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Trip from Eau Claire, WI to Baileys Harbor, WI

Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026

Drive Time

5h 17m

Distance

259.3 mi

417 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$41

one way

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 40 min
4 AM
5h 4m ★
6 AM
5h 17m
8 AM
5h 44m
10 AM
5h 27m
12 PM
5h 24m
3 PM
5h 28m
5 PM
5h 43m
8 PM
5h 9m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

city in Eau Claire and Chippewa counties in Wisconsin, United States, that is the county seat of Eau Claire County

Eau Claire, WI

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Eau Claire, WI to Baileys Harbor, WI covers 259.3 miles and takes about 5h 17m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on South Farwell Street, East Madison Street, Germania Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $40.54 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.

Break Rhythm

1 planned break

Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.

Midpoint

129.6 miles from Eau Claire, WI

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 38m into the drive .

Drive Character

Expect a 5h 17m drive with frequent turns across 259.3 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 30 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
South Farwell Street is one of the defining roads on this drive.

How Hard Is This Drive?

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way.

Route Complexity 3/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

This is a straightforward 5h 17m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Eau Claire, WI to Baileys Harbor, WI is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
South Farwell Street
East Madison Street
Germania Street
Birch Street
River Prairie Drive
WI 29 East
US 51 South
I 41 North

Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.

Longest stretch: South Farwell Street — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Eau Claire, WI and Baileys Harbor, WI.

1

Start on East Grand Avenue

36 ft · 8 sec · East Grand Avenue
2

Turn left onto South Farwell Street

0.4 mi · 49 sec · South Farwell Street
3

Turn right onto East Madison Street

0.2 mi · 31 sec · East Madison Street
4

Continue on Germania Street

0.2 mi · 23 sec · Germania Street
5

Continue on Birch Street

1.5 mi · 2 min · Birch Street
6

Continue on River Prairie Drive

0.7 mi · 1 min · River Prairie Drive
7

Turn left

0.3 mi · 37 sec
8

Merge slight left

5.1 mi · 5 min
9

Take the exit slight right toward WI 29 East: Green Bay

0.6 mi · 1 min · WI 29 East: Green Bay
10

Merge slight left

88 mi · 1 hr 40 min
11

Keep slight left to continue on US 51 South: Green Bay, Madison

4.5 mi · 6 min · US 51 South: Green Bay, Madison
12

Keep slight right to continue on WI 29 East: Weston, Green Bay

87 mi · 1 hr 40 min · WI 29 East: Weston, Green Bay
13

Keep slight left to continue on I 41 North, US 41 North: Marinette

1.1 mi · 1 min · I 41 North, US 41 North: Marinette
14

Merge slight left

0.3 mi · 22 sec
15

Take the exit slight right toward I 43 South, US 141 South: Milwaukee

0.3 mi · 34 sec · I 43 South, US 141 South: Milwaukee
16

Keep slight left to continue on I 43 South: Milwaukee

1.2 mi · 2 min · I 43 South: Milwaukee
17

Continue straight

4.7 mi · 5 min
18

Take the exit slight right toward WI 54, WI 57, LMCT: Sturgeon Bay, Algoma

0.2 mi · 24 sec · WI 54, WI 57, LMCT: Sturgeon Bay, Algoma
19

Keep slight left to continue on WI 54 East, WI 57 North: Sturgeon Bay, Algoma

0.5 mi · 59 sec · WI 54 East, WI 57 North: Sturgeon Bay, Algoma
20

Merge slight right onto WI 54 East, WI 57 North: Sturgeon Bay, Algoma

33 mi · 38 min · WI 54 East, WI 57 North: Sturgeon Bay, Algoma
21

Continue on State Highway 42/57

8.2 mi · 12 min · State Highway 42/57
22

Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward State Highway 42

105 ft · 2 sec · State Highway 42
23

Exit the rotary onto State Highway 42/57

1.3 mi · 2 min · State Highway 42/57
24

Enter the roundabout and take exit 1 toward State Highway 42/57

102 ft · 2 sec · State Highway 42/57
25

Exit the roundabout onto State Highway 42/57

1.2 mi · 1 min · State Highway 42/57
26

Continue on Egg Harbor Road

0.1 mi · 9 sec · Egg Harbor Road
27

Turn slight right

18 mi · 29 min
28

Turn left onto County Road F

397 ft · 17 sec · County Road F
29

Turn left onto School Lane

262 ft · 19 sec · School Lane
30

Arrive at your destination

Trip Plan

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.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 129.6 miles from Eau Claire, WI, or about 2h 38m into the drive.

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 57 miles or 1h 9m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 129.6 miles or 2h 38m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 4h 20m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Baileys Harbor, WI than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

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 259.3 miles and 5h 17m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 57 miles from Eau Claire, 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.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 129.6 mi from Eau Claire, WI · 2h 38m into the drive

Downtown Antigo, WI, WI

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Antigo, WI

130 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

Medford, WI

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 57 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Antigo, WI

Meal break

The midpoint is around 129.6 miles from Eau Claire, WI, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Baileys Harbor, WI

The final approach into Baileys Harbor, 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 Baileys Harbor, 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

$40.54 one way

$81.08 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 91 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $44.51 $89.02
premium $4.89 $49.90 $99.80
diesel $5.61 $57.25 $114.50

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$41

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$66–$91

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 90.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $27 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 77.8 0 $27.23 $12.45
Efficient EV 64.8 0 $22.69 $10.37
EV Truck/SUV 103.7 1 $36.30 $16.60

Gas CO2

91 kg

EV CO2

30 kg (67% less)

Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.

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

Eau Claire, WI

Night in Eau Claire on Wednesday

Local time

10:00 PM

CDT

Current temp

64°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Baileys Harbor, WI

Night in Baileys Harbor on Wednesday

Local time

10:00 PM

CDT

Current temp

37°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

27 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

5h 17m on the road

An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Eau Claire, WI to Baileys Harbor, WI covers 259.3 miles and takes about 5h 17m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are South Farwell Street, East Madison Street, Germania Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 129.6 miles from Eau Claire, WI. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $40.54 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
This is a straightforward 5h 17m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Eau Claire, WI to Baileys Harbor, WI is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Eau Claire, WI to Baileys Harbor, WI does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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