Trip from North La Crosse, WI to Delavan Lake, WI

Drive Time

3h 45m

Distance

196.6 mi

316 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$30

one way

EV Charging

None

0 DC fast

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 38 min

4 AM

3h 33m ★

6 AM

3h 46m

8 AM

4h 11m

10 AM

3h 55m

12 PM

3h 52m

3 PM

3h 56m

5 PM

4h 10m

8 PM

3h 38m

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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North La Crosse, WI

Tom Fisk

Delavan Lake, WI

Tom Fisk

Trip Overview

The drive from North La Crosse, WI to Delavan Lake, WI covers 196.6 miles and takes about 3h 45m 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, US 53 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 120.3 miles on I 90. At current regular gas prices, budget about $29.86 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

98.3 miles from North La Crosse, WI

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 47m into the drive .

Drive Character

This is a 3h 45m highway drive covering 196.6 miles, with most of the trip on I 90 and I 39. The longest continuous stretch is about 120.3 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 17 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 120.3 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 90 and I 39. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 135.5 miles in near I 39; I 90.

Route Complexity 4/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

This is a straightforward 3h 45m drive. You will face about 10 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 135.5 miles (I 39; I 90): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 172.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 172.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 10 key points

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

135.5 mi into trip | ~2h 26m in | I 39; I 90

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

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward I 39, I 90: Chicago

172.7 mi into trip | ~3h 6m in

Take the exit toward WI 11 East: Delavan

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early

Exit 175 Toward WI 11 East: Delavan

172.9 mi into trip | ~3h 7m in

Keep slight left at fork

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

173 mi into trip | ~3h 7m in | WI 11 / East Racine Street

Enter roundabout onto WI 11 / East Racine Street

Roundabout - know your exit number before entering

173.2 mi into trip | ~3h 7m in | WI 11 / East Racine Street

Enter roundabout onto WI 11 / East Racine Street

Roundabout - know your exit number before entering

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
I 90	120.3 mi	2h 8m
I 39	37.2 mi	39m
US 53	14 mi	15m
WI 11	11.2 mi	15m
US 14	8.4 mi	13m
East Racine Street	1.6 mi	2m
County Road O	1.4 mi	3m
Rose Street	1.2 mi	2m

Longest stretch: I 90 — 120.3 mi, about 2h 8m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between North La Crosse, WI and Delavan Lake, WI.

Start on US 53; CTH B

1.2 mi · 2 min · Rose Street

Take the exit onto US 53

14 mi · 15 min · US 53

Continue on I 90

120 mi · 2 hr 8 min · I 90

Use the straight lane.

Keep slight right at fork onto I 39; I 90

37 mi · 39 min · I 39; I 90

Toward I 39, I 90: Chicago Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 20 sec

Exit 175 Toward WI 11 East: Delavan

Keep slight left at fork

518 ft · 13 sec

Enter roundabout onto WI 11

297 ft · 16 sec · East Racine Street

Continue on WI 11

0.1 mi · 12 sec · East Racine Street

Enter roundabout onto WI 11

112 ft · 6 sec · East Racine Street

Continue on WI 11

1.3 mi · 2 min · East Racine Street

Turn straight onto WI 11

11 mi · 15 min · WI 11

Continue on US 14

8.4 mi · 13 min · US 14

Turn sharp left onto CTH O

1.4 mi · 3 min · County Road O

Turn right onto Town Line Road

0.8 mi · 3 min · Town Line Road

Turn left onto Blue Gill Court

0.1 mi · 27 sec · Blue Gill Court

Turn right onto Wildwood Drive

62 ft · 2 sec · Wildwood Drive

Arrive at destination

Wildwood Drive

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 98.3 miles from North La Crosse, WI, or about 1h 47m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 120.3 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 80 miles or 1h 27m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 98.3 miles or 1h 47m 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 54m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Delavan Lake, WI than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

Open the route before leaving North 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 North La Crosse, WI

This is one driving day of about 196.6 miles and 3h 45m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from North 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 120.3 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 98.3 mi from North La Crosse, WI · 1h 47m into the drive

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Rockford, IL

98 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 98.3 miles from North La Crosse, WI, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before I 90 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 120.3 miles.

Arriving in Delavan Lake, WI

The final approach into Delavan 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 Delavan Lake, WI.

After long uninterrupted mileage, take five minutes before the last urban segment to reset and refocus on exits, merges, and city traffic.

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...

25 mi from route ~63 min detour Free near mile 74.6

Caution: Hemlock Creek Segment — Logging Activities

Caution: Indian Creek Segment — Machinery and Parking Closure

View on nps.gov

Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$29.86 one way

$59.72 round trip

$3.86/gal 25.4 MPG avg 69 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.25	$32.92	$65.84
premium	$4.80	$37.11	$74.23
diesel	$5.64	$43.68	$87.36

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$30

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$55–$80

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 68.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $21 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	59	$20.64	$9.44
Efficient EV	49.2	$17.20	$7.86
EV Truck/SUV	78.6	$27.52	$12.58

Gas CO2

69 kg

EV CO2

23 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 data refreshed 2 hours ago

Origin

North La Crosse, WI

Morning in North La Crosse on Monday

Local time

7:27 AM

CDT

Current temp

57°F

Partly Cloudy

SW 6 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Destination

Delavan Lake, WI

Morning in Delavan Lake on Monday

Local time

7:27 AM

CDT

Current temp

47°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

10 degrees cooler at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

3h 45m 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 North La Crosse, WI to Delavan Lake, WI covers 196.6 miles and takes about 3h 45m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are I 90, I 39, US 53. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 98.3 miles from North 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 $29.86 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. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

This is a straightforward 3h 45m drive. You will face about 10 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

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

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