Origin
Montrose, MN
Evening in Montrose on Thursday
Local time
7:01 PM
CDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Montrose, MN to Saint Cloud, MN
Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026
Drive Time
1h 5m
Distance
47.7 mi
77 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 0m
★
6 AM
1h 5m
8 AM
1h 16m
10 AM
1h 9m
12 PM
1h 8m
3 PM
1h 9m
5 PM
1h 15m
8 PM
1h 2m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Montrose, MN
Tom Fisk
Saint Cloud, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Montrose, MN to Saint Cloud, MN covers 47.7 miles and takes about 1h 5m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 94, State Highway 25, MN 25 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 21.9 miles on I 94. At current regular gas prices, budget about $7.10 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 5m. Total distance: 47.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 5m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (87%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 1h 5m highway drive covering 47.7 miles, with most of the trip on I 94 and State Highway 25. The longest continuous stretch is about 21.9 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 24 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 21.9 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 94 and State Highway 25. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2.1 miles in near MN 25.
Driving Effort
7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 47.7 miles you will encounter 17 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 2.1 miles (MN 25): Lane positioning matters here; at 8.8 miles (Settlers Parkway): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 10.8 miles (MN 25 / State Highway 25): Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 17 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
2.1 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
MN 25
Turn left onto MN 25
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
5
8.8 mi into trip
|
~12m in
|
Settlers Parkway
Enter roundabout onto Settlers Parkway
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
5
10.8 mi into trip
|
~16m in
|
MN 25 / State Highway 25
Turn right onto MN 25 / State Highway 25
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
6
42.2 mi into trip
|
~53m in
Take the exit toward CR 7, CR 75: Saint Augusta, Saint Cloud
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 171
Toward CR 7, CR 75: Saint Augusta, Saint Cloud
6
47.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 5m in
|
Courthouse Square
At end of road, turn left onto Courthouse Square
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Montrose, MN and Saint Cloud, MN, road signs point toward Cr 7 and Cr 75: Saint Augusta.
Cr 7
42.2 mi in
|
~53m
Cr 75: Saint Augusta
42.2 mi in
|
~53m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 94 | 21.9 mi | 23m |
| State Highway 25 | 9.4 mi | 13m |
| MN 25 | 6.6 mi | 8m |
| Roosevelt Road | 3.1 mi | 4m |
| MN 55 | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| US 12 | 1.4 mi | 1m |
| 9th Avenue South | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| Settlers Parkway | 0.5 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
I 94
— 21.9 mi, about 23m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Montrose, MN and Saint Cloud, MN.
1
Start on CR 12
23 ft
·
7 sec
·
Buffalo Avenue South
2
Turn left onto US 12; MN 25
0.5 mi
·
52 sec
·
Nelson Boulevard
3
Continue on US 12; MN 25
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
US 12; MN 25
4
Take the exit onto MN 25
0.1 mi
·
21 sec
·
MN 25
5
Turn left onto MN 25
6.5 mi
·
8 min
·
MN 25
Use the straight lane.
6
Continue on MN 25
0.3 mi
·
25 sec
·
State Highway 25
Use the straight / left lanes.
7
Enter roundabout onto Settlers Parkway
15 ft
·
0 sec
·
Settlers Parkway
8
Continue on Settlers Parkway
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Settlers Parkway
Use the straight / right lanes.
9
Turn left onto MN 55
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
MN 55
Use the left / straight lanes.
10
Continue on MN 55; CR 35
0.4 mi
·
41 sec
·
MN 55; CR 35
Use the straight lane.
11
Turn right onto MN 25
9.2 mi
·
13 min
·
State Highway 25
Use the right lane.
12
Turn left
0.4 mi
·
48 sec
13
Merge onto I 94
22 mi
·
23 min
·
I 94
14
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
Exit 171
Toward CR 7, CR 75: Saint Augusta, Saint Cloud
15
Keep slight right at fork
521 ft
·
12 sec
16
Turn straight onto CR 75
3.1 mi
·
4 min
·
Roosevelt Road
17
Turn right onto 22nd Street South
127 ft
·
7 sec
·
22nd Street South
18
Turn left onto 11th Avenue South
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
11th Avenue South
19
Turn right onto 15th Street South
0.1 mi
·
22 sec
·
15th Street South
20
At end of road, turn left onto 9th Avenue South
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
9th Avenue South
21
Continue on 10th Avenue South
0.3 mi
·
49 sec
·
10th Avenue South
22
Turn right onto 1st Street North
0.1 mi
·
29 sec
·
1st Street North
23
At end of road, turn left onto Courthouse Square
270 ft
·
11 sec
·
Courthouse Square
24
Arrive at destination
Courthouse Square
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 23.9 mi from Montrose, MN · 34m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
24 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 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 23.9 miles from Montrose, MN, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Saint Cloud, MN
The final approach into Saint Cloud, MN usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.10 one way
$14.20 round trip
$3.78/gal
25.4 MPG avg
17 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.07 | $7.65 | $15.30 |
| premium | $4.53 | $8.51 | $17.02 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.53 | $21.06 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 16.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.3 | 0 | $5.01 | $2.29 |
| Efficient EV | 11.9 | 0 | $4.17 | $1.91 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 19.1 | 0 | $6.68 | $3.05 |
Gas CO2
17 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (65% 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
Saint Cloud, MN
Evening in Saint Cloud on Thursday
Local time
7:01 PM
CDT
Current temp
67°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
1 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
1h 5m 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 Montrose, MN to Saint Cloud, MN covers 47.7 miles and takes about 1h 5m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 94, State Highway 25, MN 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 23.9 miles from Montrose, MN. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $7.10 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 47.7 miles you will encounter 17 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: at 2.1 miles (MN 25): Lane positioning matters here; at 8.8 miles (Settlers Parkway): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 10.8 miles (MN 25 / State Highway 25): Lane positioning matters here.
Between Montrose, MN and Saint Cloud, MN, road signs point toward Cr 7 and Cr 75: Saint Augusta.
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