Origin
Hudson, WI
Evening in Hudson on Friday
Local time
5:23 PM
CDT
Current temp
45°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Hudson, WI to Eau Claire, WI
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 19m
Distance
67.3 mi
108 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$11
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 13m
★
6 AM
1h 19m
8 AM
1h 31m
10 AM
1h 23m
12 PM
1h 22m
3 PM
1h 24m
5 PM
1h 31m
8 PM
1h 15m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Hudson, WI
Tom Fisk
Eau Claire, WI
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Hudson to Eau Claire is 67.3 miles and takes about 1 hour 19 minutes via I 94, with a fuel budget near $11 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This straightforward drive stays within Wisconsin, moving you across the Midwest region. It's a short trip, making it ideal for a quick excursion or a convenient leg of a longer journey. You'll primarily be on interstate highways, so expect a consistent pace for most of the drive. Consider this route if you're looking for an efficient way to get from point A to point B without extensive detours.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 19m. Total distance: 67.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 19m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (87%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This drive is heavily focused on highway travel, with 87% of the route utilizing major highways. You'll experience a significant stretch of 58.3 miles on I 94, which forms the backbone of this journey. The feel is predominantly that of a highway-focused drive, meaning you'll encounter higher speeds and fewer interruptions compared to local roads. While the majority is interstate, brief segments on North Crossing and Second Street might offer a slight change in scenery before you merge back onto the faster routes. Expect a consistent driving experience for the most part.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 16 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 94 is the longest continuous segment at about 58.3 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 94 and North Crossing. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near WI 35 / Second Street.
Driving Effort
6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 67.3 miles you will encounter 9 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 (WI 35 / Second Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.7 miles (WI 35): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.2 miles (I 94; US 12; WI 35): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 9 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
|
WI 35 / Second Street
Depart onto WI 35 / Second Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
8
0.7 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
WI 35
Keep slight left at fork onto WI 35 toward Eau Claire, River Falls
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Toward Eau Claire, River Falls
5
1.2 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
I 94; US 12; WI 35
Merge onto I 94; US 12; WI 35
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
59.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 5m in
Take the exit toward US 12, WI 312, CTH EE: Eau Claire, Chippawa Falls
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 59
Toward US 12, WI 312, CTH EE: Eau Claire, Chipp...
5
66.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 16m in
|
Bellinger Street
Turn right onto Bellinger Street
Navigation decision point
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Hudson, WI and Eau Claire, WI, road signs point toward Cth Ee: Eau Claire and Chippawa Falls.
Cth Ee: Eau Claire
59.5 mi in
|
~1h 5m
Chippawa Falls
59.5 mi in
|
~1h 5m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 94 | 58.3 mi | 1h 2m |
| North Crossing | 4.2 mi | 6m |
| Second Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| 3rd Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Jeffers Road | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Truax Boulevard | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| West Madison Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| WI 35 | 0.5 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
I 94
— 58.3 mi, about 1h 2m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Hudson, WI and Eau Claire, WI.
1
Start on WI 35
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Second Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
2
Keep slight left at fork onto WI 35
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
WI 35
Toward Eau Claire, River Falls
Use the slight left lane.
3
Merge onto I 94; US 12; WI 35
58 mi
·
1 hr 2 min
·
I 94; US 12; WI 35
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
50 sec
Exit 59
Toward US 12, WI 312, CTH EE: Eau Claire, Chippawa Falls
5
Keep slight right at fork
482 ft
·
11 sec
6
Turn straight onto WI 312; CTH EE
4.2 mi
·
6 min
·
North Crossing
7
Turn right onto CTH F
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Jeffers Road
8
Turn left onto Truax Boulevard
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Truax Boulevard
9
Continue on 3rd Street
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
3rd Street
10
Continue on Platt Street
506 ft
·
12 sec
·
Platt Street
11
Turn right onto Bellinger Street
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
·
Bellinger Street
12
Turn left onto West Madison Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
West Madison Street
13
Turn slight right
303 ft
·
8 sec
14
Turn slight left onto North Farwell Street
0.4 mi
·
46 sec
·
North Farwell Street
15
Turn right onto East Grand Avenue
35 ft
·
1 sec
·
East Grand Avenue
16
Arrive at destination
East Grand Avenue
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 33.7 mi from Hudson, WI · 37m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
34 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 15 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 33.7 miles from Hudson, WI, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Eau Claire, WI
The final approach into Eau Claire, WI usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.52 one way
$21.04 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
24 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $11.55 | $23.10 |
| premium | $4.89 | $12.95 | $25.90 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $14.86 | $29.72 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 23.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 20.2 | 0 | $7.07 | $3.23 |
| Efficient EV | 16.8 | 0 | $5.89 | $2.69 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 26.9 | 0 | $9.42 | $4.31 |
Gas CO2
24 kg
EV CO2
8 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
Eau Claire, WI
Evening in Eau Claire on Friday
Local time
5:23 PM
CDT
Current temp
76°F
Showers And Thunderstorms
WSW 15 mph
96% chance
Live forecast
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
31 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 19m on the road
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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Hudson, WI to Eau Claire, WI covers 67.3 miles and takes about 1h 19m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 94, North Crossing, Second Street. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 33.7 miles from Hudson, WI. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $10.52 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 67.3 miles you will encounter 9 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 (WI 35 / Second Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.7 miles (WI 35): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.2 miles (I 94; US 12; WI 35): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Between Hudson, WI and Eau Claire, WI, road signs point toward Cth Ee: Eau Claire and Chippawa Falls.
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 EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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