Origin
New Richmond, WI
Morning in New Richmond on Friday
Local time
10:39 AM
CDT
Current temp
44°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from New Richmond, WI to Eau Claire, WI
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 26m
Distance
69.1 mi
111 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$11
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 20m
★
6 AM
1h 27m
8 AM
1h 40m
10 AM
1h 32m
12 PM
1h 30m
3 PM
1h 32m
5 PM
1h 40m
8 PM
1h 23m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
New Richmond, WI
Wikimedia Commons
Eau Claire, WI
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 69.1-mile drive from New Richmond, WI to Eau Claire, WI is a straightforward trip, taking about 1 hour and 26 minutes to complete. With 86% of the route on highways, it's a convenient option for a single-day excursion, so an overnight stay isn't necessary. Budget around $11 for fuel, making it an economical choice for a quick getaway. The journey stays within the Midwest region, offering a familiar drive through Wisconsin. This route is ideal if you're looking for an efficient way to get from point A to point B without extensive planning.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 26m. Total distance: 69.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 26m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (86%). Straightforward navigation.
Drive Character
Expect a highway-focused experience for most of this trip, with 86% of the drive utilizing major roads like I-94 and State Highway 65. You'll encounter a significant uninterrupted stretch of 48.5 miles on I-94, which means long periods of consistent speed. The profile suggests a steady pace for the majority of your journey. While largely highway, the inclusion of North Crossing indicates some transition as you approach your destination, offering a slight change in the driving feel before arriving in Eau Claire.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 29 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 94 is the longest continuous segment at about 48.5 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 94 and State Highway 65. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near WI 65 / South Knowles Avenue.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 26m drive. You will face about 16 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (WI 65 / South Knowles Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 12.3 miles (WI 65 / State Highway 65): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 12.4 miles: Roundabout - know your exit number before entering. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 16 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
WI 65 / South Knowles Avenue
Turn left onto WI 65 / South Knowles Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
6
12.3 mi into trip
|
~19m in
|
WI 65 / State Highway 65
Enter roundabout onto WI 65 / State Highway 65 toward River Falls
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Toward River Falls
7
12.4 mi into trip
|
~19m in
Enter roundabout toward Eau Claire, Madison
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward Eau Claire, Madison
6
61.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 12m in
Take the exit toward US 12, WI 312, CTH EE: Eau Claire, Chippawa Falls
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 59
Toward US 12, WI 312, CTH EE: Eau Claire, Chipp...
5
68 mi into trip
|
~1h 24m in
|
Bellinger Street
Turn right onto Bellinger 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.
Between New Richmond, WI and Eau Claire, WI, road signs point toward River Falls, Madison, Cth Ee: Eau Claire and Chippawa Falls.
River Falls
12.3 mi in
|
~19m
|
via WI 65
Madison
12.4 mi in
|
~19m
Cth Ee: Eau Claire
61.3 mi in
|
~1h 12m
Chippawa Falls
61.3 mi in
|
~1h 12m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 94 | 48.5 mi | 51m |
| State Highway 65 | 10.1 mi | 14m |
| North Crossing | 4.2 mi | 6m |
| South Knowles Avenue | 1.3 mi | 3m |
| WI 65 | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| 3rd Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Jeffers Road | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Truax Boulevard | 0.6 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
I 94
— 48.5 mi, about 51m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between New Richmond, WI and Eau Claire, WI.
1
Start on CTH K
259 ft
·
12 sec
·
East 1st Street
2
Turn left onto WI 65
1.3 mi
·
3 min
·
South Knowles Avenue
Use the straight lane.
3
Continue on WI 65
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
State Highway 65
4
Enter roundabout onto WI 65
127 ft
·
2 sec
·
State Highway 65
5
Continue on WI 65
5.9 mi
·
8 min
·
State Highway 65
6
Turn slight right onto WI 65
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
WI 65
Use the straight / left lanes.
7
Enter roundabout onto WI 65
231 ft
·
13 sec
·
State Highway 65
8
Continue on WI 65
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
State Highway 65
9
Enter roundabout onto WI 65
110 ft
·
6 sec
·
State Highway 65
10
Continue on WI 65
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
State Highway 65
11
Continue on WI 65
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
·
State Highway 65
12
Enter roundabout onto WI 65
94 ft
·
5 sec
·
State Highway 65
Toward River Falls
13
Continue on WI 65
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
·
State Highway 65
Toward River Falls
14
Enter roundabout
293 ft
·
17 sec
Toward Eau Claire, Madison
15
Continue
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
Toward Eau Claire, Madison
16
Merge onto I 94
48 mi
·
51 min
·
I 94
17
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
50 sec
Exit 59
Toward US 12, WI 312, CTH EE: Eau Claire, Chippawa Falls
18
Keep slight right at fork
482 ft
·
11 sec
19
Turn straight onto WI 312; CTH EE
4.2 mi
·
6 min
·
North Crossing
20
Turn right onto CTH F
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Jeffers Road
21
Turn left onto Truax Boulevard
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Truax Boulevard
22
Continue on 3rd Street
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
3rd Street
23
Continue on Platt Street
506 ft
·
12 sec
·
Platt Street
24
Turn right onto Bellinger Street
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
·
Bellinger Street
25
Turn left onto West Madison Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
West Madison Street
26
Turn slight right
303 ft
·
8 sec
27
Turn slight left onto North Farwell Street
0.4 mi
·
46 sec
·
North Farwell Street
28
Turn right onto East Grand Avenue
35 ft
·
1 sec
·
East Grand Avenue
29
Arrive at destination
East Grand Avenue
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 34.6 mi from New Richmond, WI · 44m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
35 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 15 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 34.6 miles from New Richmond, WI, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Eau Claire, WI
The final approach into Eau Claire, WI usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.80 one way
$21.61 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
24 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $11.86 | $23.72 |
| premium | $4.89 | $13.30 | $26.60 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $15.26 | $30.51 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 24.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 20.7 | 0 | $7.26 | $3.32 |
| Efficient EV | 17.3 | 0 | $6.05 | $2.76 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 27.6 | 0 | $9.67 | $4.42 |
Gas CO2
24 kg
EV CO2
8 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.
Destination
Eau Claire, WI
Morning in Eau Claire on Friday
Local time
10:39 AM
CDT
Current temp
64°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
42°F
Spring Valley, WI
35 mi in
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 warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 26m 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 New Richmond, WI to Eau Claire, WI covers 69.1 miles and takes about 1h 26m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 94, State Highway 65, North Crossing. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 34.6 miles from New Richmond, WI. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $10.80 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 1h 26m drive. You will face about 16 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (WI 65 / South Knowles Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 12.3 miles (WI 65 / State Highway 65): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 12.4 miles: Roundabout - know your exit number before entering. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between New Richmond, WI and Eau Claire, WI, road signs point toward River Falls, Madison, Cth Ee: Eau Claire and Chippawa Falls.
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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Eau Claire, WI
More from New Richmond, WI
More trips to Eau Claire, WI
Explore more options from New Richmond, WI or browse trips ending in Eau Claire, WI.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse WI road trips.