Origin
Winona Lake, IN
Late night in Winona Lake on Saturday
Local time
1:51 AM
EDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
2h 14m
Distance
91.7 mi
148 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$14
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Winona Lake, IN
Tom Fisk
Lafayette, IN
Wikimedia Commons
The drive from Winona Lake, IN to Lafayette, IN covers 91.7 miles and takes about 2h 14m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Hoosier Heartland Highway, South Zimmer Road, Main Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 31.9 miles on Hoosier Heartland Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $14.34 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.
Midpoint
45.8 miles from Winona Lake, IN
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 9m into the drive .
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 14m. Total distance: 91.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 14m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Expect a 2h 14m drive with frequent turns across 91.7 miles of local and secondary roads.
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. The trickiest moment comes around 0.3 miles in near Winona Avenue.
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 2h 14m drive. You will face about 15 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.3 miles (Winona Avenue): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 27.9 miles (SR 14; SR 25 / East 9th Street): Navigation decision point; at 52.2 miles (High Street): Navigation decision point.
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
Enter roundabout onto Winona Avenue
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Turn right onto SR 14; SR 25 / East 9th Street
Navigation decision point
Turn right onto High Street
Navigation decision point
At end of road, turn right onto BUS US 24 / Eel River Avenue
Navigation decision point
Turn left
Navigation decision point
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Hoosier Heartland Highway | 31.9 mi | 40m |
| South Zimmer Road | 24.2 mi | 36m |
| Main Street | 21.8 mi | 31m |
| Winona Avenue | 3.4 mi | 6m |
| Old State Road 25 | 2.7 mi | 4m |
| Schuyler Avenue | 1.9 mi | 3m |
| North 18th Street | 1.6 mi | 3m |
| 602 East 9th Street | 1 mi | 1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Winona Lake, IN and Lafayette, IN.
Start on Park Avenue
Enter roundabout onto Winona Avenue
Continue on Winona Avenue
Turn left onto SR 25
Turn right onto SR 14; SR 25
Continue on SR 14; SR 25
Turn left onto SR 14; SR 25
Continue on SR 25
Continue on SR 25
Turn right onto High Street
Continue on Eel River Avenue
At end of road, turn right onto BUS US 24
Turn right onto BUS US 24
Turn left onto South Cicott Street
Turn slight right onto Old State Road 25
At end of road, turn left onto SR 25
Enter roundabout onto SR 25
Continue on SR 25
Continue on Schuyler Avenue
Turn left onto North 18th Street
Turn left onto South Street
Turn right onto Grant Street
Turn right onto Douglas Street
Turn left
Arrive at destination
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.
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 20 miles or 32m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 45.8 miles or 1h 9m 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 50m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Lafayette, IN than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Winona Lake, IN 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 Winona Lake, IN
This is one driving day of about 91.7 miles and 2h 14m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 45.8 mi from Winona Lake, IN · 1h 9m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
46 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.
A short stop after about 20 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 45.8 miles from Winona Lake, IN, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
The final approach into Lafayette, IN 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 Lafayette, IN.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Regular Gas
$14.34 one way
$28.67 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $15.74 | $31.48 |
| premium | $4.89 | $17.65 | $35.29 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $20.25 | $40.49 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$14
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$39–$64
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 32.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $10 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 27.5 | 0 | $9.63 | $4.40 |
| Efficient EV | 22.9 | 0 | $8.02 | $3.67 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 36.7 | 0 | $12.84 | $5.87 |
Gas CO2
32 kg
EV CO2
11 kg (66% 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Late night in Winona Lake on Saturday
Local time
1:51 AM
EDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Destination
Late night in Lafayette on Saturday
Local time
1:51 AM
EDT
Current temp
73°F
Unavailable
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
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
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.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore more options from Winona Lake, IN or browse trips ending in Lafayette, IN.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse IN road trips.