Origin
Minnetonka Mills, MN
Evening in Minnetonka Mills on Thursday
Local time
5:14 PM
CDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Minnetonka Mills, MN to Cottage Grove, MN
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
44m
Distance
31.3 mi
50 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 41m
★
6 AM
0h 45m
8 AM
0h 52m
10 AM
0h 48m
12 PM
0h 47m
3 PM
0h 48m
5 PM
0h 52m
8 PM
0h 43m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Minnetonka Mills, MN
Tom Fisk
Cottage Grove, MN
Tom Fisk
Trip Overview
The drive from Minnetonka Mills, MN to Cottage Grove, MN covers 31.3 miles and takes about 44m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Crosstown Highway, Shady Oak Road, Hiawatha Pioneer Trail/Disabled American Veterans Highway/Voyageur Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 18.2 miles on Crosstown Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $4.66 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 44m. Total distance: 31.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
44m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 44m drive with frequent turns across 31.3 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 15 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Crosstown Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 18.2 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 5.4 miles in near MN 62 / Crosstown Highway.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 12 decision points packed into just 31.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 44m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 5.4 miles (MN 62 / Crosstown Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 22.3 miles (I 494): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 25.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 12 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
7
5.4 mi into trip
|
~9m in
|
MN 62 / Crosstown Highway
Keep slight left at fork onto MN 62 / Crosstown Highway toward MN 62
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward MN 62
5
22.3 mi into trip
|
~31m in
|
I 494
Merge onto I 494
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
25.4 mi into trip
|
~35m in
Take the exit toward US 10 East, US 61 South: Hastings
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 63B
Toward US 10 East, US 61 South: Hastings
7
29.5 mi into trip
|
~40m in
Take the exit toward 80th Street, Grange Boulevard
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.
Toward 80th Street, Grange Boulevard
6
30.2 mi into trip
|
~41m in
|
East Point Douglas Road South
Turn right onto East Point Douglas Road South
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Crosstown Highway | 18.2 mi | 23m |
| Shady Oak Road | 3.8 mi | 7m |
| Hiawatha Pioneer Trail/Disabled American Veterans Highway/Voyageur Highway | 3.4 mi | 3m |
| I 494 | 3.1 mi | 3m |
| Hillside Trail | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| East Point Douglas Road South | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| 80th Street South | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Hyde Avenue South | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Crosstown Highway
— 18.2 mi, about 23m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Minnetonka Mills, MN and Cottage Grove, MN.
1
Start on CR 61
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Shady Oak Road
2
Continue on CR 61
3.2 mi
·
6 min
·
Shady Oak Road
Use the left lane.
3
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
26 sec
Toward MN 62 East
4
Merge onto MN 62
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Crosstown Highway
5
Keep slight left at fork onto MN 62
17 mi
·
21 min
·
Crosstown Highway
Toward MN 62
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Merge onto I 494
3.1 mi
·
3 min
·
I 494
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
50 sec
Exit 63B
Toward US 10 East, US 61 South: Hastings
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Merge onto US 10; US 61
3.4 mi
·
3 min
·
Hiawatha Pioneer Trail/Disabled American Veterans Highway/Voyageur Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
Toward 80th Street, Grange Boulevard
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Turn left onto CH 39
0.4 mi
·
51 sec
·
80th Street South
Use the left / straight lanes.
11
Turn right onto East Point Douglas Road South
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
·
East Point Douglas Road South
Use the right lane.
12
Turn left onto East Point Douglas Road South
0.3 mi
·
48 sec
·
East Point Douglas Road South
13
Turn left onto Hillside Trail
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Hillside Trail
14
Turn right onto Hyde Avenue South
60 ft
·
2 sec
·
Hyde Avenue South
15
Arrive at destination
Hyde Avenue South
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.66 one way
$9.32 round trip
$3.78/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.07 | $5.02 | $10.04 |
| premium | $4.53 | $5.58 | $11.17 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.91 | $13.82 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 11 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.4 | 0 | $3.29 | $1.50 |
| Efficient EV | 7.8 | 0 | $2.74 | $1.25 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.5 | 0 | $4.38 | $2.00 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (64% 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
Cottage Grove, MN
Evening in Cottage Grove on Thursday
Local time
5:14 PM
CDT
Current temp
45°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
26 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
44m 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 Cottage Grove, MN covers 31.3 miles and takes about 44m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Crosstown Highway, Shady Oak Road, Hiawatha Pioneer Trail/Disabled American Veterans Highway/Voyageur Highway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 15.7 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 $4.66 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 short but busy drive. With 12 decision points packed into just 31.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 44m.
The main spots that need attention: at 5.4 miles (MN 62 / Crosstown Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 22.3 miles (I 494): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 25.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
The route from Minnetonka Mills, MN to Cottage Grove, MN does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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