Origin
Scandia, MN
Afternoon in Scandia on Friday
Local time
1:21 PM
CDT
Current temp
64°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Scandia, MN to Cottage Grove, MN
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h
Distance
41.1 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 56m
★
6 AM
1h 1m
8 AM
1h 11m
10 AM
1h 4m
12 PM
1h 3m
3 PM
1h 5m
5 PM
1h 10m
8 PM
0h 58m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Scandia, MN
Efrem Efre
Cottage Grove, MN
Tom Fisk
Trip Overview
The drive from Scandia, MN to Cottage Grove, MN covers 41.1 miles and takes about 1h behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on St Croix Trail North, MN 95, Woodbury Drive for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 13.8 miles on St Croix Trail North. At current regular gas prices, budget about $6.12 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h. Total distance: 41.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 1h drive with frequent turns across 41.1 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 26 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
St Croix Trail North is the longest continuous segment at about 13.8 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near CH 3 / Olinda Trail North.
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 41.1 miles you will encounter 15 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 (CH 3 / Olinda Trail North): Navigation decision point; at 1.8 miles (MN 95 / St Croix Trail North): Navigation decision point; at 24.1 miles (MN 95): Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 15 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
CH 3 / Olinda Trail North
Turn right onto CH 3 / Olinda Trail North
Navigation decision point
4
1.8 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
MN 95 / St Croix Trail North
Turn right onto MN 95 / St Croix Trail North
Navigation decision point
6
24.1 mi into trip
|
~35m in
|
MN 95
Take the ramp onto MN 95 toward I 94 West, MN 95 South: Saint Paul
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 94 West, MN 95 South: Saint Paul
8
30.3 mi into trip
|
~43m in
Take the exit toward CH 19: Woodbury Drive, Keats Avenue
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 251
Toward CH 19: Woodbury Drive, Keats Avenue
5
40.9 mi into trip
|
~1h in
|
Hyde Avenue South
At end of road, turn left onto Hyde Avenue South
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| St Croix Trail North | 13.8 mi | 19m |
| MN 95 | 6.3 mi | 7m |
| Woodbury Drive | 6 mi | 8m |
| Saint Croix Trail North | 4.9 mi | 7m |
| Keats Avenue South | 2 mi | 2m |
| Main Street North | 1.9 mi | 2m |
| 80th Street South | 1.8 mi | 3m |
| Scandia Trail North | 1.6 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
St Croix Trail North
— 13.8 mi, about 19m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Scandia, MN and Cottage Grove, MN.
1
Start on this road
87 ft
·
8 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right onto CH 3
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
Olinda Trail North
3
Turn right onto MN 97
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Scandia Trail North
4
Turn right onto MN 95
14 mi
·
19 min
·
St Croix Trail North
5
Continue on MN 95
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Main Street North
6
Continue on MN 95
2.4 mi
·
3 min
·
Saint Croix Trail North
7
Continue on MN 95
0.5 mi
·
55 sec
·
3rd Street North
8
Keep slight right at fork onto MN 95
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Minnesota Street South
9
Continue on MN 95
2.5 mi
·
3 min
·
Saint Croix Trail North
Use the straight lane.
10
Take the ramp onto MN 95
6.3 mi
·
7 min
·
MN 95
Toward I 94 West, MN 95 South: Saint Paul
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
54 sec
Exit 251
Toward CH 19: Woodbury Drive, Keats Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Turn left onto CH 19
339 ft
·
13 sec
·
Keats Avenue North
Use the left / straight lanes.
13
Continue on CH 19
3.2 mi
·
4 min
·
Woodbury Drive
Use the left lane.
14
Enter roundabout onto CH 19
107 ft
·
2 sec
·
Woodbury Drive
15
Continue on CH 19
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Woodbury Drive
Use the left / straight lanes.
16
Enter roundabout onto CH 19
115 ft
·
2 sec
·
Woodbury Drive
17
Continue on CH 19
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Woodbury Drive
18
Enter roundabout onto CH 19
112 ft
·
2 sec
·
Woodbury Drive
19
Continue on CH 19
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Woodbury Drive
20
Continue on CH 19
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Keats Avenue South
21
Enter roundabout onto CH 19
135 ft
·
2 sec
·
Keats Avenue South
22
Continue on CH 19
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Keats Avenue South
23
Turn right onto 80th Street South
1.8 mi
·
3 min
·
80th Street South
24
Turn left onto Hyde Avenue South
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Hyde Avenue South
25
At end of road, turn left onto Hyde Avenue South
0.2 mi
·
45 sec
·
Hyde Avenue South
26
Arrive at destination
Hyde Avenue South
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 20.5 mi from Scandia, MN · 30m into the drive
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 Scandia, MN, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Cottage Grove, MN
The final approach into Cottage Grove, 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
$6.12 one way
$12.23 round trip
$3.78/gal
25.4 MPG avg
14 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.07 | $6.59 | $13.18 |
| premium | $4.53 | $7.33 | $14.67 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.07 | $18.15 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.4 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 | $4.32 | $1.97 |
| Efficient EV | 10.3 | 0 | $3.60 | $1.64 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 16.4 | 0 | $5.75 | $2.63 |
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
Cottage Grove, MN
Afternoon in Cottage Grove on Friday
Local time
1:21 PM
CDT
Current temp
45°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
19 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 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 Scandia, MN to Cottage Grove, MN covers 41.1 miles and takes about 1h without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are St Croix Trail North, MN 95, Woodbury Drive. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 20.5 miles from Scandia, MN. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $6.12 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 41.1 miles you will encounter 15 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 (CH 3 / Olinda Trail North): Navigation decision point; at 1.8 miles (MN 95 / St Croix Trail North): Navigation decision point; at 24.1 miles (MN 95): Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
The route from Scandia, MN to Cottage Grove, MN does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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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