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Trip from Saint Croix Falls, WI to Eau Claire, WI

Data updated 0 seconds ago

Drive Time

2h 5m

Distance

93.2 mi

150 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$15

one way

EV Charging

Loading...

station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 27 min
4 AM
1h 56m ★
6 AM
2h 5m
8 AM
2h 23m
10 AM
2h 11m
12 PM
2h 10m
3 PM
2h 12m
5 PM
2h 22m
8 PM
2h 0m

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

fourth-class city in Polk County, Wisconsin, United States

Saint Croix Falls, WI

Wikimedia Commons

city in Eau Claire and Chippewa counties in Wisconsin, United States, that is the county seat of Eau Claire County

Eau Claire, WI

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Saint Croix Falls, WI to Eau Claire, WI covers 93.2 miles and takes about 2h 5m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on US 53, West 130th Avenue, 14th Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 45.8 miles on US 53. At current regular gas prices, budget about $14.57 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

46.6 miles from Saint Croix Falls, WI

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 10m into the drive .

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Drive Character

The drive from Saint Croix Falls, WI to Eau Claire, WI covers 93.2 miles and takes about 2h 5m, using a mix of highways and local roads.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 31 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
US 53 is the longest continuous segment at about 45.8 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near South Roosevelt Street.

Route Complexity 7/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

This is a demanding drive. With 18 significant decision points across 93.2 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 0.1 miles (South Roosevelt Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (East State Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.7 miles (WI 35): Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 18 key points

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

4
0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | South Roosevelt Street

Turn left onto South Roosevelt Street

Navigation decision point

5
0.2 mi into trip | ~0m in | East State Street

Turn left onto East State Street

Navigation decision point

5
0.7 mi into trip | ~2m in | WI 35

Turn left onto WI 35

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
5
1 mi into trip | ~3m in | US 8; WI 35 / US Highway 8

Merge onto US 8; WI 35 / US Highway 8

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight lane.
7
90.4 mi into trip | ~1h 59m in

Keep slight right at fork

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
US 53 45.8 mi 50m
West 130th Avenue 11.9 mi 16m
14th Avenue 9 mi 12m
US 8 8.7 mi 12m
13 1/2 Avenue 6.3 mi 8m
West Division Avenue 2 mi 5m
East 130th Avenue 1.9 mi 2m
US Highway 8 1.5 mi 2m
Longest stretch: US 53 — 45.8 mi, about 50m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

1

Start on East Kentucky Street

288 ft · 17 sec · East Kentucky Street
2

Turn left onto South Roosevelt Street

0.1 mi · 35 sec · South Roosevelt Street
3

Turn left onto East State Street

453 ft · 15 sec · East State Street
4

Continue on South Vincent Street

0.4 mi · 1 min · South Vincent Street
5

Turn left onto WI 35

0.3 mi · 42 sec · WI 35
Use the left lane.
6

Merge onto US 8; WI 35

1.5 mi · 2 min · US Highway 8
Use the straight lane.
7

Continue on US 8; WI 35

0.7 mi · 1 min · West 130th Avenue
8

Enter roundabout onto US 8; WI 35

137 ft · 7 sec · West 130th Avenue
9

Continue on US 8; WI 35

11 mi · 15 min · West 130th Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
10

Enter roundabout onto US 8

127 ft · 7 sec · East 130th Avenue
11

Continue on US 8

1.8 mi · 2 min · East 130th Avenue
Use the straight / left lanes.
12

Continue on US 8

8.1 mi · 11 min · US 8
Use the straight lane.
13

Enter roundabout onto US 8; US 63

134 ft · 7 sec · US 8; US 63
14

Continue on US 8; US 63

0.5 mi · 1 min · US 8; US 63
15

Enter roundabout onto US 8

120 ft · 6 sec · 14th Avenue
16

Continue on US 8

9.0 mi · 12 min · 14th Avenue
Use the straight / left lanes.
17

Continue on US 8

1.4 mi · 1 min · 13 1/2 - 14th Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
18

Continue on US 8

3.0 mi · 4 min · 13 1/2 Avenue
19

Continue on US 8

2.0 mi · 5 min · West Division Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
20

Continue on US 8

3.3 mi · 4 min · 13 1/2 Avenue
Use the straight lane.
21

Take the exit

0.6 mi · 1 min
22

Merge onto US 53

46 mi · 50 min · US 53
23

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 31 sec
Toward River Prairie Drive
24

Keep slight right at fork

207 ft · 6 sec
Use the slight right lane.
25

Turn straight onto River Prairie Drive

0.6 mi · 1 min · River Prairie Drive
Use the straight lane.
26

Continue on Birch Street

1.5 mi · 2 min · Birch Street
27

Continue on Germania Street

0.2 mi · 23 sec · Germania Street
28

Continue on East Madison Street

0.2 mi · 36 sec · East Madison Street
29

Turn left onto North Farwell Street

0.4 mi · 49 sec · North Farwell Street
30

Turn right onto East Grand Avenue

35 ft · 1 sec · East Grand Avenue
31

Arrive at destination

East Grand Avenue

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 46.6 miles from Saint Croix Falls, WI, or about 1h 10m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 45.8 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 47m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 46.6 miles or 1h 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 1h 43m

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 Saint Croix 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 Saint Croix Falls, WI

This is one driving day of about 93.2 miles and 2h 5m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Saint Croix 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.
The longest stretch is on US 53 for about 45.8 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 46.6 mi from Saint Croix Falls, WI · 1h 10m into the drive

Downtown Bloomer, WI, WI

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Bloomer, WI

47 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

Bloomer, WI

Fuel and coffee

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

Bloomer, WI

Meal break

The midpoint is around 46.6 miles from Saint Croix 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

$14.57 one way

$29.14 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 33 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $16.00 $32.00
premium $4.89 $17.94 $35.87
diesel $5.61 $20.58 $41.15

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$15

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$40–$65

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 32.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $10 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 28 0 $9.79 $4.47
Efficient EV 23.3 0 $8.16 $3.73
EV Truck/SUV 37.3 0 $13.05 $5.96

Gas CO2

33 kg

EV CO2

11 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 5 days ago

Origin

Saint Croix Falls, WI

Late night in Saint Croix Falls on Wednesday

Local time

5:34 AM

CDT

Current temp

43°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Eau Claire, WI

Late night in Eau Claire on Wednesday

Local time

5:34 AM

CDT

Current temp

64°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

21 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

2h 5m 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 Saint Croix Falls, WI to Eau Claire, WI covers 93.2 miles and takes about 2h 5m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are US 53, West 130th Avenue, 14th Avenue. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 46.6 miles from Saint Croix Falls, WI. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $14.57 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 demanding drive. With 18 significant decision points across 93.2 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.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (South Roosevelt Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (East State Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.7 miles (WI 35): Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Saint Croix Falls, WI to Eau Claire, WI does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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