Trip from Eau Claire, WI to Cedarburg, WI
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jun 3, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
4h 51m
Distance
236 mi
380 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$39
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Eau Claire, WI
Wikimedia Commons
Cedarburg, WI
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Eau Claire to Cedarburg is 236 miles and takes about 4h 51m via I 94 and State Highways, with a fuel budget near $42 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Wisconsin, moving from the Midwest region to another part of the Midwest. It's a straightforward, mostly highway drive that should be manageable for a single day. Plan for a relatively quick transit between these two Wisconsin cities.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
118 miles from Eau Claire, WI
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 10m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 94 | 136.4 mi | 2h 26m |
| State Highway 16 | 22.6 mi | 31m |
| State Highway 33 | 21.2 mi | 30m |
| US 151 | 13.4 mi | 15m |
| State Highway 60 | 9.9 mi | 16m |
| I 41 | 7.7 mi | 8m |
| WI 33 | 4 mi | 5m |
| US Highway 51 & State Highway 16 | 2.8 mi | 4m |
Traffic on I-94
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 12 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
2 PM
~946 veh/hr typical · worst 1,701
Quietest
2 AM
~126 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
7.5×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 52 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Eau Claire, WI and Cedarburg, WI.
Start on East Grand Avenue
Turn right onto South Farwell Street
Turn left onto Washington Street
Continue on Harding Avenue
Continue on Brackett Avenue
Turn slight right
Turn straight onto US 53 Business
Take the ramp onto US 53 Business
Turn straight onto US 53
Enter roundabout onto US 53
Continue on US 53
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 94
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork
Turn straight onto WI 33
Turn right onto US 51; WI 16
Continue on US 51; WI 16
Turn left onto WI 16
Continue on WI 16; WI 60
Turn left
Merge onto US 151
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork
Turn straight onto WI 33
Continue on WI 33
Continue on Washington Street
Turn left onto WI 33
Continue on WI 33
Turn straight onto WI 33
Turn right onto WI 33; CTH E
Continue on WI 33
Enter roundabout onto WI 33
Continue on WI 33
Continue on WI 33
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 41; US 41
Take the exit
Turn left onto WI 60
Enter roundabout onto WI 60
Continue on WI 60
Enter roundabout onto WI 60
Continue on WI 60
Enter roundabout onto WI 60
Continue on WI 60
Enter roundabout onto WI 60
Continue on WI 60
Enter roundabout onto WI 60
Continue on WI 60
Enter roundabout onto WI 60
Continue on WI 60
Turn right onto WI 181
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
Given the 4h 51m drive time, leaving Eau Claire in the morning will allow you to reach Cedarburg with plenty of daylight. With only one recommended stop and a manageable distance, you have flexibility in pacing yourself. Keep an eye on your fuel levels, especially before the 136.4-mile stretch on I 94, as services can be more spread out on interstates. It's a good idea to budget around $42 for fuel, depending on your vehicle's efficiency. Since this is a single-day trip, you can easily make it a leisurely drive with a mid-morning start.
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.
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 52 miles or 59m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 118 miles or 2h 10m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 47m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Cedarburg, WI than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
Open the route before leaving Eau Claire, 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 Eau Claire, WI
This is one driving day of about 236 miles and 4h 51m.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
118 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
A short stop after about 52 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 118 miles from Eau Claire, WI, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before I 94 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 136.4 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Stops Along Your Drive
Picked by where they fit in your drive — first break, midpoint reset, final stretch.
Millston Rest Area 53
Love's Travel Stop
Service Plaza
Rest area
Road Ranger
Black River Falls Rest Area 54
Flying J Travel Center
Pilot Travel Center
Mauston Rest Area 10
Service Plaza
Rest Area
Petro Stopping Centers
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 265 decision points cluster between mile 5.4 and 224.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Enter roundabout onto US 53
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Merge onto I 94
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward WI 33: Portage, Baraboo
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward WI 60: Jackson, Hartford
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Enter roundabout onto WI 60 / State Highway 60
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$39.24 one way
$78.47 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.60 | $42.74 | $85.48 |
| premium | $5.18 | $48.16 | $96.31 |
| diesel | $5.35 | $49.71 | $99.42 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$39
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$64–$89
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 82.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $25 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 70.8 | 0 | $24.78 | $11.33 |
| Efficient EV | 59 | 0 | $20.65 | $9.44 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 94.4 | 1 | $33.04 | $15.10 |
Gas CO2
83 kg
EV CO2
28 kg (66% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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.
Origin
Eau Claire, WI
Afternoon in Eau Claire on Wednesday
Local time
4:02 PM
CDT
Current temp
58°F
Chance Rain Showers
Destination
Cedarburg, WI
Afternoon in Cedarburg on Wednesday
Local time
4:02 PM
CDT
Current temp
50°F
Isolated Rain Showers
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
8 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
4h 51m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Ice Age National Scenic Trail
National Scenic Trail
The Ice Age National Scenic Trail spans 1,200 miles, traverses some of Wisconsin's finest geologic and glacial features, and passes through the ancestral lands of 15 Tribes. The Trail is built, manage...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
What kind of drive is this?
You'll spend about 94% of the 236 miles on highways. The longest continuous stretch on I 94 is 136.4 miles, meaning you'll be on high-speed, limited-access roads for a significant portion of your travel. After leaving I 94, the route shifts to State Highway 16 and then State Highway 33, which will feel like a change from the interstate cruising. Expect a noticeable increase in exits and potentially slower speeds as you transition to these state highways.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 94 and State Highway 16. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 5.4 miles in near US 53.
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 26 significant decision points across 236 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 5.4 miles (US 53): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 6 miles (I 94): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 142.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
851 ft
Total Descent
855 ft
Highest Point
1,097 ft
~219.1 mi in
Elevation Range
313 ft
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.
Between Eau Claire, WI and Cedarburg, WI, road signs point toward Baraboo, Horicon and Hartford.
Baraboo
Horicon
Hartford
About the Cities
Starting in Eau Claire, WI
Full guide →Eau Claire (pronounced: O'Clare, French for clear water) is a city of about 62,000 in Northwest Wisconsin.
Top landmarks
- • Sacred Heart Church — church building in Wisconsin, United States of America
- • Martin Van Buren Barron House — historic house in Wisconsin, United States
- • Brady Anderson and Waldemar Ager House — United States historic place
Arriving in Cedarburg, WI
Full guide →Founded 1843
Cedarburg is a small city in Wisconsin, about 30 minutes by car north of Milwaukee. It is known for over 200 19th century buildings in its historic downtown and popular year-round festivals.
Top landmarks
- • Cedarburg Mill — gristmill and historic landmark in Cedarburg, Wisconsin
- • Concordia Mill
- • Hamilton Historic District — listed on the NRHP in Ozaukee County, Wisconsin
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 51m. Total distance: 236 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 51m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (94%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
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, EIA for fuel prices, USGS 3DEP for elevation, NPS for national parks, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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