Trip from Saint Cloud, MN to Credit River, MN

Drive Time

1h 44m

Distance

83.9 mi

135 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$12

one way

EV Charging

Loading...

station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 24 min
4 AM
1h 37m ★
6 AM
1h 45m
8 AM
2h 1m
10 AM
1h 50m
12 PM
1h 49m
3 PM
1h 51m
5 PM
2h 0m
8 PM
1h 40m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Downtown Saint Cloud, MN, MN

Saint Cloud, MN

Tom Fisk

Trip Overview

If you are planning to travel from Saint Cloud to Credit River, expect a straightforward 83.9-mile journey that typically takes about 1 hour and 44 minutes. This route is perfectly suited for a single-day trip, meaning you won't need to worry about overnight accommodations. You can anticipate a fuel budget of approximately $12, making it a very cost-effective commute within the Minnesota Midwest. Because the drive is relatively short and direct, it offers great flexibility for your schedule. Whether you are heading out for business or a quick visit, the path is uncomplicated and easy to navigate.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Break Rhythm

0 planned breaks

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

41.9 miles from Saint Cloud, MN

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 50m into the drive .

Drive Character

This trip is heavily focused on highway travel, with 83% of your time spent on major roads. You will spend a significant portion of your drive on I-94, which accounts for the longest uninterrupted stretch of 47.6 miles. Beyond the interstate, your route incorporates US-169 and Roosevelt Road to bridge the gap between your starting point and destination. Expect a consistent pace as you transition from these high-speed arterial roads into the local approach. It is a functional, efficient drive that prioritizes speed and directness over winding scenic detours.

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 47.6 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 94 and US 169. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near 1st Street North.

Route Complexity 8/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

This is a demanding drive. With 15 significant decision points across 83.9 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (1st Street North): Navigation decision point; at 53.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 73.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 15 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

5
0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | 1st Street North

Turn right onto 1st Street North

Navigation decision point

7
53.2 mi into trip | ~1h 2m in

Take the exit toward US 169 South

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Exit 29A Toward US 169 South
8
73.7 mi into trip | ~1h 28m in

Take the exit toward US 169 BUS, MN 13, CR 101

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 116 Toward US 169 BUS, MN 13, CR 101
7
73.9 mi into trip | ~1h 28m in

Keep slight left at fork toward MN 13

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left lane. Toward MN 13
6
75.6 mi into trip | ~1h 31m in

Take the exit toward MN 13 South

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Toward MN 13 South

Towns Along This Route

On the drive from Saint Cloud, MN to Credit River, MN, road signs begin pointing toward Cr 101 along the way.

Cr 101

73.7 mi in | ~1h 28m

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 94 47.6 mi 51m
US 169 19.9 mi 24m
Roosevelt Road 3.9 mi 6m
Texas Avenue 3.1 mi 4m
Highway 13 South 2.4 mi 3m
Dakota Street South 0.8 mi 1m
Washington Memorial Drive 0.7 mi 1m
South Park Drive 0.6 mi 1m
Longest stretch: I 94 — 47.6 mi, about 51m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Saint Cloud, MN and Credit River, MN.

1

Start on Courthouse Square

270 ft · 13 sec · Courthouse Square
2

Turn right onto 1st Street North

215 ft · 14 sec · 1st Street North
3

Turn left onto 9th Avenue North

399 ft · 13 sec · 9th Avenue North
4

Turn right onto West Saint Germain Street

0.5 mi · 1 min · West Saint Germain Street
5

Turn left onto Washington Memorial Drive

0.7 mi · 1 min · Washington Memorial Drive
6

Turn left onto CR 75

3.9 mi · 6 min · Roosevelt Road
7

Take the ramp

0.4 mi · 49 sec
8

Merge onto I 94

48 mi · 51 min · I 94
Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.
9

Take the exit

0.6 mi · 1 min
Exit 29A Toward US 169 South Use the slight right lane.
10

Merge onto US 169

20 mi · 24 min · US 169
Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.
11

Take the exit

0.1 mi · 15 sec
Exit 116 Toward US 169 BUS, MN 13, CR 101 Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12

Keep slight left at fork

1.8 mi · 2 min
Toward MN 13 Use the slight left lane.
13

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 55 sec
Toward MN 13 South Use the slight right lane.
14

Turn straight onto MN 13

2.4 mi · 3 min · Highway 13 South
Use the none lane.
15

Turn left onto South Park Drive

0.6 mi · 1 min · South Park Drive
Use the left lane.
16

Enter roundabout onto Louisiana Avenue

6 ft · 0 sec · Louisiana Avenue
17

Continue on Louisiana Avenue

0.5 mi · 53 sec · Louisiana Avenue
18

At end of road, turn left onto 150th Street West

484 ft · 23 sec · 150th Street West
19

Turn straight onto CR 27

0.8 mi · 1 min · Dakota Street South
20

Continue on CR 27

0.3 mi · 30 sec · Dakota Avenue
21

Continue on CR 27

3.0 mi · 4 min · Texas Avenue
Use the none lane.
22

Enter roundabout onto CR 27

314 ft · 4 sec · Texas Avenue
23

Continue on CR 27

37 ft · 0 sec · Texas Avenue
24

Arrive at destination

CR 27

Trip Plan

Since this is a manageable 1-hour and 44-minute drive, you have the advantage of being able to depart whenever works best for your schedule. There are no mandatory stops scheduled for this 83.9-mile trek, giving you the freedom to drive straight through if you prefer. Keep in mind that while the route is efficient, traffic patterns on I-94 can fluctuate, so checking road conditions before you head out is a smart move. Because the entire trip only requires about $12 in fuel, you can easily top off your tank in Saint Cloud before leaving to avoid extra stops along the way. Use the flexibility of the short duration to plan your arrival exactly when you need to be there.

Morning Departure

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.

Evening Departure

Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 41.9 miles from Saint Cloud, MN, or about 50m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 47.6 miles.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

Departure

Before you leave

Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.

First stop

Around 80 miles or 1h 39m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 41.9 miles or 50m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 1h 25m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Credit River, MN than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Saint Cloud, MN so your first major turns are already loaded.

+

Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.

+

Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Saint Cloud, MN

This is one driving day of about 83.9 miles and 1h 44m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Saint Cloud, MN.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.
The longest stretch is on I 94 for about 47.6 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 41.9 mi from Saint Cloud, MN · 50m into the drive

Downtown Maple Grove, MN, MN

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Maple Grove, MN

42 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

Bloomington, MN

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Maple Grove, MN

Meal break

The midpoint is around 41.9 miles from Saint Cloud, MN, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Credit River, MN

The final approach into Credit River, MN usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.

Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Credit River, MN.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$12.00 one way

$24.00 round trip

$3.63/gal 25.4 MPG avg 29 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $3.92 $12.95 $25.90
premium $4.39 $14.51 $29.01
diesel $5.64 $18.64 $37.28

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$12

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$37–$62

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 29.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $9 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 25.2 0 $8.81 $4.03
Efficient EV 21 0 $7.34 $3.36
EV Truck/SUV 33.6 0 $11.75 $5.37

Gas CO2

29 kg

EV CO2

10 kg (66% 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.

Forecast data refreshed 2 days ago

Origin

Saint Cloud, MN

Afternoon in Saint Cloud on Sunday

Local time

4:28 PM

CDT

Current temp

67°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Credit River, MN

Afternoon in Credit River on Sunday

Local time

4:28 PM

CDT

Current temp

39°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Seasonal Notes

Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.

Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.

Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.

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

28 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 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 Saint Cloud, MN to Credit River, MN covers 83.9 miles and takes about 1h 44m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 94, US 169, Roosevelt Road. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 41.9 miles from Saint Cloud, MN. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $12.00 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 demanding drive. With 15 significant decision points across 83.9 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (1st Street North): Navigation decision point; at 53.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 73.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
On the drive from Saint Cloud, MN to Credit River, MN, road signs begin pointing toward Cr 101 along the way.

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