This 105.8-mile journey from Dakota to North La Crosse, Wisconsin, is designed for a single day of travel, taking approximately 1 hour and 51 minutes. You'll primarily navigate local roads, including County Road JJ, County Highway B, and Highway 21, with no highway driving involved. The estimated fuel cost for this trip is around $16. Given the relatively short duration and local road focus, this route offers a flexible and straightforward Midwest excursion. It's a good option if you're looking for a manageable drive within Wisconsin.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
53.8 miles from Dakota, WI
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 21m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 24m. Total distance: 107.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a turn-heavy local drive for the entire 105.8 miles, as this route has a 0% highway share. You won't encounter long, uninterrupted stretches of highway here; instead, anticipate a more intimate connection with the Wisconsin landscape as you navigate County Road JJ, County Highway B, and Highway 21. This type of drive often means passing through smaller communities and experiencing a more varied pace compared to interstate travel. The continuous turns will keep you engaged behind the wheel.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 17 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 90 is the longest continuous segment at about 41.3 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near CTH JJ / County Road JJ.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 2h 24m drive. You will face about 8 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (CTH JJ / County Road JJ): Navigation decision point; at 4.7 miles (CTH B / County Highway B): Navigation decision point; at 5.4 miles (WI 21 / State Highway 21): Navigation decision point.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 8 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0.2 mi into trip|~0m in|CTH JJ / County Road JJ
Turn right onto CTH JJ / County Road JJ
Navigation decision point
4
4.7 mi into trip|~11m in|CTH B / County Highway B
Turn right onto CTH B / County Highway B
Navigation decision point
4
5.4 mi into trip|~13m in|WI 21 / State Highway 21
Turn left onto WI 21 / State Highway 21
Navigation decision point
6
63.9 mi into trip|~1h 35m in
Take the exit toward I 90 West: La Crosse, Albert Lea
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 147
Toward I 90 West: La Crosse, Albert Lea
6
105.7 mi into trip|~2h 20m in|I 90; US 53
Take the exit onto I 90; US 53 toward US 53 South, WI 35: La Crosse, Onalaska
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 3
Toward US 53 South, WI 35: La Crosse, Onalaska
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Dakota, WI to North La Crosse, WI, road signs begin pointing toward Albert Lea along the way.
Albert Lea
63.9 mi in|~1h 35m
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 90
41.3 mi
44m
East Follett Drive
28.9 mi
40m
State Highway 21
14.8 mi
20m
East 3rd Street
10.9 mi
15m
County Road JJ
4.5 mi
10m
I 94
2.8 mi
2m
Rose Street
1.6 mi
3m
County Highway B
0.8 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
I 90
— 41.3 mi, about 44m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Dakota, WI and North La Crosse, WI.
1
Start on CTH Y
0.2 mi·34 sec·County Highway Y
2
Turn right onto CTH JJ
4.5 mi·10 min·County Road JJ
3
Turn right onto CTH B
0.8 mi·1 min·County Highway B
4
Turn left onto WI 21
3.7 mi·5 min·State Highway 21
5
Continue on WI 21
0.5 mi·49 sec·Wautoma Road
6
Continue on WI 21
29 mi·40 min·East Follett Drive
7
Continue on WI 21
11 mi·15 min·East 3rd Street
8
Continue on WI 21; CTH H
11 mi·15 min·State Highway 21
9
Continue on WI 21
0.3 mi·33 sec·East McCoy Boulevard
Use the straight lane.
10
Continue on WI 21
0.1 mi·12 sec·State Highway 21
Use the straight lane.
11
Take the exit
0.3 mi·41 sec
12
Merge onto I 94
2.8 mi·2 min·I 94
13
Take the exit
0.7 mi·51 sec
Exit 147Toward I 90 West: La Crosse, Albert Lea
14
Merge onto I 90
41 mi·43 min·I 90
15
Take the exit onto I 90; US 53
0.2 mi·37 sec·I 90; US 53
Exit 3Toward US 53 South, WI 35: La Crosse, Onalaska
16
Turn left onto US 53; WI 35
1.6 mi·3 min·Rose Street
17
Arrive at destination
US 53; CTH B
Trip Plan
With a total duration of just under two hours, this 105.8-mile trip is easily completed in one day. You can depart at your leisure, but consider an early start to maximize daylight if you plan any unscheduled stops. There are no designated stops provided, so plan your own breaks as needed. Keep an eye on your fuel levels, as local roads can sometimes mean longer distances between services. For this route, a specific tip is to familiarize yourself with the sequence of County Road JJ, County Highway B, and Highway 21 before you depart to anticipate the frequent turns.
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 53.8 miles from Dakota, WI, or about 1h 21m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 41.3 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 24 miles or 39m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 53.8 miles or 1h 21m 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 1m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near North La Crosse, WI than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Dakota, 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 Dakota, WI
This is one driving day of about 107.5 miles and 2h 24m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 24 miles from Dakota, WI.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 90 for about 41.3 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 53.8 mi from Dakota, WI
· 1h 21m into the drive
The midpoint is around 53.8 miles from Dakota, WI, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in North La Crosse, WI
The final approach into North La Crosse, 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 North La Crosse, WI.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Ice Age National Scenic Trail
National Scenic Trail
The Ice Age National Scenic Trail spans 1,200 miles, traverses some of Wisconsin's finest geologic and glacial features, and passes through the ancestral lands of 15 Tribes. The Trail is built, manage...
3 mi from route
~7 min detour
Free
near mile 11.1
Caution: Averill–Kelly Creek Wilderness Segment — Dangerous Ford at New Wood River
Caution: Skunk and Foster Lakes Segment — Storm Damage
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$14.60 one way
$29.20 round trip
$3.45/gal25.4 MPG avg38 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$3.85
$16.29
$32.59
premium
$4.15
$17.56
$35.13
diesel
$3.75
$15.87
$31.74
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$15
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$40–$65
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 37.6 kg one way.
Driving Electric?
About $11 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
32.3
0
$11.29
$5.16
Efficient EV
26.9
0
$9.41
$4.30
EV Truck/SUV
43
0
$15.05
$6.88
Gas CO2
38 kg
EV CO2
13 kg (66% 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 15, 2026
Origin
Dakota, WI
Afternoon
in Dakota on Friday
Local time
4:31 PM
CDT
Current temp
69°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
North La Crosse, WI
Afternoon
in North La Crosse on Friday
Local time
4:31 PM
CDT
Current temp
66°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
3 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 24m 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 Dakota, WI to North La Crosse, WI covers 107.5 miles and takes about 2h 24m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 90, East Follett Drive, State Highway 21. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 53.8 miles from Dakota, WI. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $14.60 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 is a straightforward 2h 24m drive. You will face about 8 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (CTH JJ / County Road JJ): Navigation decision point; at 4.7 miles (CTH B / County Highway B): Navigation decision point; at 5.4 miles (WI 21 / State Highway 21): Navigation decision point.
On the drive from Dakota, WI to North La Crosse, WI, road signs begin pointing toward Albert Lea along the way.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Ice Age National Scenic Trail.
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 NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
