Trip from La Crosse, WI to Brice Prairie, WI

Drive Time

28m

Distance

14.2 mi

23 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$2

one way

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 7 min
4 AM
0h 26m ★
6 AM
0h 28m
8 AM
0h 33m
10 AM
0h 30m
12 PM
0h 29m
3 PM
0h 30m
5 PM
0h 33m
8 PM
0h 27m

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

Downtown La Crosse, WI, WI

La Crosse, WI

Tom Fisk

Trip Overview

If you are looking for a quick excursion in the Midwest, the 14.2-mile journey from La Crosse to Brice Prairie is an ideal day trip. You can easily complete this drive in about 28 minutes, making it a highly efficient route for your schedule. With a fuel budget of just $2, it is a very economical way to move between these two Wisconsin locations. Because the trip is so short, you certainly do not need to plan for an overnight stay. Expect a straightforward, mixed-profile drive that connects the urban feel of La Crosse to the more localized environment of Brice Prairie. It is a practical choice if you need to transit between these points quickly and reliably.

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

7.1 miles from La Crosse, WI

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 14m into the drive .

Drive Character

Expect a varied experience behind the wheel as you navigate a combination of WI 157, WI 16, and County Road ZN. The route features a 54% highway share, balancing faster thoroughfares with local road transitions. Your longest uninterrupted stretch occurs during the 4.3 miles spent on WI 157, which provides the most consistent driving time. As you progress through the 14.2-mile distance, the road surface and traffic patterns shift, requiring you to stay alert during the transitions between highway speeds and local road navigation. This mixed-profile drive offers enough variety to keep the short transit engaging without becoming an exhausting grind.

Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 16 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
WI 157 is the longest continuous segment at about 4.3 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.7 miles in.

Route Complexity 4/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

This is a straightforward 28m 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 0.7 miles: Navigation decision point; at 1.7 miles (Losey Boulevard North): Navigation decision point; at 10.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 7 key points

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

3
0.7 mi into trip | ~2m in

Turn right

Navigation decision point

4
1.7 mi into trip | ~4m in | Losey Boulevard North

Turn left onto Losey Boulevard North

Navigation decision point

5
10.2 mi into trip | ~18m in

Keep slight left at fork

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

4
11.4 mi into trip | ~21m in | CTH ZN / County Road ZN

Turn left onto CTH ZN / County Road ZN

Navigation decision point

5
12.5 mi into trip | ~23m in | CTH Z; CTH ZN / County Road Z

At end of road, turn right onto CTH Z; CTH ZN / County Road Z

Navigation decision point

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
WI 157 4.3 mi 5m
WI 16 3.3 mi 6m
County Road ZN 1.9 mi 4m
Main Street 0.9 mi 2m
West Avenue South 0.7 mi 2m
County Highway OT 0.6 mi 1m
County Road OT 0.6 mi 1m
County Road Z 0.6 mi 1m
Longest stretch: WI 157 — 4.3 mi, about 5m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between La Crosse, WI and Brice Prairie, 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

3.3 mi · 6 min · WI 16
6

Turn slight left

0.1 mi · 15 sec
7

Turn left onto WI 157

4.3 mi · 5 min · WI 157
8

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 33 sec
9

Keep slight left at fork

121 ft · 3 sec
10

Turn left onto CTH OT

0.6 mi · 1 min · County Highway OT
11

Continue on CTH OT

0.6 mi · 1 min · County Road OT
12

Turn left onto CTH ZN

1.1 mi · 2 min · County Road ZN
13

At end of road, turn right onto CTH Z; CTH ZN

0.6 mi · 1 min · County Road Z
14

Continue on CTH ZN

0.8 mi · 2 min · County Road ZN
15

Turn right onto CTH ZZ

0.3 mi · 46 sec · County Highway ZZ
16

Arrive at destination

CTH ZZ

Trip Plan

Since this is a brief 28-minute trip, you have plenty of flexibility regarding your departure time. You won't need to worry about extensive rest stops or complex pacing, as the entire route is easily manageable in one go. Keep in mind that with no planned stops, you should ensure your vehicle is ready to go before you head out, especially given the low $2 fuel cost for the journey. A helpful tip for this specific route is to pay close attention to the signage as you transition from WI 157 onto the local segments like County Road ZN. Staying focused during these road changes will ensure your transit remains smooth and efficient from start to finish.

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 7.1 miles from La Crosse, WI, or about 14m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 4.3 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 14.2 miles or 28m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 7.1 miles or 14m in

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

Final approach

Final hour starts around 22m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Brice Prairie, 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 14.2 miles and 28m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from La Crosse, 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 157 for about 4.3 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 7.1 mi from La Crosse, WI · 14m into the drive

Downtown Dubuque, IA, IA

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Dubuque, IA

7 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

Dubuque, IA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 14.2 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Dubuque, IA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 7.1 miles from La Crosse, WI, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Brice Prairie, WI

The final approach into Brice Prairie, 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 Brice Prairie, 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

$2.16 one way

$4.31 round trip

$3.86/gal 25.4 MPG avg 5 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.25 $2.38 $4.76
premium $4.80 $2.68 $5.36
diesel $5.64 $3.15 $6.31

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$2

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$27–$52

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 4.3 0 $1.49 $0.68
Efficient EV 3.6 0 $1.24 $0.57
EV Truck/SUV 5.7 0 $1.99 $0.91

Gas CO2

5 kg

EV CO2

2 kg (60% 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 days ago

Origin

La Crosse, WI

Afternoon in La Crosse on Sunday

Local time

2:59 PM

CDT

Current temp

39°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Brice Prairie, WI

Afternoon in Brice Prairie on Sunday

Local time

2:59 PM

CDT

Current temp

45°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

6 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

28m 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 La Crosse, WI to Brice Prairie, WI covers 14.2 miles and takes about 28m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are WI 157, WI 16, County Road ZN. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 7.1 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 $2.16 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 28m 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 0.7 miles: Navigation decision point; at 1.7 miles (Losey Boulevard North): Navigation decision point; at 10.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
The route from La Crosse, WI to Brice Prairie, WI does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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