity 5/10

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

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 77.3 miles you will encounter 9 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: near the start (3rd Avenue South): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.7 miles: Navigation decision point; at 1.5 miles (I 35W): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 9 key points

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

0 mi into trip | ~0m in | 3rd Avenue South

Turn left onto 3rd Avenue South

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.

0.7 mi into trip | ~2m in

Take the ramp toward I-35W South

Navigation decision point

Toward I-35W South

1.5 mi into trip | ~3m in | I 35W

Merge onto I 35W

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

49.3 mi into trip | ~58m in

Take the exit toward MN 60

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early

Exit 56 Toward MN 60

49.6 mi into trip | ~58m in

Keep slight left at fork toward MN 60 West

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

Exit 56 Toward MN 60 West

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
I 35W	47.8 mi	54m
State Highway 60	11.2 mi	14m
Morristown Boulevard	7.8 mi	9m
Highway 60	5.2 mi	6m
Walnut Avenue	2.4 mi	3m
Highway 60 West	1 mi	1m
3rd Avenue South	0.6 mi	2m
MN 65	0.5 mi	<1m

Longest stretch: I 35W — 47.8 mi, about 54m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Minneapolis, MN and Madison Lake, MN.

Start on CR 152

63 ft · 9 sec · Washington Avenue South

Turn left onto 3rd Avenue South

0.6 mi · 2 min · 3rd Avenue South

Use the left lane.

Turn left onto South 10th Street

406 ft · 16 sec · South 10th Street

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 36 sec

Toward I-35W South

Continue on MN 65

0.5 mi · 32 sec · MN 65

Merge onto I 35W

48 mi · 54 min · I 35W

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 28 sec

Exit 56 Toward MN 60

Keep slight left at fork

251 ft · 8 sec

Exit 56 Toward MN 60 West

Turn left onto MN 60; I 35 ALT

1.0 mi · 1 min · Highway 60 West

Use the left / straight lanes.

Continue on MN 60; I 35 ALT

7.8 mi · 9 min · Morristown Boulevard

Continue on MN 60

11 mi · 14 min · State Highway 60

Continue on MN 60

5.2 mi · 6 min · Highway 60

Continue on MN 60

2.4 mi · 3 min · Walnut Avenue

Turn right onto CR 26

365 ft · 12 sec · Main Street

Turn right onto Chestnut Avenue

19 ft · 0 sec · Chestnut Avenue

Arrive at destination

Chestnut Avenue

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 38.6 miles from Minneapolis, MN, or about 45m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 47.8 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 77.3 miles or 1h 34m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 38.6 miles or 45m 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 19m

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

Before You Leave

Open the route before leaving Minneapolis, 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 Minneapolis, MN

This is one driving day of about 77.3 miles and 1h 34m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Minneapolis, 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 I 35W for about 47.8 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 38.6 mi from Minneapolis, MN · 45m into the drive

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Lakeville, MN

39 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

Lakeville, MN

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 77.3 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Lakeville, MN

Meal break

The midpoint is around 38.6 miles from Minneapolis, MN, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Madison Lake, MN

The final approach into Madison Lake, 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 Madison Lake, 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

$11.06 one way

$22.11 round trip

$3.63/gal 25.4 MPG avg 27 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$3.92	$11.93	$23.87
premium	$4.39	$13.37	$26.73
diesel	$5.64	$17.17	$34.35

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$11

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$36–$61

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 27 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $8 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	23.2	$8.12	$3.71
Efficient EV	19.3	$6.76	$3.09
EV Truck/SUV	30.9	$10.82	$4.95

Gas CO2

27 kg

EV CO2

9 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 3 days ago

Origin

Minneapolis, MN

Morning in Minneapolis on Monday

Local time

7:22 AM

CDT

Current temp

40°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Madison Lake, MN

Morning in Madison Lake on Monday

Local time

7:22 AM

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

31 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 34m 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 Minneapolis, MN to Madison Lake, MN covers 77.3 miles and takes about 1h 34m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are I 35W, State Highway 60, Morristown Boulevard. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 38.6 miles from Minneapolis, MN. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $11.06 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.