The drive from Wayzata, MN to Woodbury, MN covers 148.2 miles and takes about 3h behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on MN 23, MN 27, US Highway 169 for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is highway-focused drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 37.8 miles on MN 23.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $22.05 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
74.1 miles from Wayzata, MN
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 28m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h. Total distance: 148.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (96%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 3h highway drive covering 148.2 miles, with most of the trip on MN 23 and MN 27. The longest continuous stretch is about 37.8 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 25 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 37.8 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on MN 23 and MN 27. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2.9 miles in.
Driving Effort9/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 14 significant decision points across 148.2 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 2.9 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 3.2 miles (I 494): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 10.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 14 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
7
2.9 mi into trip|~6m in
Turn left toward I 494 North
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward I 494 North
5
3.2 mi into trip|~6m in|I 494
Merge onto I 494
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
10.1 mi into trip|~15m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 94 West: Saint Cloud
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Exit 27
Toward I 94 West: Saint Cloud
8
19 mi into trip|~25m in
Take the exit toward MN 101, CR 81, MN 101 North: Rogers, Elk River
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 207A-B
Toward MN 101, CR 81, MN 101 North: Rogers, Elk...
8
19.3 mi into trip|~25m in|MN 101 North Bypass
Keep slight right at fork onto MN 101 North Bypass toward MN 101 Bypass North: Elk River
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 207B
Toward MN 101 Bypass North: Elk River
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Wayzata, MN and Woodbury, MN, road signs point toward Cr 81 and Elk River.
Cr 81
19 mi in|~25m
Elk River
19 mi in|~25m
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
MN 23
37.8 mi
45m
MN 27
33.6 mi
42m
US Highway 169
32.8 mi
37m
State Highway 210
15.4 mi
18m
I 94
8.3 mi
9m
I 494
6.9 mi
8m
MN 101
6.4 mi
7m
Gleason Lake Drive
1.6 mi
3m
Longest stretch:
MN 23
— 37.8 mi, about 45m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Wayzata, MN and Woodbury, MN.
1
Start on Chicago Avenue North
0.1 mi·33 sec·Chicago Avenue North
2
Turn left onto Wayzata Boulevard
0.7 mi·1 min·Wayzata Boulevard
3
Turn left onto Gleason Lake Road
0.2 mi·22 sec·Gleason Lake Road
Use the straight lane.
4
Continue on CR 15
0.7 mi·1 min·Gleason Lake Drive
5
Enter roundabout onto Gleason Lake Drive
57 ft·1 sec·Gleason Lake Drive
6
Continue on Gleason Lake Drive
0.9 mi·1 min·Gleason Lake Drive
7
Turn left onto Carlson Parkway
0.3 mi·41 sec·Carlson Parkway
8
Turn left
0.3 mi·40 sec
Toward I 494 NorthUse the left lane.
9
Merge onto I 494
6.9 mi·8 min·I 494
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight left at fork
0.6 mi·49 sec
Exit 27Toward I 94 West: Saint CloudUse the slight left / slight right lanes.
11
Continue on I 94
8.3 mi·9 min·I 94
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.3 mi·36 sec
Exit 207A-BToward MN 101, CR 81, MN 101 North: Rogers, Elk RiverUse the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight right at fork onto MN 101 North Bypass
0.8 mi·55 sec·MN 101 North Bypass
Exit 207BToward MN 101 Bypass North: Elk RiverUse the slight right lane.
14
Merge onto MN 101
6.4 mi·7 min·MN 101
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Continue on US 169
27 mi·30 min·US Highway 169
16
Keep slight right at fork onto US 169
6.3 mi·7 min·US Highway 169
17
Take the exit
0.4 mi·51 sec
18
Turn right onto MN 23
18 mi·20 min·MN 23
19
Turn left onto MN 23; MN 65
20 mi·24 min·MN 23; MN 65
20
Continue on MN 27; MN 65
34 mi·42 min·MN 27; MN 65
21
Turn right onto MN 210
7.8 mi·9 min·State Highway 210
22
Continue on MN 210
1.5 mi·1 min·Tamarack Boulevard West
23
Continue on MN 210
7.6 mi·8 min·State Highway 210
24
Turn left onto CR 127
0.2 mi·27 sec·Gisler Road
25
Arrive at destination
CR 127
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 74.1 miles from Wayzata, MN, or about 1h 28m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 37.8 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 33 miles or 41m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 74.1 miles or 1h 28m 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 27m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Woodbury, MN than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Wayzata, 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 Wayzata, MN
This is one driving day of about 148.2 miles and 3h.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 33 miles from Wayzata, 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 23 for about 37.8 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 74.1 mi from Wayzata, MN
· 1h 28m into the drive
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$22.05 one way
$44.11 round trip
$3.78/gal25.4 MPG avg52 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.07
$23.76
$47.53
premium
$4.53
$26.44
$52.89
diesel
$5.61
$32.72
$65.44
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$22
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$47–$72
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 51.9 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $16 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
44.5
0
$15.56
$7.11
Efficient EV
37.1
0
$12.97
$5.93
EV Truck/SUV
59.3
0
$20.75
$9.48
Gas CO2
52 kg
EV CO2
17 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.
Forecast as of Apr 17, 2026
Origin
Wayzata, MN
Late night
in Wayzata on Saturday
Local time
1:54 AM
CDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Woodbury, MN
Late night
in Woodbury on Saturday
Local time
1:54 AM
CDT
Current temp
56°F
Partly Sunny
NW 15 mph11% chanceLive 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
15 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
3h 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 Wayzata, MN to Woodbury, MN covers 148.2 miles and takes about 3h without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are MN 23, MN 27, US Highway 169. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 74.1 miles from Wayzata, MN. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $22.05 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
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 demanding drive. With 14 significant decision points across 148.2 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 2.9 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 3.2 miles (I 494): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 10.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Between Wayzata, MN and Woodbury, MN, road signs point toward Cr 81 and Elk River.
