Origin
Minnetonka, MN
Afternoon in Minnetonka on Saturday
Local time
12:41 PM
CDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Minnetonka, MN to Apple Valley, MN
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
34m
Distance
25.7 mi
41 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 32m
★
6 AM
0h 35m
8 AM
0h 40m
10 AM
0h 37m
12 PM
0h 36m
3 PM
0h 37m
5 PM
0h 40m
8 PM
0h 33m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Minnetonka, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Apple Valley, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Minnetonka, MN to Apple Valley, MN is 25.7 miles and takes about 34 minutes via I 494 and Cedar Avenue South, with a fuel budget near $4 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Minnesota, traversing familiar Midwest terrain. The drive is relatively short, making it an easy jaunt for locals or a quick hop for visitors. You'll primarily be on major roadways, so expect standard traffic conditions for the area. Consider this a straightforward connection between two points in the Twin Cities metro.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 494 | 12.9 mi | 16m |
| Cedar Avenue South | 8.6 mi | 10m |
| Minnesota State Highway 7 | 2.5 mi | 3m |
| County Road 101 | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| County Road 42 | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
I 494
— 12.9 mi, about 16m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Minnetonka, MN and Apple Valley, MN.
1
Start on CR 101
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
·
County Road 101
2
Continue on CR 101
0.2 mi
·
33 sec
·
County Road 101
Use the left lane.
3
Turn right onto MN 7
2.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Minnesota State Highway 7
4
Keep slight left at fork onto MN 7
0.4 mi
·
32 sec
·
Minnesota State Highway 7
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Take the ramp
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 494 South
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Merge onto I 494
13 mi
·
16 min
·
I 494
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
Exit 2C
Toward MN 77 South
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
Toward MN 77 South: Killebrew Drive
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
9
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi
·
55 sec
Toward MN 77 South
10
Merge onto MN 77
8.6 mi
·
10 min
·
Cedar Avenue South
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Arrive at destination
CR 42
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 95 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 16.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
CR 101 / County Road 101
Continue onto CR 101 / County Road 101
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
2.4 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
MN 7 / Minnesota State Highway 7
Keep slight left at fork onto MN 7 / Minnesota State Highway 7
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
2.8 mi into trip
|
~4m in
Take the ramp toward I 494 South
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 494 South
7
16.2 mi into trip
|
~21m in
Take the exit toward MN 77 South
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 2C
Toward MN 77 South
8
16.5 mi into trip
|
~22m in
Keep slight right at fork toward MN 77 South: Killebrew Drive
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
Toward MN 77 South: Killebrew Drive
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.82 one way
$7.65 round trip
$3.78/gal
25.4 MPG avg
9 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.07 | $4.12 | $8.24 |
| premium | $4.53 | $4.59 | $9.17 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.67 | $11.35 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7.7 | 0 | $2.70 | $1.23 |
| Efficient EV | 6.4 | 0 | $2.25 | $1.03 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 10.3 | 0 | $3.60 | $1.64 |
Gas CO2
9 kg
EV CO2
3 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.
Destination
Apple Valley, MN
Afternoon in Apple Valley on Saturday
Local time
12:41 PM
CDT
Current temp
66°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
19 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
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.
What kind of drive is this?
This is a predominantly highway drive, with about 60% of your journey on faster roads like I 494 and Minnesota State Highway 7. You'll encounter a mixed driving profile, transitioning between interstate speeds and more local artery conditions. The longest uninterrupted stretch is 12.9 miles on I 494, offering a period of consistent travel. As you approach your destination, the character shifts slightly from the open highway to more suburban thoroughfares like Cedar Avenue South. Expect a drive that balances efficient travel with the realities of navigating a busy metropolitan area.
60% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
11 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 12.9 mi on I 494.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near CR 101 / County Road 101.
Driving Effort
10/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 9 decision points packed into just 25.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 34m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (CR 101 / County Road 101): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.4 miles (MN 7 / Minnesota State Highway 7): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 2.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 34m. Total distance: 25.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
34m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (60%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 12.9 miles on I 494. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Apple Valley, MN before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (CR 101 / County Road 101): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.4 miles (MN 7 / Minnesota State Highway 7): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 2.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Apple Valley, MN before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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