Metro to Park Rapids – how do you do it?

Heading to the Park Rapids area with the family this summer.

I like to drive fast, hoping to drive straight through with no stops and as few slow downs as possible. I would prefer to stick with roads posted 65 mph or faster, and avoid 55 mph as much as possible. My preference is to set the cruise at 10 over.

My first thought after looking at a map is to go 694 to I94 all the way to US 71, then straight up. I’m not familiar with US 71, so maybe that’s not a great route, or has too many slow areas. Construction will probably be a determining factor when we get closer to the vacation date. I94 moves pretty well from Monticello westward if there is no construction. We’ll be checking in on a Sunday, so that should help.

Map program says US 10 all the way up to Wadena, then north on 71 from there. Map program does not take into account the 10 mph over. Plus relatively consistent speed with no towns to slow down for is better for my transmission, brakes and fuel mileage.

For those of you who travel up that way regularly, what is your preference when you intend to make time?

Hwy 10 thru St Cloud will still be a construction mess this summer, but depending on the time and day it might not be that bad of a delay overall. The rest of the way is clear for now.
Hwy 71 North at Sauk Centre has 7 smaller towns before Wadena, most with reduced speed and a few traffic lights. Not terrible traffic in any one town but it is single lane with stretches that lack good passing spots. I believe it’s 60 mph speed limit to Wadena.
If it were me, I’d take Hwy 10 and go through St Cloud before 7am or in the 9 to 11am window.

Don’t overthink it. Google Maps is going to take anything and everything into account and give you the fastest route based on that day’s conditions.

buckybadger wrote:

Don’t overthink it. Google Maps is going to take anything and everything into account and give you the fastest route based on that day’s conditions.

There are actually many times I’ve hit large construction areas, while using Google maps, that weren’t shown as anything. Real “wish I’d have known” moments.

Been a long while now, but used to make that trip several times a year when I was in school to the the old University field station at Itasca. Our preferred route was the Sauk Centre route. Always seemed to hit a lot of delay through St. Cloud and further up 10.

mojo, I drive to the cabin frequently and used to be the “beat the GPS guy”.
It’s 180 miles, my best time is 2 hours 55 minutes and in the heaviest traffic and road construction 3 hours and 20 minutes. I learned it’s not worth the worry.
Now I just enjoy the ride knowing I’ll be cruising in the toon soon enough.

How? How about how often?
Not enough, love that area.

If you pick up County Road 17 just west of Saulk Center it parallels 71 till it intersects it in Clarrisa. You’ll avoid 3 or 4 towns on 71.

Eelpoutguy wrote:

mojo, I drive to the cabin frequently and used to be the “beat the GPS guy”.
It’s 180 miles, my best time is 2 hours 55 minutes and in the heaviest traffic and road construction 3 hours and 20 minutes. I learned it’s not worth the worry.
Now I just enjoy the ride knowing I’ll be cruising in the toon soon enough.

this…..i also like getting from point A to point B asap. like EPG says you’ll get there soon enough!!!!!and without donating to the highway patrols fund!

i hit 10 north of rice to 371 to 210 in brainerd then 6 the rest of the way. its 3 1/2 hours…just enjoy the drive.
driving north on a sunday while everyone else is headed south in a good thing……

i’m no help going to Wadena..i dont go that way much……but i for one enjoy just looking at the different scenery on new to me routes!!!!

You’re way overthinking things, especially for such a short drive.

Life isn’t a race, including when you’re on vacation.

Punch it into your phone when you leave the driveway and take the route you’d like.

If you don’t like traffic, don’t be on the road at peak times.

B-man wrote:

You’re way overthinking things, especially for such a short drive.

Life isn’t a race, including when you’re on vacation.

Punch it into your phone when you leave the driveway and take the route you’d like.

If you don’t like traffic, don’t be on the road at peak times.

Thats some good advice there….

I appreciate all the replies, and my motivation is not just to be in a hurry, I have a serious back injury that makes driving that distance extremely uncomfortable. Stopping and stretching is a nightmare because the pain returns immediately when I get back in the vehicle, and persists for at least a full day. I’ve found that just pushing through is the best method. Getting home after paying a visit to Iowaboy1 last year was like torture – not sure if I woulda made it if he hadn’t made me so ecstatic by finding the issue and fixing my boat.
Girlfriend is not a fan of driving when towing the boat, but she may have to step up for this trip – being a passenger gives me a lot more flexibility to change positions often. I can be a miserable A HOLE when the pain becomes uncontrollable, and that is NOT how I want to start a family reunion vacation.
Thank you for the replies, for those of you who travel that way regularly, update your suggestions as the road construction season affects conditions.

IMO you are overthinking it. You said you are traveling North on Sunday. Any weekend traffic will be heading South. Vacation traffic is Saturdays. Pick a route and do it. Traffic won’t be a issue. Construction is always a issue in the summer unless you fly. As a guy who has logged over a million highway miles I can tell you 2 things….

1) Getting there safe is the goal.
2) You will get there when you get there and that will never change no matter what the goals or reasons.