Trip from La Crosse, WI to Kiel, WI

Drive Time

4h 18m

Distance

203.5 mi

328 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$31

one way

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 40 min

4 AM

4h 5m ★

6 AM

4h 18m

8 AM

4h 45m

10 AM

4h 28m

12 PM

4h 25m

3 PM

4h 29m

5 PM

4h 43m

8 PM

4h 10m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly

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La Crosse, WI

Tom Fisk

Trip Overview

The drive from La Crosse, WI to Kiel, WI covers 203.5 miles and takes about 4h 18m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Main Street, Losey Boulevard North, WI 33 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $30.91 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.

Break Rhythm

1 planned break

Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.

Midpoint

101.8 miles from La Crosse, WI

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 9m into the drive .

Drive Character

Expect a 4h 18m drive with frequent turns across 203.5 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.

There are about 35 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.

Main Street is one of the defining roads on this drive.

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.

Route Complexity 3/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

This is a straightforward 4h 18m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from La Crosse, WI to Kiel, WI is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
Main Street	Unavailable	Refreshing
Losey Boulevard North	Unavailable	Refreshing
WI 33	Unavailable	Refreshing
East State Street	Unavailable	Refreshing
County Road A	Unavailable	Refreshing
County Road C	Unavailable	Refreshing
US 151 South	Unavailable	Refreshing
US 151 North	Unavailable	Refreshing

Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.

Longest stretch: Main Street — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between La Crosse, WI and Kiel, WI.

Start on West Avenue South

0.7 mi · 2 min · West Avenue South

Turn right

351 ft · 12 sec

Turn straight onto Main Street

0.9 mi · 2 min · Main Street

Turn left onto Losey Boulevard North

0.5 mi · 1 min · Losey Boulevard North

Continue straight

4.5 mi · 8 min

Take the ramp slight right

0.4 mi · 53 sec

Merge slight left

100 mi · 1 hr 46 min

Take the exit slight right toward WI 33: Portage, Baraboo

0.2 mi · 32 sec · WI 33: Portage, Baraboo

Keep slight right

174 ft · 4 sec

Turn straight

33 mi · 49 min

Turn right onto East State Street

0.3 mi · 35 sec · East State Street

Continue on County Road A

0.2 mi · 23 sec · County Road A

Turn left onto County Road C

6.0 mi · 8 min · County Road C

Take the ramp right toward US 151 South: Sun Prairie

98 ft · 5 sec · US 151 South: Sun Prairie

Merge slight left

135 ft · 2 sec

Take the exit slight left toward US 151 North: Fond du Lac

328 ft · 17 sec · US 151 North: Fond du Lac

Turn left

26 mi · 31 min

Turn right onto Rienzi Road

449 ft · 13 sec · Rienzi Road

Turn left onto County Road K

1.5 mi · 2 min · County Road K

Enter the roundabout and take exit 3 toward the route

213 ft · 4 sec · the route

Exit the roundabout

0.1 mi · 18 sec

Merge slight left onto East Johnson Street

0.8 mi · 1 min · East Johnson Street

Continue on State Highway 23

15 mi · 18 min · State Highway 23

Take the exit slight left

0.1 mi · 16 sec

Continue straight

2.2 mi · 4 min

Turn left onto County Road A/P

1.3 mi · 2 min · County Road A/P

Continue on County Road P

2.4 mi · 3 min · County Road P

At the end of the road, turn left onto County Road J

0.6 mi · 1 min · County Road J

Turn right onto County Road MM

1.2 mi · 2 min · County Road MM

Turn left onto State Highway 67

3.9 mi · 6 min · State Highway 67

Enter the roundabout and take exit 3 toward East Water Street

269 ft · 5 sec · East Water Street

Exit the roundabout onto East Water Street

0.3 mi · 30 sec · East Water Street

Continue on South 1st Street

449 ft · 13 sec · South 1st Street

Turn left onto Fremont Street

0.3 mi · 29 sec · Fremont Street

Arrive at your destination

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.

Evening Departure

A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.

You can normally do this drive in one day.

Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.

The halfway point lands around 101.8 miles from La Crosse, WI, or about 2h 9m into the drive.

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 41m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 101.8 miles or 2h 9m in

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

Final approach

Final hour starts around 3h 31m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Kiel, 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 203.5 miles and 4h 18m.

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.

Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 101.8 mi from La Crosse, WI · 2h 9m into the drive

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Rockford, IL

102 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

Rockford, IL

Fuel and coffee

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

Rockford, IL

Meal break

The midpoint is around 101.8 miles from La Crosse, WI, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Kiel, WI

The final approach into Kiel, 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 Kiel, 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

$30.91 one way

$61.82 round trip

$3.86/gal 25.4 MPG avg 71 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.25	$34.07	$68.15
premium	$4.80	$38.42	$76.83
diesel	$5.64	$45.21	$90.42

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$31

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$56–$81

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 71.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $21 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	Stops	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	61.1	0	$21.37	$9.77
Efficient EV	50.9	0	$17.81	$8.14
EV Truck/SUV	81.4	1	$28.49	$13.02

Gas CO2

71 kg

EV CO2

24 kg (66% 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 3 days ago

Origin

La Crosse, WI

Afternoon in La Crosse on Sunday

Local time

3:05 PM

CDT

Current temp

39°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Kiel, WI

Afternoon in Kiel on Sunday

Local time

3:05 PM

CDT

Current temp

44°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

5 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

4h 18m on the road

An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.

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 Kiel, WI covers 203.5 miles and takes about 4h 18m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are Main Street, Losey Boulevard North, WI 33. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 101.8 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 $30.91 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.

An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.

Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.

This is a straightforward 4h 18m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from La Crosse, WI to Kiel, WI is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

The route from La Crosse, WI to Kiel, WI does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.