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Trip from Saint Cloud, MN to North Mankato, MN

Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026

Drive Time

2h 32m

Distance

116.7 mi

188 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$17

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 30 min
4 AM
2h 23m ★
6 AM
2h 33m
8 AM
2h 53m
10 AM
2h 40m
12 PM
2h 38m
3 PM
2h 41m
5 PM
2h 52m
8 PM
2h 27m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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city on tripoint of Benton, Sherburne and Stearns Counties in Minnesota, United States

Saint Cloud, MN

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown North Mankato, MN, MN

North Mankato, MN

Tom Fisk

Trip Overview

The drive from Saint Cloud, MN to North Mankato, MN covers 116.7 miles and takes about 2h 32m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on MN-15 S, State Highway 15, US Highway 14 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 47.4 miles on MN-15 S. At current regular gas prices, budget about $17.37 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.

Break Rhythm

1 planned break

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

Midpoint

58.3 miles from Saint Cloud, MN

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 20m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 32m. Total distance: 116.7 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

2h 32m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (95%). Straightforward navigation.

Drive Character

This is a 2h 32m highway drive covering 116.7 miles, with most of the trip on MN-15 S and State Highway 15. The longest continuous stretch is about 47.4 miles on MN-15 S.

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-15 S is the longest continuous segment at about 47.4 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on MN-15 S and State Highway 15. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near 8th Avenue North.

Driving Effort 3/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a straightforward 2h 32m drive. You will face about 15 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

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 2.2 miles (MN 15 / MN-15 S): Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 15 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

6
2.2 mi into trip | ~5m in | MN 15 / MN-15 S

Turn left onto MN 15 / MN-15 S

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight lane.
5
91.4 mi into trip | ~2h 2m in

Take the exit toward US 14 South, CSAH 21

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward US 14 South, CSAH 21
5
91.8 mi into trip | ~2h 2m in | US 14; CR 21 / US Highway 14

Enter roundabout onto US 14; CR 21 / US Highway 14

Roundabout - know your exit number before entering

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

On the drive from Saint Cloud, MN to North Mankato, MN, road signs begin pointing toward Csah 21 along the way.

Csah 21

91.4 mi in | ~2h 2m

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
MN-15 S 47.4 mi 1h
State Highway 15 39.7 mi 51m
US Highway 14 24.2 mi 28m
Main Street North 2 mi 4m
3rd Street North 1.6 mi 3m
2nd Street North 0.5 mi 1m
Lor Ray Drive 0.5 mi 1m
16th Avenue North <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: MN-15 S — 47.4 mi, about 1h

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Saint Cloud, MN and North Mankato, 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

47 mi · 1 hr · MN-15 S
Use the straight lane.
7

Continue on MN 15

0.3 mi · 34 sec · Main Street North
8

Enter roundabout onto MN 15

102 ft · 1 sec · Main Street North
9

Continue on MN 15

1.7 mi · 4 min · Main Street North
10

Continue on MN 15

1.5 mi · 3 min · State Highway 15
Use the straight / right lanes.
11

Enter roundabout onto MN 15

116 ft · 4 sec · State Highway 15
12

Continue on MN 15

38 mi · 48 min · State Highway 15
Use the straight / left lanes.
13

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 46 sec
Toward US 14 South, CSAH 21
14

Enter roundabout onto US 14; CR 21

376 ft · 5 sec · US Highway 14
15

Continue on US 14; CR 21

60 ft · 0 sec · US Highway 14
16

Enter roundabout onto US 14; CR 21

210 ft · 3 sec · US Highway 14
17

Continue on US 14; CR 21

24 mi · 28 min · US Highway 14
Use the straight lane.
18

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 38 sec
19

Turn right onto Lor Ray Drive

0.5 mi · 1 min · Lor Ray Drive
20

Turn right onto Lee Boulevard

51 ft · 1 sec · Lee Boulevard
21

Arrive at destination

Lee Boulevard

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.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 58.3 miles from Saint Cloud, MN, or about 1h 20m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 47.4 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 26 miles or 35m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 58.3 miles or 1h 20m in

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

Final approach

Final hour starts around 2h 7m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near North Mankato, 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 116.7 miles and 2h 32m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 26 miles from Saint Cloud, MN.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on MN-15 S for about 47.4 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 58.3 mi from Saint Cloud, MN · 1h 20m into the drive

Downtown Hutchinson, MN, MN

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Hutchinson, MN

58 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

Kingston, MN

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 26 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Hutchinson, MN

Meal break

The midpoint is around 58.3 miles from Saint Cloud, MN, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in North Mankato, MN

The final approach into North Mankato, 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 North Mankato, 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

$17.37 one way

$34.73 round trip

$3.78/gal 25.4 MPG avg 41 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.07 $18.71 $37.43
premium $4.53 $20.82 $41.64
diesel $5.61 $25.77 $51.53

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$17

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$42–$67

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 40.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $12 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 35 0 $12.25 $5.60
Efficient EV 29.2 0 $10.21 $4.67
EV Truck/SUV 46.7 0 $16.34 $7.47

Gas CO2

41 kg

EV CO2

14 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 as of Apr 14, 2026

Origin

Saint Cloud, MN

Morning in Saint Cloud on Thursday

Local time

11:51 AM

CDT

Current temp

44°F

Patchy Fog

NNE 5 mph 6% chance Live forecast

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 13 at 8:08PM CDT until April 19 at 11:00PM CDT by NWS Grand Forks ND

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 13 at 8:08PM CDT by NWS Grand Forks ND

Destination

North Mankato, MN

Morning in North Mankato on Thursday

Local time

11:51 AM

CDT

Current temp

74°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

71°F

Hutchinson, MN

58 mi in

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

30 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 32m on the road

The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.

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 North Mankato, MN covers 116.7 miles and takes about 2h 32m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are MN-15 S, State Highway 15, US Highway 14. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 58.3 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 $17.37 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.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
This is a straightforward 2h 32m drive. You will face about 15 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
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 2.2 miles (MN 15 / MN-15 S): Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Saint Cloud, MN to North Mankato, MN, road signs begin pointing toward Csah 21 along the way.

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