Origin
Star Prairie, WI
Afternoon in Star Prairie on Saturday
Local time
12:37 PM
CDT
Current temp
64°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Star Prairie, WI to La Crosse, WI
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
3h 20m
Distance
140.3 mi
226 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$22
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
3h 9m
★
6 AM
3h 21m
8 AM
3h 45m
10 AM
3h 29m
12 PM
3h 27m
3 PM
3h 30m
5 PM
3h 43m
8 PM
3h 13m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Star Prairie, WI
Wikimedia Commons
La Crosse, WI
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Star Prairie, WI to La Crosse, WI covers 140.3 miles and takes about 3h 20m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on US 61, US 14, County Highway T for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 30.2 miles on US 61. At current regular gas prices, budget about $21.93 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
70.2 miles from Star Prairie, WI
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 49m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 61 | 30.2 mi | 36m |
| US 14 | 28.8 mi | 36m |
| County Highway T | 15.2 mi | 21m |
| State Highway 35 | 11.4 mi | 16m |
| County Road D | 7.1 mi | 12m |
| Great River Road | 6.7 mi | 10m |
| US 63 | 6.4 mi | 8m |
| State Highway 64 | 4.8 mi | 6m |
Longest stretch:
US 61
— 30.2 mi, about 36m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Star Prairie, WI and La Crosse, WI.
1
Start on CTH M
79 ft
·
7 sec
·
Bridge Avenue
2
Turn left onto Main Street
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
·
Main Street
3
At end of road, turn left onto CTH C; CTH H
4.1 mi
·
5 min
·
State Highway 65
4
Turn slight left
478 ft
·
22 sec
Toward WIS 64 EAST
5
Turn left onto WI 64
4.8 mi
·
6 min
·
State Highway 64
6
Turn right onto CTH T
10 mi
·
13 min
·
County Highway T
7
At end of road, turn left onto US 12; CTH T
0.6 mi
·
47 sec
·
US-12
8
Continue on US 12; CTH T
2.7 mi
·
5 min
·
Davis Street
9
Enter roundabout onto CTH T
133 ft
·
2 sec
·
County Highway T
10
Continue on CTH T
486 ft
·
27 sec
·
County Highway T
11
Enter roundabout onto CTH T
144 ft
·
8 sec
·
County Highway T
12
Continue on CTH T
5.0 mi
·
6 min
·
County Highway T
13
At end of road, turn left onto CTH M
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
County Highway M
14
Continue on CTH Y
2.9 mi
·
7 min
·
County Road Y
15
Merge onto US 63
6.4 mi
·
8 min
·
US 63
16
Turn left onto CTH DD
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
County Road DD
17
Turn left onto US 10
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
US Highway 10
18
Turn right onto CTH D
7.1 mi
·
12 min
·
County Road D
19
Turn left onto WI 35
6.7 mi
·
10 min
·
Great River Road
20
Continue on WI 35
11 mi
·
16 min
·
State Highway 35
21
Continue on WI 35
3.2 mi
·
4 min
·
3rd Street
22
Continue on WI 35
2.9 mi
·
4 min
·
State Road 35
23
Continue on WI 25; WI 35
0.6 mi
·
54 sec
·
State Road 25-35
24
Continue on WI 25; WI 35
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
North Main Street
25
Continue on WI 25
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
State Road 25
26
Continue on WI 25
0.4 mi
·
36 sec
·
State Highway 25
27
Continue on WI 25
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
·
Wabasha-Nelson Bridge
28
Continue on MN 60
0.4 mi
·
41 sec
·
MN 60
29
At end of road, turn left onto MN 60
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
·
4th Grant Boulevard West
30
Turn right onto MN 60
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Pembroke Avenue
31
Continue on US 61; MN 60
30 mi
·
36 min
·
US 61; MN 60
Use the left lane.
32
Continue on US 14; US 61
3.7 mi
·
5 min
·
US 14; US 61
Use the straight lane.
33
Enter roundabout onto US 14; US 61
162 ft
·
2 sec
·
US 14;US 61
34
Continue on US 14; US 61
0.2 mi
·
11 sec
·
US 14;US 61
35
Continue on US 14; US 61
12 mi
·
14 min
·
US 14; US 61
Use the straight lane.
36
Continue on US 14; US 61
8.5 mi
·
9 min
·
US 14; US 61
37
Keep slight right at fork onto US 14; US 61
2.9 mi
·
4 min
·
US 14; US 61
38
Turn left onto US 14; US 61; MN 16
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
Historic Bluff Country Scenic Byway
39
Continue on US 14; US 61; WI 16
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
US 14; US 61; WI 16
40
Turn slight right
0.1 mi
·
20 sec
41
Merge onto US 14; US 61
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
3rd Street South
42
Continue on US 14; US 61
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
South Avenue
43
Turn left onto Adams Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Adams Street
44
Turn left onto WI 35
0.1 mi
·
23 sec
·
West Avenue South
45
Arrive at destination
WI 35
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 70.2 miles from Star Prairie, WI, or about 1h 49m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 30.2 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 31 miles or 48m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 70.2 miles or 1h 49m 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 46m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near La Crosse, 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 140.3 miles and 3h 20m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 31 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.
The longest stretch is on US 61 for about 30.2 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
70 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 31 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 70.2 miles from Star Prairie, WI, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 205 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 112.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Main Street
Turn left onto Main Street
Navigation decision point
5
22.6 mi into trip
|
~34m in
|
CTH T / County Highway T
Enter roundabout onto CTH T / County Highway T
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
5
27.6 mi into trip
|
~41m in
|
CTH M / County Highway M
At end of road, turn left onto CTH M / County Highway M
Navigation decision point
5
77.1 mi into trip
|
~1h 59m in
|
MN 60 / 4th Grant Boulevard West
At end of road, turn left onto MN 60 / 4th Grant Boulevard West
Navigation decision point
5
112.1 mi into trip
|
~2h 43m in
|
US 14; US 61 / US 14;US 61
Enter roundabout onto US 14; US 61 / US 14;US 61
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$21.93 one way
$43.87 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
49 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $24.08 | $48.17 |
| premium | $4.89 | $27.00 | $54.00 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $30.98 | $61.95 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$22
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$47–$72
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 49.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $15 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 42.1 | 0 | $14.73 | $6.73 |
| Efficient EV | 35.1 | 0 | $12.28 | $5.61 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 56.1 | 0 | $19.64 | $8.98 |
Gas CO2
49 kg
EV CO2
16 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
La Crosse, WI
Afternoon in La Crosse on Saturday
Local time
12:37 PM
CDT
Current temp
55°F
Mostly Clear
S 2 to 8 mph
1% chance
Live forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 16 at 7:37PM CDT by NWS Green Bay WI
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 16 at 7:36PM CDT by NWS Milwaukee/Sullivan WI
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
9 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 20m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
140.3 mi in 3h 20m, mostly highway — 30.2 mi of that is on US 61.
63% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
45 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 30.2 mi on US 61.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 61 and US 14. You will hit about 20 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Main Street.
Driving Effort
6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 140.3 miles you will encounter 20 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 22.6 miles (CTH T / County Highway T): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 27.6 miles (CTH M / County Highway M): Navigation decision point.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
1,155 ft
656 ft
Total Climb
356 ft
Total Descent
625 ft
Highest Point
1,155 ft
~20 mi in
Elevation Range
499 ft
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 20m. Total distance: 140.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 20m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 30.2 miles on US 61. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at La Crosse, WI before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 22.6 miles (CTH T / County Highway T): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 27.6 miles (CTH M / County Highway M): Navigation decision point.
Possible but tiring. At 3.3 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 6.7 hours — manageable with a long break at La Crosse, WI, but most travelers stay overnight.
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, EIA for fuel prices, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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