How far is Minnetonka, MN from Empire, CA?
The driving distance from Minnetonka, MN to Empire, CA is about 1945.8 miles (3131.5 km), with a travel time of about 33h 57m by car.
- The straight-line flight distance is about 1500.3 miles (2414.5 km).
- For a round trip, plan for roughly 67h 55m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
- A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM CDT.
Reverse, save, or send this route
This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.
This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay.
Flight Distance
Driving Distance
Gas Cost Calculator
Leave and Arrive Planner
Pick a departure time to see your estimated arrival and same-day return window.
Drive time stays fixed at 33h 57m.
Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.
You are leaving earlier than the recommended window, which gives you extra margin for breaks and traffic.
Halfway Point
A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.
Town of the United States
Route Weather Snapshot
Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.
Sunny
Driving Route Map
The map below follows the saved road route between Minnetonka and Empire.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Minnetonka and Empire.
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1
Start on County Road 101
1.7 mi · 3 min · County Road 101
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2
Turn right
1080 ft · 18 sec
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3
Continue straight
2.1 mi · 3 min
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4
Turn right onto Prince Rogers Nelson Memorial Highway
1 km · 1 min · Prince Rogers Nelson Memorial Highway
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5
Turn left onto Market Boulevard
1824 ft · 44 sec · Market Boulevard
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6
Continue on Great Plains Boulevard
3166 ft · 1 min · Great Plains Boulevard
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7
Take the ramp left toward US 212 West
1299 ft · 38 sec
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8
Merge slight left
7.3 mi · 8 min
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9
Take the exit slight right toward CR 11: Jonathan Carver Parkway
1919 ft · 54 sec
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10
Turn left onto County Road 11
94 m · 5 sec · County Road 11
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11
Continue on Jonathan Carver Parkway
1.1 mi · 2 min · Jonathan Carver Parkway
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12
Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward Jonathan Carver Parkway
34 m · 2 sec · Jonathan Carver Parkway
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13
Exit the roundabout onto Jonathan Carver Parkway
1.5 km · 1 min · Jonathan Carver Parkway
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14
Continue on County Road 40
3057 ft · 56 sec · County Road 40
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15
Turn left onto County Road 11
5.4 mi · 8 min · County Road 11
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16
Turn right
5.7 mi · 7 min
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17
Continue straight
3.8 mi · 4 min
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18
Continue straight
23.7 mi · 29 min
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19
Continue straight
14.3 mi · 18 min
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20
Continue straight
61.6 mi · 1 hr 13 min
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21
Continue on 2nd Avenue North
2369 ft · 1 min · 2nd Avenue North
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22
Continue on State Highway 60
1564 ft · 35 sec · State Highway 60
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23
Continue on MN 60 W
16.7 mi · 19 min · MN 60 W
-
24
Continue on State Highway 60
727 ft · 10 sec · State Highway 60
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25
Continue on MN 60 W
11.2 mi · 13 min · MN 60 W
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26
Take the exit right toward I 90: Sioux Falls
2269 ft · 55 sec
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27
Merge slight left
395.2 mi · 6 hr 20 min
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28
Take the exit slight right toward US 16 Truck, ND 79 South: Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse
1470 ft · 36 sec
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29
Keep slight left
869 ft · 23 sec
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30
Continue on North Elk Vale Road
5.3 mi · 7 min · North Elk Vale Road
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31
Take the exit slight left
47.9 mi · 54 min
-
32
Turn right onto Fall River Road
4 mi · 5 min · Fall River Road
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33
Continue on Jensen Highway
905 ft · 28 sec · Jensen Highway
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34
Turn left onto Indianapolis Avenue
1.2 km · 1 min · Indianapolis Avenue
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35
Continue on Highway 18 Bypass
1.1 mi · 2 min · Highway 18 Bypass
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36
At the end of the road, turn left onto Highway 18 West
1069 ft · 14 sec · Highway 18 West
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37
Continue on US Highway 18
44.8 mi · 52 min · US Highway 18
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38
Turn left onto US Highway 85
45.8 mi · 49 min · US Highway 85
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39
Continue on North Main Street
1.4 km · 2 min · North Main Street
-
40
Turn right onto West 8th Street
882 ft · 25 sec · West 8th Street
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41
Continue on US Highway 20
23.3 mi · 25 min · US Highway 20
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42
Continue on US Highway 18/20
18.1 mi · 19 min · US Highway 18/20
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43
Take the exit slight right
62.8 mi · 1 hr 6 min
-
44
Take the exit slight right toward US 20 West, US 26 West, WY 220 West: Shoshoni, Port of Entry
1846 ft · 45 sec
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45
Keep slight left
107 m · 11 sec
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46
Turn left
3 mi · 4 min
-
47
Continue on Casper West Belt
7.3 mi · 9 min · Casper West Belt
-
48
Turn right onto County Road 308
63.7 mi · 1 hr 12 min · County Road 308
-
49
Continue straight
44.1 mi · 51 min
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50
Turn right onto West Spruce Street
1.5 mi · 2 min · West Spruce Street
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51
Take the ramp right
1 km · 1 min
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52
Merge slight left onto Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
285.5 mi · 4 hr 42 min · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
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53
Merge slight left onto Veterans Memorial Highway
2.5 mi · 3 min · Veterans Memorial Highway
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54
Take the exit slight right toward I 80 West: Reno, Salt Lake City International Airport
632.7 mi · 10 hr 37 min
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55
Continue on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
7.1 mi · 8 min · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
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56
Keep slight right to continue on Capital City Freeway
4.9 mi · 5 min · Capital City Freeway
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57
Keep slight left to continue on Capital City Freeway
3.7 mi · 4 min · Capital City Freeway
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58
Keep slight left to continue on Capital City Freeway
1653 ft · 21 sec · Capital City Freeway
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59
Continue on South Sacramento Freeway
56.8 mi · 1 hr 6 min · South Sacramento Freeway
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60
Keep slight left
14.8 mi · 17 min
-
61
Take the exit slight right toward 6th Street, G Street
1356 ft · 33 sec
-
62
Turn straight onto 5th Street
1201 ft · 35 sec · 5th Street
-
63
Turn left onto G Street
1502 ft · 49 sec · G Street
-
64
Turn right onto 9th Street
1438 ft · 48 sec · 9th Street
-
65
Turn left onto D Street
1902 ft · 1 min · D Street
-
66
Turn right onto Yosemite Boulevard
4.8 mi · 9 min · Yosemite Boulevard
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67
Arrive at your destination
0 m · 1 sec · Yosemite Boulevard
Car Route Details
A richer read on the saved driving route between Minnetonka and Empire.
Long-distance drive
This route is long enough that fuel, rest stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single maneuver.
I 80 West
Take the exit slight right toward I 80 West: Reno, Salt Lake City International Airport
633 mi · 10h 37m
Route Summary
A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.
Better with a longer stop
This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.
Rain leaving Minnetonka and Sunny near Empire.
Trip Questions
Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.
How long does it take to drive from Minnetonka to Empire?
The road trip is about 1945.8 miles (3131.5 km) and usually takes 33h 57m in normal driving conditions.
Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?
This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.
What is the halfway point on this route?
Wamsutter is a useful midpoint, sitting about 964.9 miles from Minnetonka and 981 miles from Empire.
How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?
The direct path is about 1500.3 miles (2414.5 km), while the road route adds roughly 445.5 extra miles because roads do not follow the straight air line.
When is the best time to leave for this route?
A good departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM CDT. Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.
How much will gas cost for this route?
Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $291.67 one way or $583.34 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 610.2 kg one way.
Do you cross a time zone on this route?
Yes. There is about a 2 hour time difference between Minnetonka and Empire, so arrival and return times should be read in local time.
What should you check before leaving?
Before you leave, expect Rain around Minnetonka and Sunny near Empire.
Flight Path Map
This map shows the direct air route between Minnetonka and Empire. Straight-line distance: 1500.29 mi (2414.48 km).
#1 Minnetonka
The most populous city in Hennepin County, Minnesota.
| Population | 55,370 |
| Coordinates | 44.9133000, -93.5032900 |
| Altitude | 275 |
| Country | United States |
#2 Empire
Place in Stanislaus County, USA
| Population | 4,189 |
| Coordinates | 37.6382600, -120.9021500 |
| Altitude | 36 |
| Country | United States |
End: Empire (-120.90215, 37.63826)
Estimated Travel Time
Distance: 3131 km by road
| Speed | Time |
|---|---|
| 30 mph (48.3 km/h) | 64h 50m |
| 40 mph (64.37 km/h) | 48h 38m |
| 50 mph (80.47 km/h) | 38h 54m |
| 60 mph (96.56 km/h) | 32h 25m |
| 70 mph (112.65 km/h) | 27h 47m |
| 80 mph (129 km/h) | 24h 16m |
Fuel, Round Trip and CO2
Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.
| Fuel | $/gal | One way | Round trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular gas | $4.25 | $291.67 | $583.34 |
| Mid-grade | $4.72 | $323.80 | $647.60 |
| Premium | $5.26 | $361.29 | $722.58 |
| Diesel | $6.14 | $421.85 | $843.69 |
Assumes 8.3 L/100 km (about 28.3 MPG). CO2 is an estimate and varies by vehicle, fuel blend, traffic, and terrain.
Prices in Minnesota · Oct 15, 2026