The drive from La Crosse, WI to Silver Lake, WI covers 120.9 miles and takes about 2h 40m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 90, State Highway 21, State Highway 80 for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is highway-focused drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 55.1 miles on I 90.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $18.90 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
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
60.4 miles from La Crosse, WI
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 12m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 40m. Total distance: 120.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
This is a 2h 40m highway drive covering 120.9 miles, with most of the trip on I 90 and State Highway 21. The longest continuous stretch is about 55.1 miles on I 90.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 21 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 90 is the longest continuous segment at about 55.1 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 90 and State Highway 21. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 1.7 miles in near Losey Boulevard North.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 2h 40m drive. You will face about 8 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.7 miles (Losey Boulevard North): Navigation decision point; at 62.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 62.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 8 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
1.7 mi into trip|~4m in|Losey Boulevard North
Turn left onto Losey Boulevard North
Navigation decision point
6
62.2 mi into trip|~1h 14m in
Take the exit toward WI 80: Necedah, New Lisbon
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 61
Toward WI 80: Necedah, New Lisbon
5
62.4 mi into trip|~1h 14m in
Keep slight left at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
5
69.7 mi into trip|~1h 24m in|WI 80 / State Highway 80
At end of road, turn left onto WI 80 / State Highway 80
Navigation decision point
4
116.3 mi into trip|~2h 31m in|WI 21; WI 22 / South Cambridge Street
Turn left onto WI 21; WI 22 / South Cambridge 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.
On the drive from La Crosse, WI to Silver Lake, WI, road signs begin pointing toward New Lisbon along the way.
New Lisbon
62.2 mi in|~1h 14m
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 90
55.1 mi
59m
State Highway 21
43.4 mi
1h 1m
State Highway 80
9.6 mi
13m
WI 16
4.5 mi
8m
West Main Street
1.9 mi
4m
South Main Street
1.2 mi
1m
West 3rd Street
1 mi
1m
Main Street
0.9 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
I 90
— 55.1 mi, about 59m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between La Crosse, WI and Silver Lake, WI.
1
Start on WI 35
0.7 mi·2 min·West Avenue South
2
Turn right
350 ft·12 sec
3
Turn straight onto CTH F
0.9 mi·2 min·Main Street
4
Turn left onto Losey Boulevard North
0.5 mi·1 min·Losey Boulevard North
5
Continue on WI 16
4.5 mi·8 min·WI 16
6
Take the ramp
0.4 mi·53 sec
7
Merge onto I 90
55 mi·59 min·I 90
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi·21 sec
Exit 61Toward WI 80: Necedah, New Lisbon
9
Keep slight left at fork
91 ft·6 sec
10
Turn left onto WI 80
0.4 mi·40 sec·East Bridge Street
11
Continue on WI 80
6.8 mi·9 min·State Highway 80
12
At end of road, turn left onto WI 80
2.8 mi·4 min·State Highway 80
13
Continue on WI 80
1.2 mi·1 min·South Main Street
14
Turn right onto WI 21
1.0 mi·1 min·West 3rd Street
15
Continue on WI 21
29 mi·40 min·State Highway 21
16
Continue on WI 21
0.5 mi·49 sec·Wautoma Road
17
Continue on WI 21
12 mi·16 min·State Highway 21
18
Turn left onto WI 21; WI 22
0.5 mi·1 min·South Cambridge Street
19
Turn right onto WI 21; WI 22; WI 73
1.9 mi·4 min·West Main Street
20
Continue on WI 21; WI 73
2.1 mi·3 min·State Highway 21
21
Arrive at destination
WI 21
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.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 60.4 miles from La Crosse, WI, or about 1h 12m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 55.1 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 27 miles or 36m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 60.4 miles or 1h 12m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 7m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Silver Lake, WI than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving La Crosse, 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 La Crosse, WI
This is one driving day of about 120.9 miles and 2h 40m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 27 miles from La Crosse, 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.
The longest stretch is on I 90 for about 55.1 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 60.4 mi from La Crosse, WI
· 1h 12m into the drive
The midpoint is around 60.4 miles from La Crosse, WI, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Silver Lake, WI
The final approach into Silver 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 Silver Lake, WI.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Ice Age National Scenic Trail
National Scenic Trail
The Ice Age National Scenic Trail spans 1,200 miles, traverses some of Wisconsin's finest geologic and glacial features, and passes through the ancestral lands of 15 Tribes. The Trail is built, manage...
2 mi from route
~6 min detour
Free
near mile 100
Caution: Averill–Kelly Creek Wilderness Segment — Dangerous Ford at New Wood River
Caution: Skunk and Foster Lakes Segment — Storm Damage
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$18.90 one way
$37.80 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg42 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$20.75
$41.51
premium
$4.89
$23.27
$46.53
diesel
$5.61
$26.69
$53.39
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$19
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$44–$69
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 42.3 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $13 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
36.3
0
$12.69
$5.80
Efficient EV
30.2
0
$10.58
$4.84
EV Truck/SUV
48.4
0
$16.93
$7.74
Gas CO2
42 kg
EV CO2
14 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.
Forecast as of Apr 18, 2026
Origin
La Crosse, WI
Morning
in La Crosse on Saturday
Local time
10:58 AM
CDT
Current temp
33°F
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Mostly Cloudy
NW 10 mph38% chanceLive forecast
Flash Flood Watch
Flash Flood Watch issued April 18 at 12:10AM CDT until April 19 at 7:00AM CDT by NWS Milwaukee/Sullivan WI
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 17 at 11:47PM CDT until April 18 at 1:00AM CDT by NWS Milwaukee/Sullivan WI
Destination
Silver Lake, WI
Morning
in Silver Lake on Saturday
Local time
10:58 AM
CDT
Current temp
69°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
36 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
2h 40m 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 La Crosse, WI to Silver Lake, WI covers 120.9 miles and takes about 2h 40m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 90, State Highway 21, State Highway 80. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 60.4 miles from La Crosse, WI. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $18.90 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.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
This is a straightforward 2h 40m drive. You will face about 8 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 1.7 miles (Losey Boulevard North): Navigation decision point; at 62.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 62.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
On the drive from La Crosse, WI to Silver Lake, WI, road signs begin pointing toward New Lisbon along the way.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Ice Age National Scenic Trail.
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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
