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Trip from Star Prairie, WI to Franklin, WI

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

6h 1m

Distance

319.9 mi

515 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$50

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 39 min
4 AM
5h 48m ★
6 AM
6h 1m
8 AM
6h 27m
10 AM
6h 10m
12 PM
6h 8m
3 PM
6h 12m
5 PM
6h 26m
8 PM
5h 53m

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

village in St. Croix County, Wisconsin

Star Prairie, WI

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Franklin, WI, WI

Franklin, WI

Tom Fisk

Trip Overview

The drive from Star Prairie, WI to Franklin, WI covers 319.9 miles and takes about 6h 1m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Main Street, Highway 65, WIS 64 EAST for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $50.01 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

160 miles from Star Prairie, WI

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 3h into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 6h 1m. Total distance: 319.9 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

6h 1m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.

Scenic Drive

Turn-heavy local drive route profile.

Drive Character

Expect a 6h 1m drive with frequent turns across 319.9 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 25 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Main 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. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way.

Driving Effort 3/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

The route itself is not hard, but at 6h 1m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 0 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.

Where does it get tricky?

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

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Main Street
Highway 65
WIS 64 EAST
Highway 64
County Highway T
US-12
Davis Street
I-94

Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.

Longest stretch: Main Street — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Star Prairie, WI and Franklin, WI.

1

Start on Bridge Avenue

79 ft · 7 sec · Bridge Avenue
2

Turn left onto Main Street

0.1 mi · 19 sec · Main Street
3

At the end of the road, turn left onto State Highway 65

4.1 mi · 5 min · State Highway 65
4

Turn slight left onto WIS 64 EAST

479 ft · 22 sec · WIS 64 EAST
5

Turn left onto State Highway 64

4.8 mi · 6 min · State Highway 64
6

Turn right onto County Highway T

10 mi · 13 min · County Highway T
7

At the end of the road, turn left onto US-12

0.6 mi · 47 sec · US-12
8

Continue on Davis Street

2.7 mi · 5 min · Davis Street
9

Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward County Highway T

131 ft · 3 sec · County Highway T
10

Exit the roundabout onto County Highway T

486 ft · 28 sec · County Highway T
11

Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward I-94 Eastbound: Menomonie, Eau Claire

253 ft · 15 sec · I-94 Eastbound: Menomonie, Eau Claire
12

Exit the roundabout onto I-94 Eastbound: Menomonie, Eau Claire

0.3 mi · 39 sec · I-94 Eastbound: Menomonie, Eau Claire
13

Merge slight left

222 mi · 3 hr 57 min
14

Keep slight left to continue on I 94: Milwaukee

64 mi · 1 hr 9 min · I 94: Milwaukee
15

Take the exit slight right toward I 41, I 894, US 45: Chicago, Fond du Lac

0.6 mi · 1 min · I 41, I 894, US 45: Chicago, Fond du Lac
16

Keep slight left to continue on I 41 South, I 894 East, US 41 South, US 45 South: Chicago

0.4 mi · 38 sec · I 41 South, I 894 East, US 41 South, US 45 South: Chicago
17

Continue on I 41 South, I 894 East, US 41 South, US 45 South: Chicago

0.3 mi · 30 sec · I 41 South, I 894 East, US 41 South, US 45 South: Chicago
18

Keep slight left to continue on I 41, I 894, US 45 South: Chicago

0.2 mi · 29 sec · I 41, I 894, US 45 South: Chicago
19

Merge slight left onto Zoo Freeway

3.5 mi · 4 min · Zoo Freeway
20

Take the exit slight right toward I 43 South, US 45 South: Beloit

0.8 mi · 1 min · I 43 South, US 45 South: Beloit
21

Take the exit slight left toward US 45, WI 100: 108th Street

0.2 mi · 22 sec · US 45, WI 100: 108th Street
22

Keep slight right to continue on WI 100 South, US 45 South

4.8 mi · 9 min · WI 100 South, US 45 South
23

Turn right

85 ft · 8 sec
24

Turn right

161 ft · 12 sec
25

Arrive at your destination

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.

Evening Departure

This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 160 miles from Star Prairie, WI, or about 3h 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 70 miles or 1h 19m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 160 miles or 3h in

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

Final approach

Final hour starts around 4h 56m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Star Prairie, 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 Star Prairie, WI

This is one driving day of about 319.9 miles and 6h 1m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 70 miles from Star Prairie, 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.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 160 mi from Star Prairie, WI · 3h into the drive

reservoir on the Wisconsin River in Sauk and Columbia counties in Wisconsin, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Lake Wisconsin, WI

160 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

Fall Creek, WI

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 70 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Lake Wisconsin, WI

Meal break

The midpoint is around 160 miles from Star Prairie, WI, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Franklin, WI

The final approach into Franklin, 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 Franklin, 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

$50.01 one way

$100.03 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 112 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $54.91 $109.82
premium $4.89 $61.56 $123.12
diesel $5.61 $70.63 $141.26

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$50

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$75–$100

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 111.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $34 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 96 1 $33.59 $15.36
Efficient EV 80 0 $27.99 $12.80
EV Truck/SUV 128 1 $44.79 $20.47

Gas CO2

112 kg

EV CO2

37 kg (67% less)

Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.

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 as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Star Prairie, WI

Morning in Star Prairie on Saturday

Local time

6:23 AM

CDT

Current temp

64°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Franklin, WI

Morning in Franklin on Saturday

Local time

6:23 AM

CDT

Current temp

46°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

18 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

6h 1m on the road

Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Star Prairie, WI to Franklin, WI covers 319.9 miles and takes about 6h 1m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are Main Street, Highway 65, WIS 64 EAST. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 160 miles from Star Prairie, WI. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $50.01 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.

Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour. This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.

Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.

The route itself is not hard, but at 6h 1m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 0 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.

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

The route from Star Prairie, WI to Franklin, WI does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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.

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Explore More

Return Trip

Franklin, WI to Star Prairie, WI

Plan the drive back the other way.

319.8 mi 5h 59m

Explore more options from Star Prairie, WI or browse trips ending in Franklin, WI.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse WI road trips.