The drive from Saint Cloud, MN to Renville, MN covers 95.8 miles and takes about 2h 2m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on MN 23, 2nd Street South, US 71 for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is highway-focused drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 36.2 miles on MN 23.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $14.26 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
47.9 miles from Saint Cloud, MN
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 1m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 2m. Total distance: 95.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 2m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (67%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 2h 2m highway drive covering 95.8 miles, with most of the trip on MN 23 and 2nd Street South. The longest continuous stretch is about 36.2 miles on MN 23.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 21 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
MN 23 is the longest continuous segment at about 36.2 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on MN 23 and 2nd Street South. You will hit about 12 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near 8th Avenue North.
Driving Effort5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 95.8 miles you will encounter 12 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: near the start (8th Avenue North): Navigation decision point; near the start (2nd Street North): Navigation decision point; at 0.6 miles (16th Avenue North): Navigation decision point.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 12 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0 mi into trip|~0m in|8th Avenue North
Turn right onto 8th Avenue North
Navigation decision point
4
0 mi into trip|~0m in|2nd Street North
Turn left onto 2nd Street North
Navigation decision point
4
0.6 mi into trip|~1m in|16th Avenue North
Turn right onto 16th Avenue North
Navigation decision point
6
4 mi into trip|~8m in|MN 23 / 2nd Street South
Turn right onto MN 23 / 2nd Street South
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
8
59.3 mi into trip|~1h 15m in|US 71; MN 23
Keep slight left at fork onto US 71; MN 23 toward US 71, MN 23
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward US 71, MN 23
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
MN 23
36.2 mi
43m
2nd Street South
18 mi
22m
US 71
16.6 mi
20m
West Lincoln Avenue
8.9 mi
12m
US Highway 71
7.7 mi
9m
Highway 71 South
3.1 mi
3m
3rd Street North
1.6 mi
3m
Division Street
1.2 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
MN 23
— 36.2 mi, about 43m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Saint Cloud, MN and Renville, MN.
1
Start on Courthouse Square
7 ft·2 sec·Courthouse Square
2
Turn right onto 8th Avenue North
253 ft·16 sec·8th Avenue North
3
Turn left onto 2nd Street North
0.5 mi·1 min·2nd Street North
4
Turn right onto 16th Avenue North
407 ft·16 sec·16th Avenue North
5
Turn left onto 3rd Street North
1.6 mi·3 min·3rd Street North
6
Turn left onto MN 15
0.4 mi·36 sec·MN-15 S
7
Turn right onto CR 75
1.2 mi·1 min·Division Street
8
Turn left onto 10th Avenue South
0.3 mi·34 sec·10th Avenue South
9
Turn right onto MN 23
18 mi·22 min·2nd Street South
Use the straight lane.
10
Continue on MN 23
0.1 mi·12 sec·4th Street West
11
Continue on MN 23
0.9 mi·1 min·4th Street Southwest
12
Continue on MN 23
1.1 mi·1 min·MN 23
13
Continue on MN 23
35 mi·42 min·MN 23
Use the straight lane.
14
Keep slight left at fork onto US 71; MN 23
5.6 mi·6 min·US 71; MN 23
Toward US 71, MN 23Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
15
Take the exit onto US 71
11 mi·14 min·US 71
Toward US 71 South: Olivia
16
Enter roundabout onto US 71
157 ft·2 sec·Highway 71 South
17
Continue on US 71
3.1 mi·3 min·Highway 71 South
18
Continue on US 71
7.7 mi·9 min·US Highway 71
19
Take the ramp
277 ft·7 sec
20
Merge onto US 212
8.9 mi·12 min·West Lincoln Avenue
21
Arrive at destination
US 212
Trip Plan
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 47.9 miles from Saint Cloud, MN, or about 1h 1m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 36.2 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 21 miles or 29m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 47.9 miles or 1h 1m 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 39m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Renville, 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 95.8 miles and 2h 2m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 21 miles from Saint Cloud, MN.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on MN 23 for about 36.2 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 47.9 mi from Saint Cloud, MN
· 1h 1m into the drive
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $10 in charging
· 0 stops
· 68% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
28.7
0
$10.06
$4.60
Efficient EV
24
0
$8.38
$3.83
EV Truck/SUV
38.3
0
$13.41
$6.13
Gas CO2
34 kg
EV CO2
11 kg (68% 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 as of Apr 16, 2026
Origin
Saint Cloud, MN
Late night
in Saint Cloud on Friday
Local time
4:03 AM
CDT
Current temp
67°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Renville, MN
Late night
in Renville on Friday
Local time
4:03 AM
CDT
Current temp
69°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
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
2h 2m 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 Renville, MN covers 95.8 miles and takes about 2h 2m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are MN 23, 2nd Street South, US 71. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 47.9 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 $14.26 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 95.8 miles you will encounter 12 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: near the start (8th Avenue North): Navigation decision point; near the start (2nd Street North): Navigation decision point; at 0.6 miles (16th Avenue North): Navigation decision point.
The route from Saint Cloud, MN to Renville, MN does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
How this page is built
Compiled and maintained by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy (Helsinki). Each route is built from authoritative open government and mapping datasets rather than crowdsourced reviews. Distances and geometry come from
OSRM
over
OpenStreetMap.
Fuel cost uses
EIA
weekly regional averages.
EV charging comes from the
NREL Alternative Fuels
dataset.
National park proximity is from the
NPS API.
Pages are published only after passing our data-quality checks; our
methodology page
documents refresh cadence, editorial standards, and known limitations.
