Origin
City of Janesville, WI
Morning in City of Janesville on Monday
Local time
6:20 AM
CDT
Current temp
48°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from City of Janesville, WI to Elkhart Lake, WI
Drive Time
2h 39m
Distance
119.4 mi
192 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$18
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
2h 29m
★
6 AM
2h 40m
8 AM
3h 1m
10 AM
2h 47m
12 PM
2h 45m
3 PM
2h 48m
5 PM
3h 0m
8 PM
2h 34m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
City of Janesville, WI
Tom Fisk
Elkhart Lake, WI
Tom Fisk
Trip Overview
The drive from City of Janesville, WI to Elkhart Lake, WI covers 119.4 miles and takes about 2h 39m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on WI 26, US 151, State Highway 23 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 44 miles on WI 26. At current regular gas prices, budget about $18.14 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
59.7 miles from City of Janesville, WI
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 18m into the drive .
Drive Character
This is a 2h 39m highway drive covering 119.4 miles, with most of the trip on WI 26 and US 151. The longest continuous stretch is about 44 miles on WI 26.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 28 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
WI 26 is the longest continuous segment at about 44 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on WI 26 and US 151. You will hit about 16 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Harrison Street.
Route Complexity
5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 119.4 miles you will encounter 16 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 (Harrison Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (East Milwaukee Street): Navigation decision point; at 58.8 miles (CTH W / West North Street): Navigation decision point.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 16 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Harrison Street
Turn right onto Harrison Street
Navigation decision point
4
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
East Milwaukee Street
Turn left onto East Milwaukee Street
Navigation decision point
5
58.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 16m in
|
CTH W / West North Street
At end of road, turn right onto CTH W / West North Street
Navigation decision point
4
59.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 17m in
|
WI 26 / North Main Street
At end of road, turn left onto WI 26 / North Main Street
Navigation decision point
6
119.4 mi into trip
|
~2h 39m in
|
Arno Way
Turn sharp left onto Arno Way
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| WI 26 | 44 mi | 54m |
| US 151 | 22 mi | 26m |
| State Highway 23 | 15.2 mi | 18m |
| Milton Avenue | 14.2 mi | 20m |
| State Highway 26 | 12.3 mi | 17m |
| CTH A | 2.2 mi | 4m |
| County Road K | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| County Road P | 1.3 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
WI 26
— 44 mi, about 54m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between City of Janesville, WI and Elkhart Lake, WI.
1
Start on East Court Street
148 ft
·
6 sec
·
East Court Street
2
Turn right onto Harrison Street
513 ft
·
26 sec
·
Harrison Street
3
Turn left onto East Milwaukee Street
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
·
East Milwaukee Street
4
Turn sharp right onto Milton Avenue
14 mi
·
20 min
·
Milton Avenue
5
Continue on WI 26
21 mi
·
26 min
·
WI 26
Use the straight lane.
6
Continue on WI 26
23 mi
·
27 min
·
WI 26
Use the straight lane.
7
Turn left onto Western Avenue
0.3 mi
·
51 sec
·
Western Avenue
8
At end of road, turn right onto CTH W
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
West North Street
9
At end of road, turn left onto WI 26
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
North Main Street
10
Continue on WI 26
5.6 mi
·
7 min
·
State Highway 26
11
Continue on WI 26
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Front Street
12
Continue on WI 26
6.7 mi
·
9 min
·
State Highway 26
13
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
14
Merge onto US 151
22 mi
·
26 min
·
US 151
15
Turn right onto CTH V
451 ft
·
13 sec
·
Rienzi Road
16
Turn left onto CTH K
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
County Road K
17
Enter roundabout
212 ft
·
4 sec
18
Continue
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
19
Merge onto WI 23
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
East Johnson Street
20
Continue on WI 23
15 mi
·
18 min
·
State Highway 23
Use the straight lane.
21
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
22
Continue on CTH A
2.2 mi
·
4 min
·
CTH A
23
Turn left onto CTH A; CTH P
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
County Road A/P
24
Continue on CTH P
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
County Road P
25
Turn right onto CTH JP
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
County Road JP
26
Continue on CTH J
0.2 mi
·
46 sec
·
Gottfried Street
27
Turn sharp left onto Arno Way
95 ft
·
4 sec
·
Arno Way
28
Arrive at destination
Arno Way
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.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 59.7 miles from City of Janesville, WI, or about 1h 18m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 44 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 80 miles or 1h 46m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 59.7 miles or 1h 18m 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 9m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Elkhart Lake, WI than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving City of Janesville, WI 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 City of Janesville, WI
This is one driving day of about 119.4 miles and 2h 39m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from City of Janesville, WI.
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 WI 26 for about 44 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 59.7 mi from City of Janesville, WI · 1h 18m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
60 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 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 59.7 miles from City of Janesville, WI, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Elkhart Lake, WI
The final approach into Elkhart Lake, WI usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Elkhart Lake, WI.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$18.14 one way
$36.27 round trip
$3.86/gal
25.4 MPG avg
42 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.25 | $19.99 | $39.98 |
| premium | $4.80 | $22.54 | $45.08 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $26.53 | $53.05 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$18
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$43–$68
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 41.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $13 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 35.8 | 0 | $12.54 | $5.73 |
| Efficient EV | 29.9 | 0 | $10.45 | $4.78 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 47.8 | 0 | $16.72 | $7.64 |
Gas CO2
42 kg
EV CO2
14 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
Elkhart Lake, WI
Morning in Elkhart Lake on Monday
Local time
6:20 AM
CDT
Current temp
38°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
10 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
2h 39m 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 City of Janesville, WI to Elkhart Lake, WI covers 119.4 miles and takes about 2h 39m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are WI 26, US 151, State Highway 23. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 59.7 miles from City of Janesville, WI. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $18.14 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.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 119.4 miles you will encounter 16 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 (Harrison Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (East Milwaukee Street): Navigation decision point; at 58.8 miles (CTH W / West North Street): Navigation decision point.
The route from City of Janesville, WI to Elkhart Lake, WI does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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