Origin
Stillwater, MN
Afternoon in Stillwater on Friday
Local time
2:34 PM
CDT
Current temp
65°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Stillwater, MN to Saint Cloud, MN
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 44m
Distance
85.5 mi
138 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$13
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 37m
★
6 AM
1h 45m
8 AM
2h 0m
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.
Stillwater, MN
Tom Fisk
Saint Cloud, MN
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Stillwater, MN to Saint Cloud, MN covers 85.5 miles and takes about 1h 44m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 94, I 694, I-94 W for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 28.6 miles on I 94. At current regular gas prices, budget about $12.72 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
42.7 miles from Stillwater, MN
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 53m into the drive .
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 44m. Total distance: 85.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 44m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (91%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 1h 44m highway drive covering 85.5 miles, with most of the trip on I 94 and I 694. The longest continuous stretch is about 28.6 miles on I 94.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 20 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 28.6 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 94 and I 694. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.5 miles in.
Driving Effort
9/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 85.5 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: at 1.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 9.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 15.9 miles (I 694): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 15 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
7
1.5 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Take the ramp toward MN 36 West: Minneapolis
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward MN 36 West: Minneapolis
6
9.6 mi into trip
|
~13m in
Take the exit toward I 694 West
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 694 West
6
15.9 mi into trip
|
~21m in
|
I 694
Keep slight right at fork onto I 694
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
6
80 mi into trip
|
~1h 33m in
Take the exit toward CR 7, CR 75: Saint Augusta, Saint Cloud
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 171
Toward CR 7, CR 75: Saint Augusta, Saint Cloud
6
85.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 44m in
|
Courthouse Square
At end of road, turn left onto Courthouse Square
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Stillwater, MN and Saint Cloud, MN, road signs point toward Cr 7 and Cr 75: Saint Augusta.
Cr 7
80 mi in
|
~1h 33m
Cr 75: Saint Augusta
80 mi in
|
~1h 33m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 94 | 28.6 mi | 30m |
| I 694 | 24.2 mi | 30m |
| I-94 W | 17.1 mi | 18m |
| MN 36 | 7.7 mi | 9m |
| Roosevelt Road | 3.1 mi | 4m |
| Saint Croix Trail North | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| 9th Avenue South | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| 11th Avenue South | 0.5 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
I 94
— 28.6 mi, about 30m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Stillwater, MN and Saint Cloud, MN.
1
Start on MN 95
0.2 mi
·
17 sec
·
Main Street South
2
Continue on MN 95
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Saint Croix Trail North
3
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
46 sec
Toward MN 36 West: Minneapolis
Use the right lane.
4
Merge onto MN 36
7.7 mi
·
9 min
·
MN 36
Use the left lane.
5
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 694 West
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Merge onto I 694
5.9 mi
·
7 min
·
I 694
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight right at fork onto I 694
18 mi
·
22 min
·
I 694
Use the slight right lane.
8
Continue on I 94
17 mi
·
18 min
·
I-94 W
Exit 27
Toward I 94 West: Saint Cloud
Use the straight / left lanes.
9
Keep slight left at fork onto I 94
29 mi
·
30 min
·
I 94
10
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
Exit 171
Toward CR 7, CR 75: Saint Augusta, Saint Cloud
11
Keep slight right at fork
521 ft
·
12 sec
12
Turn straight onto CR 75
3.1 mi
·
4 min
·
Roosevelt Road
13
Turn right onto 22nd Street South
127 ft
·
7 sec
·
22nd Street South
14
Turn left onto 11th Avenue South
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
11th Avenue South
15
Turn right onto 15th Street South
0.1 mi
·
22 sec
·
15th Street South
16
At end of road, turn left onto 9th Avenue South
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
9th Avenue South
17
Continue on 10th Avenue South
0.3 mi
·
49 sec
·
10th Avenue South
18
Turn right onto 1st Street North
0.1 mi
·
29 sec
·
1st Street North
19
At end of road, turn left onto Courthouse Square
270 ft
·
11 sec
·
Courthouse Square
20
Arrive at destination
Courthouse Square
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 42.7 miles from Stillwater, MN, or about 53m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 28.6 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 19 miles or 25m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 42.7 miles or 53m 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 Saint Cloud, MN than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Stillwater, MN so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Stillwater, MN
This is one driving day of about 85.5 miles and 1h 44m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 19 miles from Stillwater, MN.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 94 for about 28.6 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 42.7 mi from Stillwater, MN · 53m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
43 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 19 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 42.7 miles from Stillwater, MN, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Saint Cloud, MN
The final approach into Saint Cloud, 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
$12.72 one way
$25.45 round trip
$3.78/gal
25.4 MPG avg
30 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.07 | $13.71 | $27.42 |
| premium | $4.53 | $15.26 | $30.51 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $18.88 | $37.75 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$13
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$38–$63
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 29.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $9 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 25.7 | 0 | $8.98 | $4.10 |
| Efficient EV | 21.4 | 0 | $7.48 | $3.42 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 34.2 | 0 | $11.97 | $5.47 |
Gas CO2
30 kg
EV CO2
10 kg (67% 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
Saint Cloud, MN
Afternoon in Saint Cloud on Friday
Local time
2:34 PM
CDT
Current temp
67°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
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 Stillwater, MN to Saint Cloud, MN covers 85.5 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, I 694, I-94 W. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 42.7 miles from Stillwater, MN. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $12.72 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 85.5 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: at 1.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 9.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 15.9 miles (I 694): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Between Stillwater, MN and Saint Cloud, MN, road signs point toward Cr 7 and Cr 75: Saint Augusta.
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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