Origin
Minnetonka, MN
Morning in Minnetonka on Saturday
Local time
7:00 AM
CDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Minnetonka, MN to Big Lake, MN
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
53m
Distance
41.9 mi
67 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 49m
★
6 AM
0h 53m
8 AM
1h 2m
10 AM
0h 56m
12 PM
0h 56m
3 PM
0h 57m
5 PM
1h 2m
8 PM
0h 51m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Minnetonka, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Big Lake, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Minnetonka, MN to Big Lake, MN covers 41.9 miles and takes about 53m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 94, I 494, State Highway 25 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 22.6 miles on I 94. At current regular gas prices, budget about $6.24 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 53m. Total distance: 41.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
53m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (94%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 53m highway drive covering 41.9 miles, with most of the trip on I 94 and I 494. The longest continuous stretch is about 22.6 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 22.6 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 94 and I 494. 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
9/10
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 10 decision points packed into just 41.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 53m.
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 3.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 10 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
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.
6
3.1 mi into trip
|
~4m in
Take the exit toward I 494 North
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward I 494 North
8
14.6 mi into trip
|
~19m 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
8
41.9 mi into trip
|
~53m in
|
US 10; MN 25 / Jefferson Boulevard
Turn uturn onto US 10; MN 25 / Jefferson Boulevard
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 94 | 22.6 mi | 24m |
| I 494 | 11.3 mi | 14m |
| State Highway 25 | 2.8 mi | 5m |
| Minnesota State Highway 7 | 2.7 mi | 3m |
| Pine Street | 0.8 mi | 2m |
| County Road 101 | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Jefferson Boulevard | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 94
— 22.6 mi, about 24m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Minnetonka, MN and Big Lake, 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
0.6 mi
·
52 sec
·
Minnesota State Highway 7
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Toward I 494 North
Use the right lane.
6
Merge onto I 494
11 mi
·
14 min
·
I 494
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
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.
8
Continue on I 94
17 mi
·
18 min
·
I 94
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight left at fork onto I 94
6.0 mi
·
6 min
·
I 94
10
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
11
Turn right onto MN 25
0.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Pine Street
12
Continue on MN 25
2.8 mi
·
5 min
·
State Highway 25
13
Turn left onto US 10; MN 25
266 ft
·
43 sec
·
Jefferson Boulevard
14
Turn uturn onto US 10; MN 25
125 ft
·
3 sec
·
Jefferson Boulevard
15
Arrive at destination
US 10; MN 25
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 20.9 mi from Minnetonka, MN · 26m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
21 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 41.9 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 20.9 miles from Minnetonka, MN, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Big Lake, MN
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Big Lake, MN if you are unfamiliar with the area.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.24 one way
$12.47 round trip
$3.78/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.07 | $6.72 | $13.44 |
| premium | $4.53 | $7.48 | $14.95 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.25 | $18.50 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.6 | 0 | $4.40 | $2.01 |
| Efficient EV | 10.5 | 0 | $3.67 | $1.68 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 16.8 | 0 | $5.87 | $2.68 |
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 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
Big Lake, MN
Morning in Big Lake on Saturday
Local time
7:00 AM
CDT
Current temp
43°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
4 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
53m 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, MN to Big Lake, MN covers 41.9 miles and takes about 53m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 94, I 494, State Highway 25. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 20.9 miles from Minnetonka, MN. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $6.24 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 10 decision points packed into just 41.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 53m.
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 3.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Minnetonka, MN to Big Lake, MN does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Big Lake, MN
More trips to Big Lake, MN
Explore more options from Minnetonka, MN or browse trips ending in Big Lake, MN.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse MN road trips.