Ladysmith, WI Road Trips
Plan drives from Ladysmith, WI with practical route pages for distance, drive time, fuel cost, road character, and places to stop along the way.
Photo: Tom Fisk
Trip Routes
1
Longest Drive
314.7 mi
Racine, WI
Quickest Drive
6h 25m
Racine, WI
Plan Around Ladysmith, WI
Popular Incoming Routes
Useful if Ladysmith, WI is the arrival point and you want the strongest routes into the city first.
Ladysmith, WI by the Numbers
Recent demographic snapshot from the US Census Bureau's American Community Survey.
Population
3,152
Median Income
$40,104
Median Home Value
$88,800
Median Age
48.4
Source: US Census Bureau ACS 5-year (public domain). See our methodology for details.
Ladysmith, WI at a Glance
Founded
1885
Elevation
1,145 ft
Area
5 mi²
Notable People from Ladysmith, WI
A sampling of people born in Ladysmith, WI.
Ron Kovic
1946
anti-war activist
Lois Capps
1938
American politician and writer
City data from Wikidata (Q1569821), available under CC0. Photos from Wikimedia Commons under their respective licenses. See our methodology for details.
Traveler Guide to Ladysmith, WI
Ladysmith is the largest city in Rusk County, Wisconsin. With a 2020 population of roughly 3200, it is also the county seat of Rusk County. Ladysmith is the only city on the main fork of the Flambeau River and there are several parks along the river as it bends through the city.
Ladysmith, Wisconsin, was founded in the late 19th century as a logging town along the Flambeau River and grew with the arrival of the Soo Line Railroad. Originally called Flambeau Falls, it was renamed in 1900 after the wife of a railroad official. As the timber industry declined, the city shifted to agriculture, manufacturing, and tourism. A major tornado in 2002 caused significant damage, but the community rebuilt and persevered. Today, Ladysmith is known for its scenic beauty, local businesses, and events like the Northland Mardi Gras.
1 Lake Flambeau County Park, N Park Rd, Tony, WI 54563. (updated Feb 2025) 2 Rusk County Museum, 828 E 3rd St N, Ladysmith, WI 54848, ☏ +1 (715) 415-3114. Museum detailing the area & artifacts from Rusk County's historical era (updated Feb 2025)
1 Reclaimed Flambeau Mine. Hiking area near a reclaimed mine site (updated Feb 2025)
1 Casa Mexicana, 218 Worden Ave E, ☏ +1 715-532-0462. (updated Feb 2025) 2 Dairy Queen, 804 Lake Ave W, ☏ +1 715-532-3282. (updated Feb 2025) 3 Eastern Chinese Restaurant, 203 Lake Ave E, ☏ +1 715-532-6660. (updated Feb 2025) 4 Grandpa's Pizza & Grill, 1102 Edgewood Ave E, ☏ +1 715-532-5155. (updated Feb 2025) 5 Ladysmith Family Restaurant, 820 Miner Ave, ☏ +1 715-532-3755. (updated Feb 2025)
1 Heart Of The North Brewing Co., N4038 WI-27, Ladysmith, WI 54848, ☏ +1 (715) 415-1365. (updated Feb 2025)
1 Quality Inn, 700 W 9th St S, toll-free: +1 (715) 532-7811. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM. (updated Feb 2025) 2 AmericInn by Wyndham, 800 College Ave W, ☏ +1 (715) 443-5059. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM. (updated Feb 2025) Hi-Way 8 Motel, 420 Edgewood Ave E, ☏ +1 715-532-3346.
The main ways to get into Ladysmith include US Route 8 (US 8) and WIS 27. Travelers will most likely use US 8 when coming in from Minneapolis or Rice Lake from the west or Rhinelander to the east while WIS 27 provides closer access to Chippewa Falls and Hayward. No county highway directly connects to Ladysmith.
As with most other small towns in Wisconsin, the primary method of travel is either by car or on foot.
Travel tips adapted from Ladysmith (Wisconsin) on Wikivoyage, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Content summarized; visit the source for the full article. See our methodology for how we use it.
Trips to Ladysmith, WI
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