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Trip from Elk Mound, WI to Menomonee Falls, WI

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

4h 46m

Distance

254.2 mi

409 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$40

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 40 min
4 AM
4h 33m ★
6 AM
4h 46m
8 AM
5h 13m
10 AM
4h 55m
12 PM
4h 53m
3 PM
4h 57m
5 PM
5h 12m
8 PM
4h 38m

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

Downtown Elk Mound, WI, WI

Elk Mound, WI

Tom Fisk

village in Waukesha County, Wisconsin, United States

Menomonee Falls, WI

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Elk Mound, WI to Menomonee Falls, WI covers 254.2 miles and takes about 4h 46m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Highway 12, North Crossing, I-94_East for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly surface roads. At current regular gas prices, budget about $39.74 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

127.1 miles from Elk Mound, WI

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 23m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Highway 12
North Crossing
I-94_East
I 94
CTH F
CTH F North
Redford Boulevard
Waukesha Avenue

Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.

Longest stretch: Highway 12 — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Elk Mound, WI and Menomonee Falls, WI.

1

Start on Menomonie Street

0.5 mi · 1 min · Menomonie Street
2

Continue on United States Highway 12

4.8 mi · 6 min · United States Highway 12
3

Turn right onto North Crossing

0.3 mi · 33 sec · North Crossing
4

Continue on North Crossing

0.3 mi · 32 sec · North Crossing
5

Turn left onto I-94_East: Madison

0.5 mi · 1 min · I-94_East: Madison
6

Merge slight left

180 mi · 3 hr 12 min
7

Keep slight left to continue on I 94: Milwaukee

56 mi · 59 min · I 94: Milwaukee
8

Take the exit slight right toward CTH F: Waukesha, Sussex

0.3 mi · 32 sec · CTH F: Waukesha, Sussex
9

Keep slight left to continue on CTH F North: Waukesha, Sussex

187 ft · 6 sec · CTH F North: Waukesha, Sussex
10

Turn left onto Redford Boulevard

4.5 mi · 7 min · Redford Boulevard
11

Continue on Waukesha Avenue

1.5 mi · 2 min · Waukesha Avenue
12

Turn straight

374 ft · 13 sec
13

Turn straight onto Main Street

1.2 mi · 2 min · Main Street
14

At the end of the road, turn left onto Town Line Road

0.4 mi · 54 sec · Town Line Road
15

Enter the roundabout and take exit 1 toward West Main Street

75 ft · 4 sec · West Main Street
16

Exit the roundabout onto West Main Street

4.6 mi · 9 min · West Main Street
17

Turn left onto Appleton Avenue

23 ft · 1 sec · Appleton Avenue
18

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 127.1 miles from Elk Mound, WI, or about 2h 23m 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 56 miles or 1h 3m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 127.1 miles or 2h 23m in

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

Final approach

Final hour starts around 3h 54m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Elk Mound, 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 Elk Mound, WI

This is one driving day of about 254.2 miles and 4h 46m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 56 miles from Elk Mound, 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.

reservoir on the Wisconsin River in Sauk and Columbia counties in Wisconsin, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Lake Wisconsin, WI

127 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

Angelo, WI

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 56 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Lake Wisconsin, WI

Meal break

The midpoint is around 127.1 miles from Elk Mound, WI, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$39.74 one way

$79.48 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 89 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $43.63 $87.27
premium $4.89 $48.92 $97.84
diesel $5.61 $56.12 $112.25

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$40

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$65–$90

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 88.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $27 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 76.3 0 $26.69 $12.20
Efficient EV 63.6 0 $22.24 $10.17
EV Truck/SUV 101.7 1 $35.59 $16.27

Gas CO2

89 kg

EV CO2

30 kg (66% 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

Elk Mound, WI

Afternoon in Elk Mound on Saturday

Local time

3:49 PM

CDT

Current temp

69°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Menomonee Falls, WI

Afternoon in Menomonee Falls on Saturday

Local time

3:49 PM

CDT

Current temp

62°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

7 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

4h 46m 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.

What kind of drive is this?

254.2 mi in 4h 46m across surface roads — expect steady turns and local traffic rather than long highway runs.

Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Main road: Highway 12.

How Hard Is This Drive?

3/10

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.

Driving Effort 3/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a straightforward 4h 46m 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 Elk Mound, WI to Menomonee Falls, WI is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 46m. Total distance: 254.2 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

4h 46m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.

Scenic Drive

Mostly surface roads route profile.

Frequently Asked Questions

We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.

Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Elk Mound, WI to Menomonee Falls, WI is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Possible but tiring. At 4.8 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 9.5 hours — manageable with a long break at Menomonee Falls, WI, but most travelers stay overnight.

How this page is built

Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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Explore more options from Elk Mound, WI or browse trips ending in Menomonee Falls, WI.

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