If you are planning a trip from Dunkirk to Menomonee Falls, you are looking at a straightforward 79.3-mile journey through the heart of Wisconsin. Expect to spend about 1 hour and 44 minutes behind the wheel, making this an ideal day trip that requires no overnight stops. Budget roughly $12 for fuel, keeping the costs manageable for a quick getaway. Because both locations are situated within the Midwest, the transition between regions is seamless and familiar. Whether you are commuting or heading out for a weekend change of pace, this trip is short enough to remain flexible without needing an intense itinerary.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
39.7 miles from Dunkirk, WI
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 51m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 94
50.5 mi
54m
County Highway N
9.9 mi
14m
West Main Street
4.6 mi
9m
Redford Boulevard
4.5 mi
7m
County Road N
3.3 mi
6m
South Main Street
1.8 mi
2m
Waukesha Avenue
1.5 mi
2m
Main Street
1.2 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
I 94
— 50.5 mi, about 54m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Dunkirk, WI and Menomonee Falls, WI.
1
Start on CTH N
1.8 mi·4 min·County Road N
2
Continue on CTH N
0.9 mi·1 min·Veterans Road
3
Continue on CTH N
1.5 mi·2 min·County Highway N
4
Continue on CTH B; CTH N
1.5 mi·2 min·County Road N
5
Continue on CTH N
2.4 mi·3 min·County Highway N
6
Enter roundabout onto CTH N
121 ft·2 sec·County Highway N
7
Continue on CTH N
0.2 mi·31 sec·County Highway N
8
Enter roundabout onto CTH N
83 ft·2 sec·County Highway N
9
Continue on CTH N
0.1 mi·17 sec·County Highway N
10
Enter roundabout onto CTH N
54 ft·1 sec·County Highway N
11
Continue on CTH N
4.8 mi·7 min·County Highway N
12
Continue on CTH N
1.8 mi·2 min·South Main Street
13
Continue on CTH N
0.8 mi·1 min·County Highway N
14
Enter roundabout
14 ft·0 sec
Toward I 94 East: Milwaukee
15
Continue
0.4 mi·45 sec
Toward I 94 East: Milwaukee
16
Merge onto I 94
50 mi·54 min·I 94
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Take the exit
0.3 mi·31 sec
Exit 295Toward CTH F: Waukesha, SussexUse the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Keep slight left at fork
188 ft·6 sec
Toward CTH F North: Waukesha, Sussex
19
Turn left onto CTH F
4.5 mi·7 min·Redford Boulevard
Use the left / straight lanes.
20
Continue on CTH F
1.5 mi·2 min·Waukesha Avenue
21
Turn straight
374 ft·12 sec
22
Turn straight onto CTH F
1.2 mi·2 min·Main Street
23
At end of road, turn left onto CTH F; CTH V
0.4 mi·54 sec·Town Line Road
24
Enter roundabout onto CTH F
74 ft·4 sec·West Main Street
25
Continue on CTH F
4.6 mi·9 min·West Main Street
26
Turn left onto WI 175
21 ft·0 sec·Appleton Avenue
27
Arrive at destination
WI 175
Trip Plan
Since the trip is under two hours, you have the advantage of choosing your departure time based on traffic patterns rather than fatigue management. Aim to avoid peak commuting hours if you want to keep your travel time closer to the 1 hour and 44-minute estimate. Because there are no mandatory stops scheduled, you have the freedom to decide when you need to refuel or stretch your legs. Keep in mind that with 50.5 miles of the trip concentrated on I-94, you should stay alert for merging traffic during that primary stretch. Flexibility is your best asset here, so feel free to adjust your departure to best suit your personal schedule.
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.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 39.7 miles from Dunkirk, WI, or about 51m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 50.5 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 17 miles or 27m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 39.7 miles or 51m 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 21m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Menomonee Falls, WI than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Dunkirk, WI so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Dunkirk, WI
This is one driving day of about 79.3 miles and 1h 44m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 17 miles from Dunkirk, WI.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 94 for about 50.5 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 11
5 decision points cluster between mile 8.4 and 67 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
8.4 mi into trip|~14m in|CTH N / County Highway N
Enter roundabout onto CTH N / County Highway N
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
5
8.5 mi into trip|~14m in|CTH N / County Highway N
Enter roundabout onto CTH N / County Highway N
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
6
15.9 mi into trip|~25m in
Enter roundabout toward I 94 East: Milwaukee
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Toward I 94 East: Milwaukee
8
66.7 mi into trip|~1h 20m in
Take the exit toward CTH F: Waukesha, Sussex
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 295
Toward CTH F: Waukesha, Sussex
7
67 mi into trip|~1h 21m in
Keep slight left at fork toward CTH F North: Waukesha, Sussex
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward CTH F North: Waukesha, Sussex
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$12.40 one way
$24.80 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg28 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$13.61
$27.22
premium
$4.89
$15.26
$30.52
diesel
$5.61
$17.51
$35.02
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$12
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$37–$62
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 27.7 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging
· 0 stops
· 68% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
23.8
0
$8.33
$3.81
Efficient EV
19.8
0
$6.94
$3.17
EV Truck/SUV
31.7
0
$11.10
$5.08
Gas CO2
28 kg
EV CO2
9 kg (68% 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.
Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026
Origin
Dunkirk, WI
Late night
in Dunkirk on Sunday
Local time
3:01 AM
CDT
Current temp
48°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Menomonee Falls, WI
Late night
in Menomonee Falls on Sunday
Local time
3:01 AM
CDT
Current temp
62°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
44°F
Farmington, WI
40 mi in
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
14 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 44m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is heavily highway-focused, with about 64% of your time spent on major routes. You will spend a significant portion of the trip navigating I-94, which includes your longest uninterrupted stretch of 50.5 miles. Outside of the interstate, the route transitions into County Highway N and West Main Street to finalize your arrival. Expect the personality of the road to shift from the fast-paced, high-volume flow of the interstate to the more controlled environment of local roads. It is a functional, efficient drive that prioritizes speed over scenic detours.
64% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
27 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 50.5 mi on I 94.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 94 and County Highway N. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 8.4 miles in near CTH N / County Highway N.
Driving Effort5/10
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 79.3 miles you will encounter 11 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: at 8.4 miles (CTH N / County Highway N): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 8.5 miles (CTH N / County Highway N): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 15.9 miles: Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Dunkirk, WI and Menomonee Falls, WI, road signs point toward Cth F: Waukesha, Sussex and Cth F North: Waukesha.
Cth F: Waukesha
66.7 mi in|~1h 20m
Sussex
66.7 mi in|~1h 20m
Cth F North: Waukesha
67 mi in|~1h 21m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 44m. Total distance: 79.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 44m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (64%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 50.5 miles on I 94. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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: at 8.4 miles (CTH N / County Highway N): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 8.5 miles (CTH N / County Highway N): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 15.9 miles: Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Menomonee Falls, WI before heading back.
