Trip from Kenosha, WI to Elkhart Lake, WI

Drive Time

2h 11m

Distance

97.4 mi

157 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$15

one way

EV Charging

None

0 DC fast

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 28 min
4 AM
2h 2m ★
6 AM
2h 12m
8 AM
2h 30m
10 AM
2h 18m
12 PM
2h 16m
3 PM
2h 19m
5 PM
2h 29m
8 PM
2h 6m

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

Downtown Kenosha, WI, WI

Kenosha, WI

Tom Fisk

Downtown Elkhart Lake, WI, WI

Elkhart Lake, WI

Tom Fisk

Trip Overview

The drive from Kenosha, WI to Elkhart Lake, WI covers 97.4 miles and takes about 2h 11m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on WI 57, North-South Freeway, I 41 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 30.4 miles on WI 57. At current regular gas prices, budget about $14.79 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

0 planned breaks

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

48.7 miles from Kenosha, WI

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 4m into the drive .

Drive Character

This is a 2h 11m highway drive covering 97.4 miles, with most of the trip on WI 57 and North-South Freeway. The longest continuous stretch is about 30.4 miles on WI 57.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 13 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
WI 57 is the longest continuous segment at about 30.4 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on WI 57 and North-South Freeway. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near WI 32 / Sheridan Road.

Route Complexity 3/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

This is a straightforward 2h 11m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (WI 32 / Sheridan Road): Navigation decision point; at 1 miles (CTH S / Washington Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 7.8 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 7 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

4
0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | WI 32 / Sheridan Road

Turn right onto WI 32 / Sheridan Road

Navigation decision point

5
1 mi into trip | ~2m in | CTH S / Washington Road

Turn left onto CTH S / Washington Road

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight lane.
5
7.8 mi into trip | ~15m in

Take the ramp toward I 41 North, I 94 West

Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward I 41 North, I 94 West
5
8.1 mi into trip | ~15m in | I 41; I 94; US 41

Merge onto I 41; I 94; US 41

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
30.8 mi into trip | ~40m in | I 94 / North-South Freeway

Keep slight left at fork onto I 94 / North-South Freeway toward I 43 North, I 94 West: Milwaukee

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward I 43 North, I 94 West: Milwaukee

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
WI 57 30.4 mi 42m
North-South Freeway 28.2 mi 36m
I 41 22.6 mi 24m
I 43 4.3 mi 4m
Burlington Road 3.7 mi 6m
County Road A 3.3 mi 5m
Washington Road 3 mi 6m
Sheridan Road 1 mi 2m
Longest stretch: WI 57 — 30.4 mi, about 42m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Kenosha, WI and Elkhart Lake, WI.

1

Start on 56th Street

265 ft · 11 sec · 56th Street
2

Turn right onto WI 32

1.0 mi · 2 min · Sheridan Road
3

Turn left onto CTH S

3.0 mi · 6 min · Washington Road
Use the straight lane.
4

Continue on Burlington Road

3.7 mi · 6 min · Burlington Road
5

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 40 sec
Toward I 41 North, I 94 West
6

Merge onto I 41; I 94; US 41

23 mi · 24 min · I 41; I 94; US 41
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7

Keep slight left at fork onto I 94

28 mi · 36 min · North-South Freeway
Toward I 43 North, I 94 West: Milwaukee Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Continue on I 43; WI 57

4.3 mi · 4 min · I 43; WI 57
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Turn slight left onto WI 57

30 mi · 42 min · WI 57
Exit 97 Toward WI 57 North, I 43 North Alternate: Plymouth
10

Turn left onto CTH A

3.3 mi · 5 min · County Road A
11

Continue on CTH A

0.6 mi · 1 min · East Rhine Street
12

Turn slight right onto Arno Way

95 ft · 4 sec · Arno Way
13

Arrive at destination

Arno Way

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.

Evening Departure

Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 48.7 miles from Kenosha, WI, or about 1h 4m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 30.4 miles.

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 80 miles or 1h 45m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 48.7 miles or 1h 4m in

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

Final approach

Final hour starts around 1h 45m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Kenosha, 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 Kenosha, WI

This is one driving day of about 97.4 miles and 2h 11m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Kenosha, WI.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.
The longest stretch is on WI 57 for about 30.4 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 48.7 mi from Kenosha, WI · 1h 4m into the drive

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Waukegan, IL

49 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

Waukegan, IL

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Waukegan, IL

Meal break

The midpoint is around 48.7 miles from Kenosha, WI, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Elkhart Lake, WI

The final approach into Elkhart 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 Elkhart 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

$14.79 one way

$29.59 round trip

$3.86/gal 25.4 MPG avg 34 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.25 $16.31 $32.62
premium $4.80 $18.39 $36.77
diesel $5.64 $21.64 $43.28

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$15

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$40–$65

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 34.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $10 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 29.2 0 $10.23 $4.68
Efficient EV 24.4 0 $8.52 $3.90
EV Truck/SUV 39 0 $13.64 $6.23

Gas CO2

34 kg

EV CO2

11 kg (68% 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.

Forecast data refreshed 2 hours ago

Origin

Kenosha, WI

Morning in Kenosha on Monday

Local time

7:28 AM

CDT

Current temp

58°F

Mostly Cloudy

SW 15 mph 1% chance Live forecast

Flood Watch

Flood Watch issued April 13 at 2:57AM CDT until April 14 at 7:00AM CDT by NWS Duluth MN

Flood Watch

Flood Watch issued April 13 at 2:23AM CDT until April 14 at 7:00AM CDT by NWS La Crosse WI

Destination

Elkhart Lake, WI

Morning in Elkhart Lake on Monday

Local time

7:28 AM

CDT

Current temp

38°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

20 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

2h 11m 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 Kenosha, WI to Elkhart Lake, WI covers 97.4 miles and takes about 2h 11m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are WI 57, North-South Freeway, I 41. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 48.7 miles from Kenosha, WI. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $14.79 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 2h 11m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (WI 32 / Sheridan Road): Navigation decision point; at 1 miles (CTH S / Washington Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 7.8 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
The route from Kenosha, WI to Elkhart Lake, WI does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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