Trip from Minnetonka Mills, MN to Brainerd, MN

Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026

Drive Time

2h 28m

Distance

123.3 mi

198 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$18

one way

EV Charging

Excellent

32 DC fast

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 30 min

4 AM

2h 19m ★

6 AM

2h 29m

8 AM

2h 49m

10 AM

2h 36m

12 PM

2h 34m

3 PM

2h 37m

5 PM

2h 48m

8 PM

2h 23m

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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Minnetonka Mills, MN

Tom Fisk

Brainerd, MN

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Minnetonka Mills, MN to Brainerd, MN covers 123.3 miles and takes about 2h 28m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on US 10, MN 371, I 94 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 54.4 miles on US 10. At current regular gas prices, budget about $18.35 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

61.6 miles from Minnetonka Mills, MN

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 14m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 28m. Total distance: 123.3 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

2h 28m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (94%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Drive Character

This is a 2h 28m highway drive covering 123.3 miles, with most of the trip on US 10 and MN 371. The longest continuous stretch is about 54.4 miles on US 10.

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

There are about 20 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.

US 10 is the longest continuous segment at about 54.4 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 10 and MN 371. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near CR 5; CR 61 / Minnetonka Boulevard.

Driving Effort 6/10

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 123.3 miles you will encounter 11 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 0.1 miles (CR 5; CR 61 / Minnetonka Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.7 miles: Navigation decision point; at 0.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 11 key points

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

0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | CR 5; CR 61 / Minnetonka Boulevard

Turn left onto CR 5; CR 61 / Minnetonka Boulevard

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight lane.

0.7 mi into trip | ~1m in

Take the ramp toward I 494 North

Navigation decision point

Toward I 494 North

0.7 mi into trip | ~1m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 494 North

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward I 494 North

1 mi into trip | ~2m in | I 494

Merge onto I 494

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

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

10.9 mi into trip | ~14m 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

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
US 10	54.4 mi	1h 3m
MN 371	27.4 mi	31m
I 94	22.6 mi	24m
I 494	9.9 mi	12m
165th Avenue Southeast	1.8 mi	2m
Park Boulevard Southeast	1.4 mi	1m
West Washington Street	1.2 mi	2m
State Highway 210	1 mi	1m

Longest stretch: US 10 — 54.4 mi, about 1h 3m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Minnetonka Mills, MN and Brainerd, MN.

Start on CR 61

320 ft · 16 sec · Shady Oak Road

Turn left onto CR 5; CR 61

0.6 mi · 1 min · Minnetonka Boulevard

Use the straight lane.

Take the ramp

160 ft · 3 sec

Toward I 494 North

Keep slight left at fork

0.2 mi · 32 sec

Toward I 494 North Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Merge onto I 494

9.9 mi · 12 min · I 494

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight left at fork

0.6 mi · 49 sec

Exit 27 Toward I 94 West: Saint Cloud Use the slight left / slight right lanes.

Continue on I 94

17 mi · 18 min · I 94

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight left at fork onto I 94

6.0 mi · 6 min · I 94

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 52 sec

Turn right onto MN 25

0.8 mi · 2 min · Pine Street

Continue on MN 25

0.1 mi · 19 sec · State Highway 25

Turn left onto County Road 11

0.7 mi · 53 sec · County Road 11

Continue on Park Boulevard Southeast

1.4 mi · 1 min · Park Boulevard Southeast

Continue on 165th Avenue Southeast

1.8 mi · 2 min · 165th Avenue Southeast

Turn left onto US 10

54 mi · 1 hr 3 min · US 10

Keep slight right at fork onto MN 371

27 mi · 31 min · MN 371

Turn right onto MN 210; MN 371 Business

1.0 mi · 1 min · State Highway 210

Continue on MN 210; MN 371 Business

1.2 mi · 2 min · West Washington Street

Turn right onto MN 371 Business

22 ft · 0 sec · South 6th Street

Arrive at destination

MN 371 Business

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 61.6 miles from Minnetonka Mills, MN, or about 1h 14m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 54.4 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 27 miles or 32m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 61.6 miles or 1h 14m 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

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

Before You Leave

Open the route before leaving Minnetonka Mills, 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 Minnetonka Mills, MN

This is one driving day of about 123.3 miles and 2h 28m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 27 miles from Minnetonka Mills, MN.

This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.

The longest stretch is on US 10 for about 54.4 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 61.6 mi from Minnetonka Mills, MN · 1h 14m into the drive

city in Sherburne County, Minnesota, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Big Lake, MN

62 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

Albertville, MN

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 27 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Saint Cloud, MN

Meal break

The midpoint is around 61.6 miles from Minnetonka Mills, MN, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Brainerd, MN

The final approach into Brainerd, 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 Brainerd, MN.

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

Nearby Places

Restaurants, cafes, gas stations and more along your route.

Top Restaurant

Maynard's Restaurant of Rogers

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Rogers, Minnesota

Near the start, short detour

3 mi from route ~7 min detour $20 to $30 mile 17.6

Hours: 11 am–11 pm

+17634280700

Visit website

Top Coffee Stop

Coco Moon Coffee Co

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Brainerd, Minnesota

Near the end, right off the route

0.1 mi from route $1 to $10 mile 123.3

Hours: 7 am–4:30 pm

Visit website

Loco Espress Coffee House & Boutique

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Brainerd, Minnesota

0.6 mi

Munkabeans Coffeehouse

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Hopkins, Minnesota

1.7 mi

Maynard's Restaurant of Rogers

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, short detour

3 mi from route ~7 min detour $20 to $30 mile 17.6

Rogers, Minnesota

Hours: 11 am–11 pm

+17634280700

Visit website

Lynde’s Restaurant & Catering

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, ~12 min detour

4.6 mi from route ~12 min detour $10 to $20 mile 8.8

Osseo, Minnesota

Hours: 6 am–2 pm

+17634243696

Visit website

Coco Moon Coffee Co

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, right off the route

0.1 mi from route $1 to $10 mile 123.3

Brainerd, Minnesota

Hours: 7 am–4:30 pm

Visit website

Loco Espress Coffee House & Boutique

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, right off the route

0.6 mi from route ~2 min detour $1 to $10 mile 123.3

Brainerd, Minnesota

Hours: 7 am–6 pm

+12183304335

Visit website

Munkabeans Coffeehouse

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, short detour

1.7 mi from route ~4 min detour $10 to $20

Hopkins, Minnesota

Hours: 6:30 am–5 pm

+19529389056

Visit website

StoneHouse Coffee & Roastery

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, short detour

2 mi from route ~5 min detour $10 to $20 mile 123.3

Baxter, Minnesota

Hours: 7 am–2 pm

+12184542835

Visit website

District Coffee

4.9 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, ~10 min detour

4.1 mi from route ~10 min detour $10 to $20 mile 61.6

St Cloud, Minnesota

Hours: 6:30 am–2:30 pm

+13203422040

Visit website

Barista Coffee Bar

4.9 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Later in the drive, ~11 min detour

4.2 mi from route ~11 min detour $1 to $10 mile 88.1

Little Falls, Minnesota

Hours: 7 am–4 pm

+13204142230

Visit website

Safari North Wildlife Park

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, right off the route

0.7 mi from route ~2 min detour mile 114.5

Brainerd, Minnesota

Hours: 9 am–6 pm

+12184541662

Visit website

Summerland Family Fun Park

4.4 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Around the midpoint, short detour

2.1 mi from route ~5 min detour mile 61.6

Sauk Rapids, Minnesota

Hours: Closed

+13202510940

Visit website

Granite City Jump

4.4 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Around the midpoint, short detour

3 mi from route ~8 min detour mile 61.6

St Cloud, Minnesota

Hours: 10 am–8 pm

+13203422148

Visit website

Playground Plaza

4.3 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the start, ~12 min detour

5 mi from route ~12 min detour mile 8.8

Maple Grove, Minnesota

Hours: 7 am–9 pm

+17632283833

Visit website

Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$18.35 one way

$36.70 round trip

$3.78/gal 25.4 MPG avg 43 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.07	$19.77	$39.54
premium	$4.53	$22.00	$44.00
diesel	$5.61	$27.22	$54.45

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$18

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$43–$68

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 43.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

EV Charging Along Route

32 DC fast chargers · Coverage: excellent

Target - Tesla Supercharger

St. Louis Park, MN

Tesla

8 DCFC

Cub Foods - Tesla Supercharger

St. Louis Park, MN

Tesla

8 DCFC

Target - Tesla Supercharger

Minnetonka, MN

Tesla

8 DCFC

Costco St. Louis Park (St. Louis Park, MN)

St Louis Park, MN

Electrify America

6 DCFC

Luther Westside Volkswagen - DCFC

St. Louis Park, MN

Blink Network

4 DCFC

Morries Minnetonka Ford

Minnetonka, MN

FORD_CHARGE

4 DCFC

CircleK - Plymouth

Plymouth, MN

CIRCLE_K

4 DCFC

Superior Ford-Plymouth-DCFC

Plymouth, MN

Blink Network

4 DCFC

DIRT_ROAD: 13 ChargePoint Network: 6 Tesla: 3 Blink Network: 2 Non-Networked: 2 ZEFNET: 1 Electrify America: 1 EV Connect: 1 IN_CHARGE: 1 FORD_CHARGE: 1 CIRCLE_K: 1

Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.

Driving Electric?

About $13 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	37	$12.95	$5.92
Efficient EV	30.8	$10.79	$4.93
EV Truck/SUV	49.3	$17.26	$7.89

Gas CO2

43 kg

EV CO2

14 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 as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Minnetonka Mills, MN

Evening in Minnetonka Mills on Thursday

Local time

8:45 PM

CDT

Current temp

71°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Brainerd, MN

Evening in Brainerd on Thursday

Local time

8:45 PM

CDT

Current temp

39°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

32 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

2h 28m 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 Minnetonka Mills, MN to Brainerd, MN covers 123.3 miles and takes about 2h 28m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are US 10, MN 371, I 94. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 61.6 miles from Minnetonka Mills, MN. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $18.35 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 route from Minnetonka Mills, MN to Brainerd, MN does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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Trip from Minnetonka Mills, MN to Brainerd, MN

Best Time to Leave

Trip Overview

Who Is This Route For?

Drive Character

How Hard Is This Drive?

Critical Maneuvers

Main Roads

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Trip Plan

Before You Leave

Where to Stop

Pacing Suggestions

Arriving in Brainerd, MN

Nearby Places

Maynard's Restaurant of Rogers

Coco Moon Coffee Co

Maynard's Restaurant of Rogers

Lynde’s Restaurant & Catering

Coco Moon Coffee Co

Loco Espress Coffee House & Boutique

Munkabeans Coffeehouse

StoneHouse Coffee & Roastery

District Coffee

Barista Coffee Bar

Safari North Wildlife Park

Summerland Family Fun Park

Granite City Jump

Playground Plaza

Fuel & Cost

Travel Intel

Minnetonka Mills, MN

Brainerd, MN

Same local time

32 degrees cooler at arrival

2h 28m on the road

Frequently Asked Questions

Explore More

Continue From Brainerd, MN

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