Origin
Big Bend, WI
Night in Big Bend on Saturday
Local time
11:24 PM
CDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Big Bend, WI to Menomonee Falls, WI
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
42m
Distance
30.5 mi
49 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 39m
★
6 AM
0h 42m
8 AM
0h 49m
10 AM
0h 45m
12 PM
0h 44m
3 PM
0h 45m
5 PM
0h 49m
8 PM
0h 40m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Big Bend, WI
Tom Fisk
Menomonee Falls, WI
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking to travel between Big Bend and Menomonee Falls, you are in for a quick 30.5-mile journey through southeastern Wisconsin. Expect to spend about 42 minutes behind the wheel, making this an ideal day trip that requires no overnight stay. Because the route relies entirely on local roads like Maple Avenue, Clark Street, and Big Bend Drive, you will avoid the interstate system entirely. Budgeting about $4 for fuel should comfortably cover your gas needs for the duration of the trip. Since both points are situated within the Midwest, the drive maintains a consistent regional feel throughout. It is a straightforward, no-frills transit that gets you from point A to point B without any necessary stops.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Zoo Freeway | 16.4 mi | 21m |
| I 43 | 9.8 mi | 11m |
| Big Bend Drive | 1.8 mi | 3m |
| Main Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| US 45 | 0.6 mi | <1m |
| Clark Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Pilgrim Road | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Maple Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Zoo Freeway
— 16.4 mi, about 21m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Big Bend, WI and Menomonee Falls, WI.
1
Start on Jackson Parkway
30 ft
·
7 sec
·
Jackson Parkway
2
Turn left onto Maple Avenue
519 ft
·
24 sec
·
Maple Avenue
3
Turn right onto WI 164
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
·
Clark Street
4
Continue on WI 164
1.8 mi
·
3 min
·
Big Bend Drive
5
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
Toward I 43 North
6
Merge onto I 43
9.8 mi
·
11 min
·
I 43
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
7
Take the exit onto US 45
0.6 mi
·
55 sec
·
US 45
Exit 61
Toward I 41 North, US 45 North, I 894 West: Fond du Lac, Madison
8
Merge onto I 41; I 894; US 41; US 45
16 mi
·
21 min
·
Zoo Freeway
Use the slight right lane.
9
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
52 sec
Exit 51B
Toward Pilgrim Road South
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Turn straight onto Pilgrim Road
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
·
Pilgrim Road
11
Turn right onto Main Street
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Main Street
12
Turn right onto WI 175
21 ft
·
0 sec
·
Appleton Avenue
13
Arrive at destination
WI 175
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 85 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 29.3 — 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
|
Maple Avenue
Turn left onto Maple Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
2.2 mi into trip
|
~4m in
Take the ramp toward I 43 North
Navigation decision point
Toward I 43 North
5
2.4 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
I 43
Merge onto I 43
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
6
12.2 mi into trip
|
~16m in
|
US 45
Take the exit onto US 45 toward I 41 North, US 45 North, I 894 West: Fond du Lac, Madison
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 61
Toward I 41 North, US 45 North, I 894 West: Fon...
7
29.3 mi into trip
|
~38m in
Take the exit toward Pilgrim Road South
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 51B
Toward Pilgrim Road South
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.77 one way
$9.54 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $5.24 | $10.47 |
| premium | $4.89 | $5.87 | $11.74 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.73 | $13.47 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.2 | 0 | $3.20 | $1.46 |
| Efficient EV | 7.6 | 0 | $2.67 | $1.22 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.2 | 0 | $4.27 | $1.95 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (64% 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
Menomonee Falls, WI
Night in Menomonee Falls on Saturday
Local time
11:24 PM
CDT
Current temp
62°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
6 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
42m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
Forget the monotony of high-speed interstates; this route is a turn-heavy local drive with zero percent highway share. You will navigate through neighborhood streets and regional connectors, meaning you should stay alert for frequent turns rather than settling into a cruise-control rhythm. Since there are no long, uninterrupted stretches—with Maple Avenue offering the longest segment at zero miles—you will find the driving environment constantly shifting. The personality of this trip is defined by its intimacy with the local landscape. Be prepared for a more engaged, hands-on driving experience compared to a typical highway commute.
88% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 16.4 mi on Zoo Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Zoo Freeway and I 43. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Maple Avenue.
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 30.5 miles you will encounter 8 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 (Maple Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 2.2 miles: Navigation decision point; at 2.4 miles (I 43): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Big Bend, WI to Menomonee Falls, WI, road signs begin pointing toward Madison along the way.
Madison
12.2 mi in
|
~16m
|
via US 45
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 42m. Total distance: 30.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
42m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (88%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 16.4 miles on Zoo Freeway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 Menomonee Falls, WI before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Maple Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 2.2 miles: Navigation decision point; at 2.4 miles (I 43): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Menomonee Falls, WI before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner 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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