Origin
Oak Park Heights, MN
Afternoon in Oak Park Heights on Saturday
Local time
1:09 PM
CDT
Current temp
45°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Oak Park Heights, MN to Minnetonka, MN
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
57m
Distance
41 mi
66 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 53m
★
6 AM
0h 58m
8 AM
1h 7m
10 AM
1h 1m
12 PM
1h 0m
3 PM
1h 1m
5 PM
1h 7m
8 PM
0h 55m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Oak Park Heights, MN
Tom Fisk
Minnetonka, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Oak Park Heights, MN to Minnetonka, MN covers 41 miles and takes about 57m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on MN 36, Minnesota State Highway 7, I 35W for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 19.6 miles on MN 36. At current regular gas prices, budget about $6.10 one way before food or hotel costs.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| MN 36 | 19.6 mi | 24m |
| Minnesota State Highway 7 | 7.8 mi | 11m |
| I 35W | 4.4 mi | 5m |
| MN 55 | 2 mi | 2m |
| I 394 | 1.9 mi | 2m |
| MN 100 | 1.2 mi | 1m |
| 60th Street North (South Frontage Road) | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Penrose Avenue North | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
MN 36
— 19.6 mi, about 24m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Oak Park Heights, MN and Minnetonka, MN.
1
Start on this road
45 ft
·
7 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left onto 57th Street North
72 ft
·
5 sec
·
57th Street North
3
Turn right onto Penrose Avenue North
0.2 mi
·
54 sec
·
Penrose Avenue North
4
At end of road, turn left onto CH 23
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
60th Street North (South Frontage Road)
5
Turn right
282 ft
·
20 sec
6
Turn right onto CH 24
224 ft
·
8 sec
·
Osgood Ave North
7
Turn left onto MN 36
20 mi
·
24 min
·
MN 36
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Merge onto I 35W
4.4 mi
·
5 min
·
I 35W
Use the straight lane.
9
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
38 sec
Exit 17B
Toward I 94 West: 11th Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight right at fork
133 ft
·
2 sec
Exit 17B
Toward I 35W South, I 94 West: 11th Avenue
11
Keep slight right at fork
417 ft
·
7 sec
Exit 17B
Toward I 94 West: 11th Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
12
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi
·
16 sec
Exit 17B
Toward I 94 West
Use the slight left lane.
13
Continue on MN 55
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
MN 55
Exit 17B
Toward I 94 West, MN 55 West
14
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
59 sec
Exit 231A
Toward I 394 West, US 12 West
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Merge onto I 394
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
I 394
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
11 sec
Exit 5B-A
Toward MN 100 South, MN 100 North: Park Place-Xenia
Use the slight right lane.
17
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
26 sec
Toward MN 100 South: Park Place-Xenia
18
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
47 sec
Toward MN 100 South
Use the straight / right lanes.
19
Keep slight left at fork
402 ft
·
9 sec
Use the straight / right lanes.
20
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
Toward MN 100 South
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
21
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
Toward MN 100 South
Use the slight left lane.
22
Merge onto MN 100
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
MN 100
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
23
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Toward MN 7 West
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
24
Merge onto MN 7
7.8 mi
·
11 min
·
Minnesota State Highway 7
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
25
Turn left onto CR 101
239 ft
·
10 sec
·
County Road 101
Use the left lane.
26
Arrive at destination
CR 101
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
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 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 20.5 miles from Oak Park Heights, MN, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 245 decision points cluster between mile 25 and 30.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
25 mi into trip
|
~34m in
Take the exit toward I 94 West: 11th Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 17B
Toward I 94 West: 11th Avenue
9
25.5 mi into trip
|
~34m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 94 West: 11th Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 17B
Toward I 94 West: 11th Avenue
9
25.6 mi into trip
|
~34m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 94 West
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Exit 17B
Toward I 94 West
8
27.8 mi into trip
|
~37m in
Take the exit toward I 394 West, US 12 West
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 231A
Toward I 394 West, US 12 West
8
30.3 mi into trip
|
~41m in
Take the exit toward MN 100 South, MN 100 North: Park Place-Xenia
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 5B-A
Toward MN 100 South, MN 100 North: Park Place-X...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.10 one way
$12.20 round trip
$3.78/gal
25.4 MPG avg
14 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.07 | $6.57 | $13.15 |
| premium | $4.53 | $7.32 | $14.63 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.05 | $18.10 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.3 | 0 | $4.31 | $1.97 |
| Efficient EV | 10.3 | 0 | $3.59 | $1.64 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 16.4 | 0 | $5.74 | $2.62 |
Gas CO2
14 kg
EV CO2
5 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
Minnetonka, MN
Afternoon in Minnetonka on Saturday
Local time
1:09 PM
CDT
Current temp
47°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
2 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
57m 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?
41 mi in 57m, mostly highway — 19.6 mi of that is on MN 36.
90% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
26 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 19.6 mi on MN 36.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on MN 36 and Minnesota State Highway 7. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 25 miles in.
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 24 decision points packed into just 41 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 57m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 25 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 25.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 25.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 57m. Total distance: 41 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
57m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (90%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 19.6 miles on MN 36. 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 Minnetonka, 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 25 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 25.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 25.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Minnetonka, 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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