Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
3h 20m
Distance
175.2 mi
282 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$27
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Eau Claire, WI
Wikimedia Commons
Maple Bluff, WI
Tom Fisk
The drive from Eau Claire, WI to Maple Bluff, WI covers 175.2 miles and takes about 3h 20m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 94, County Highway CV, South Hastings Way for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 162.4 miles on I 94. At current regular gas prices, budget about $27.39 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
87.6 miles from Eau Claire, WI
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 37m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 94 | 162.4 mi | 2h 54m |
| County Highway CV | 2.5 mi | 4m |
| South Hastings Way | 2.3 mi | 2m |
| Packers Avenue | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| Hastings Way | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Harding Avenue | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| South Farwell Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Farwell Drive | 0.6 mi | 2m |
Step-by-step road directions between Eau Claire, WI and Maple Bluff, WI.
Start on East Grand Avenue
Turn right onto South Farwell Street
Turn left onto Washington Street
Continue on Harding Avenue
Continue on Brackett Avenue
Turn slight right
Turn straight onto US 53 Business
Take the ramp onto US 53 Business
Turn straight onto US 53
Enter roundabout onto US 53
Continue on US 53
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 94
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork
Turn straight onto US 51; CTH CV
Turn right onto CTH CV
Continue on CTH CV
Turn right onto Darwin Road
Turn straight onto WI 113
Turn left onto North Sherman Avenue
Turn right onto Trailsway
Continue on Monterey Drive
Turn right onto Wyldewood Drive
At end of road, turn right onto Sheridan Drive
Turn left onto Farwell Drive
Turn right onto Bay Avenue
Arrive at destination
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.
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 39 miles or 45m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 87.6 miles or 1h 37m 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 37m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Maple Bluff, WI than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Eau Claire, 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 Eau Claire, WI
This is one driving day of about 175.2 miles and 3h 20m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
88 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.
A short stop after about 39 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 87.6 miles from Eau Claire, WI, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before I 94 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 162.4 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
5 decision points cluster between mile 5.4 and 174.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Enter roundabout onto US 53
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Merge onto I 94
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward US-51: Madison, De Forest
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork toward US-51 SOUTH
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
At end of road, turn right onto Sheridan Drive
Navigation decision point
Regular Gas
$27.39 one way
$54.78 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $30.07 | $60.15 |
| premium | $4.89 | $33.72 | $67.43 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $38.68 | $77.36 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$27
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$52–$77
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 61.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $18 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 52.6 | 0 | $18.40 | $8.41 |
| Efficient EV | 43.8 | 0 | $15.33 | $7.01 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 70.1 | 0 | $24.53 | $11.21 |
Gas CO2
61 kg
EV CO2
20 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Afternoon in Eau Claire on Saturday
Local time
1:37 PM
CDT
Current temp
31°F
Partly Cloudy
Destination
Afternoon in Maple Bluff on Saturday
Local time
1:37 PM
CDT
Current temp
66°F
Unavailable
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
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
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...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
175.2 mi in 3h 20m, mostly highway — 162.4 mi of that is on I 94.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 94 and County Highway CV. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 5.4 miles in near US 53.
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 3h 20m drive. You will face about 14 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 5.4 miles (US 53): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 6 miles (I 94): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 168.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
525 ft
Total Descent
436 ft
Highest Point
995 ft
~25 mi in
Elevation Range
206 ft
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 20m. Total distance: 175.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 20m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (93%). Straightforward navigation.
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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