Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
4h 29m
Distance
229.6 mi
370 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$36
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
La Crosse, WI
Wikimedia Commons
Paddock Lake, WI
Tom Fisk
The drive from La Crosse, WI to Paddock Lake, WI covers 229.6 miles and takes about 4h 29m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 90, I 39, I 43 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 131 miles on I 90. At current regular gas prices, budget about $35.90 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
114.8 miles from La Crosse, WI
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 10m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 90 | 131 mi | 2h 20m |
| I 39 | 37.2 mi | 39m |
| I 43 | 11.7 mi | 12m |
| WI 11 | 11.2 mi | 15m |
| State Highway 50 | 10.2 mi | 14m |
| US 12 | 7.7 mi | 8m |
| WI 16 | 4.5 mi | 8m |
| 75th Street | 3.5 mi | 5m |
Step-by-step road directions between La Crosse, WI and Paddock Lake, WI.
Start on WI 35
Turn right
Turn straight onto CTH F
Turn left onto Losey Boulevard North
Continue on WI 16
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 90
Keep slight right at fork onto I 39; I 90
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Enter roundabout onto WI 11
Continue on WI 11
Enter roundabout onto WI 11
Continue on WI 11
Turn straight onto WI 11
Continue on US 14
Turn left
Merge onto I 43
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto US 12
Take the exit
Continue on WI 50; WI 120
Continue on WI 50; WI 83
Continue on WI 50
Turn left onto 248th Avenue
Turn right onto 69th Place
Continue on 245th Avenue
Continue on 244th Avenue
Arrive at destination
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.
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 51 miles or 1h 2m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 114.8 miles or 2h 10m 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 34m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Paddock Lake, WI than in the middle of the route.
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 229.6 miles and 4h 29m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
115 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.
A short stop after about 51 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 114.8 miles from La Crosse, WI, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before I 90 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 131 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
5 decision points cluster between mile 7.1 and 212.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Merge onto I 90
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight right at fork onto I 39; I 90 toward I 39, I 90: Chicago
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Enter roundabout onto WI 11 / East Racine Street
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Take the exit toward US 12 East: Lake Geneva
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward WI 50 East: Kenosha
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$35.90 one way
$71.79 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $39.41 | $78.82 |
| premium | $4.89 | $44.18 | $88.37 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $50.69 | $101.39 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$36
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$61–$86
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 80.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $24 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 68.9 | 0 | $24.11 | $11.02 |
| Efficient EV | 57.4 | 0 | $20.09 | $9.18 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 91.8 | 1 | $32.14 | $14.69 |
Gas CO2
80 kg
EV CO2
27 kg (66% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Afternoon in La Crosse on Saturday
Local time
3:34 PM
CDT
Current temp
55°F
Mostly Clear
Destination
Afternoon in Paddock Lake on Saturday
Local time
3:34 PM
CDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
47°F
Lodi, WI
115 mi in
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
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
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...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
This is a 4h 29m highway drive covering 229.6 miles, with most of the trip on I 90 and I 39. The longest continuous stretch is about 131 miles on I 90.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 90 and I 39. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 7.1 miles in near I 90.
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 16 significant decision points across 229.6 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 7.1 miles (I 90): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 138.1 miles (I 39; I 90): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 175.6 miles (WI 11 / East Racine Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
La Crosse is a city in the Coulee Region of Southwest Wisconsin on the Mississippi River. It is the county seat of La Crosse County. It's nestled between the river and picturesque bluffs that rise behind it. With a city population of around 50,000 and the metropolitan area just under 100,000, La Crosse offers visitors plenty of activities to do and sights to see, without the overwhelming hustle and bustle of bigger cities.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 29m. Total distance: 229.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 29m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (95%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
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.
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