Origin
Joel, WI
Morning in Joel on Thursday
Local time
10:44 AM
CDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Joel, WI to Balsam Lake, WI
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
30m
Distance
16.7 mi
27 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 28m
★
6 AM
0h 30m
8 AM
0h 36m
10 AM
0h 32m
12 PM
0h 32m
3 PM
0h 32m
5 PM
0h 35m
8 PM
0h 29m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Joel, WI
Benjamin Dominguez
Balsam Lake, WI
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Joel, WI to Balsam Lake, WI covers 16.7 miles and takes about 30m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on East 130th Avenue, County Highway D, 140th Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 4.4 miles on East 130th Avenue. At current regular gas prices, budget about $2.61 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 30m. Total distance: 16.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
30m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (21%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 30m drive with frequent turns across 16.7 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 9 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
East 130th Avenue is the longest continuous segment at about 4.4 miles.
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. The trickiest moment comes around 3.8 miles in near CTH D / 60th Street.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 30m drive. You will face about 6 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 3.8 miles (CTH D / 60th Street): Navigation decision point; at 4.8 miles (US 8): Lane positioning matters here; at 8.3 miles (US 8; WI 46 / East 130th Avenue): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 6 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
3.8 mi into trip
|
~9m in
|
CTH D / 60th Street
Turn right onto CTH D / 60th Street
Navigation decision point
6
4.8 mi into trip
|
~11m in
|
US 8
Turn left onto US 8
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
4
8.3 mi into trip
|
~16m in
|
US 8; WI 46 / East 130th Avenue
Enter roundabout onto US 8; WI 46 / East 130th Avenue
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
5
12.7 mi into trip
|
~22m in
|
WI 46 / 140th Street
Turn right onto WI 46 / 140th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
4
16.7 mi into trip
|
~30m in
|
Courthouse Avenue
Turn left onto Courthouse Avenue
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| East 130th Avenue | 4.4 mi | 6m |
| County Highway D | 3.8 mi | 9m |
| 140th Street | 3.5 mi | 6m |
| US 8 | 3.5 mi | 4m |
| 60th Street | 1 mi | 2m |
| West Main Street | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Courthouse Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
East 130th Avenue
— 4.4 mi, about 6m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Joel, WI and Balsam Lake, WI.
1
Start on CTH D
3.8 mi
·
9 min
·
County Highway D
2
Turn right onto CTH D
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
60th Street
3
Turn left onto US 8
3.5 mi
·
4 min
·
US 8
Use the straight / left lanes.
4
Enter roundabout onto US 8; WI 46
123 ft
·
7 sec
·
East 130th Avenue
5
Continue on US 8; WI 46
4.4 mi
·
6 min
·
East 130th Avenue
Use the straight lane.
6
Turn right onto WI 46
3.5 mi
·
6 min
·
140th Street
Use the right lane.
7
Continue on WI 46
0.5 mi
·
56 sec
·
West Main Street
8
Turn left onto Courthouse Avenue
406 ft
·
17 sec
·
Courthouse Avenue
9
Arrive at destination
Courthouse Avenue
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 8.4 mi from Joel, WI · 16m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
8 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
Arriving in Balsam Lake, WI
The final approach into Balsam Lake, 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 Balsam Lake, 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
$2.61 one way
$5.22 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $2.87 | $5.73 |
| premium | $4.89 | $3.21 | $6.43 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.69 | $7.37 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 5.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5 | 0 | $1.75 | $0.80 |
| Efficient EV | 4.2 | 0 | $1.46 | $0.67 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 6.7 | 0 | $2.34 | $1.07 |
Gas CO2
6 kg
EV CO2
2 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
Balsam Lake, WI
Morning in Balsam Lake on Thursday
Local time
10:44 AM
CDT
Current temp
40°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
11 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
30m 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 Joel, WI to Balsam Lake, WI covers 16.7 miles and takes about 30m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are East 130th Avenue, County Highway D, 140th Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 8.4 miles from Joel, WI. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $2.61 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 30m drive. You will face about 6 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 3.8 miles (CTH D / 60th Street): Navigation decision point; at 4.8 miles (US 8): Lane positioning matters here; at 8.3 miles (US 8; WI 46 / East 130th Avenue): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
The route from Joel, WI to Balsam Lake, WI does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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