Trip from River Falls, WI to Eau Claire, WI

Drive Time

1h 9m

Distance

65.2 mi

105 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$10

one way

EV Charging

station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 16 min

4 AM

1h 4m ★

6 AM

1h 9m

8 AM

1h 20m

10 AM

1h 13m

12 PM

1h 12m

3 PM

1h 13m

5 PM

1h 20m

8 PM

1h 6m

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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Eau Claire, WI

Tom Fisk

Trip Overview

The drive from River Falls, WI to Eau Claire, WI covers 65.2 miles and takes about 1h 9m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on East Cedar Street, North Main Street, Highway 65 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $9.90 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

0 planned breaks

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

32.6 miles from River Falls, WI

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 34m into the drive .

Drive Character

Expect a 1h 9m drive with frequent turns across 65.2 miles of local and secondary roads.

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

There are about 22 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.

East Cedar 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. Navigation is very simple — set it and forget it for most of the drive.

Route Complexity 1/10

Very easy - short and simple to drive

The drive from River Falls, WI to Eau Claire, WI is easy. At 1h 9m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

Where does it get tricky?

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

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
East Cedar Street	Unavailable	Refreshing
North Main Street	Unavailable	Refreshing
Highway 65	Unavailable	Refreshing
County Highway J	Unavailable	Refreshing
County Highway N	Unavailable	Refreshing
10th Avenue	Unavailable	Refreshing
US 12	Unavailable	Refreshing
North Crossing	Unavailable	Refreshing

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

Longest stretch: East Cedar Street — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between River Falls, WI and Eau Claire, WI.

Start on the route

69 ft · 10 sec · the route

Turn left onto East Cedar Street

171 ft · 8 sec · East Cedar Street

Turn right onto North Main Street

1.2 mi · 2 min · North Main Street

Continue on State Highway 65

4.4 mi · 6 min · State Highway 65

Turn right onto County Highway J

4.0 mi · 5 min · County Highway J

Turn right onto County Highway N

5.5 mi · 7 min · County Highway N

Turn left onto 10th Avenue

1.1 mi · 1 min · 10th Avenue

Take the exit slight right

0.4 mi · 34 sec

Merge slight left

39 mi · 41 min

Take the exit slight right toward US 12, WI 312, CTH EE: Eau Claire, Chippawa Falls

0.3 mi · 50 sec · US 12, WI 312, CTH EE: Eau Claire, Chippawa Falls

Keep slight right

482 ft · 12 sec

Turn straight onto North Crossing

4.2 mi · 6 min · North Crossing

Turn right onto Jeffers Road

0.6 mi · 1 min · Jeffers Road

Turn left onto Truax Boulevard

0.6 mi · 1 min · Truax Boulevard

Continue on 3rd Street

0.7 mi · 1 min · 3rd Street

Continue on Platt Street

505 ft · 12 sec · Platt Street

Turn right onto Bellinger Street

0.2 mi · 22 sec · Bellinger Street

Turn left onto West Madison Street

0.5 mi · 1 min · West Madison Street

Turn slight right

302 ft · 9 sec

Turn slight left onto North Farwell Street

0.4 mi · 47 sec · North Farwell Street

Turn right onto East Grand Avenue

36 ft · 1 sec · East Grand Avenue

Arrive at your destination

Trip Plan

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 32.6 miles from River Falls, WI, or about 34m 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 65.2 miles or 1h 9m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 32.6 miles or 34m in

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

Final approach

Final hour starts around 58m

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

Before You Leave

Open the route before leaving River Falls, 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 River Falls, WI

This is one driving day of about 65.2 miles and 1h 9m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from River Falls, 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.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 32.6 mi from River Falls, WI · 34m into the drive

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Bloomer, WI

33 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

Sparta, WI

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 65.2 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Bloomer, WI

Meal break

The midpoint is around 32.6 miles from River Falls, 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.

Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Eau Claire, 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

$9.90 one way

$19.81 round trip

$3.86/gal 25.4 MPG avg 23 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.25	$10.92	$21.83
premium	$4.80	$12.31	$24.62
diesel	$5.64	$14.49	$28.97

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$10

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$35–$60

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 22.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	19.6	$6.85	$3.13
Efficient EV	16.3	$5.71	$2.61
EV Truck/SUV	26.1	$9.13	$4.17

Gas CO2

23 kg

EV CO2

8 kg (65% 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

River Falls, WI

Night in River Falls on Sunday

Local time

9:04 PM

CDT

Current temp

38°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Eau Claire, WI

Night in Eau Claire on Sunday

Local time

9:04 PM

CDT

Current temp

38°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

Very similar conditions

Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.

Road read

1h 9m 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 River Falls, WI to Eau Claire, WI covers 65.2 miles and takes about 1h 9m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are East Cedar Street, North Main Street, Highway 65. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 32.6 miles from River Falls, WI. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $9.90 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.

The drive from River Falls, WI to Eau Claire, WI is easy. At 1h 9m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

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

The route from River Falls, WI to Eau Claire, WI does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.