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Trip from Eau Claire, WI to Chase, WI

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jun 3, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

3h 41m

Distance

184 mi

296 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$31

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 38 min
4 AM
3h 29m ★
6 AM
3h 41m
8 AM
4h 7m
10 AM
3h 50m
12 PM
3h 48m
3 PM
3h 52m
5 PM
4h 5m
8 PM
3h 34m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

city in Eau Claire and Chippewa counties in Wisconsin, United States, that is the county seat of Eau Claire County

Eau Claire, WI

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Chase, WI, WI

Chase, WI

Tom Fisk

Trip Overview

Eau Claire to Chase is 184 miles and takes about 3 hours 41 minutes via WI 29 and US 53, with a fuel budget near $29 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Wisconsin, traversing the Midwest region. The route is predominantly highway, making for straightforward travel. With only one recommended stop and a short driving time, this is an easy day trip. You'll find the driving experience efficient, with most of your travel on major roads.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Break Rhythm

1 planned break

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

92 miles from Eau Claire, WI

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 48m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
WI 29 164.1 mi 3h 9m
US 53 5.1 mi 5m
County Highway S 4.4 mi 7m
State Highway 160 2.7 mi 4m
State Highway 32 2.6 mi 3m
Birch Street 1.5 mi 2m
River Prairie Drive 0.7 mi 1m
West Pulaski Street 0.5 mi <1m
Longest stretch: WI 29 — 164.1 mi, about 3h 9m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Eau Claire, WI and Chase, WI.

1

Start on East Grand Avenue

35 ft · 8 sec · East Grand Avenue
2

Turn left onto South Farwell Street

0.4 mi · 49 sec · South Farwell Street
3

Turn right onto East Madison Street

0.2 mi · 31 sec · East Madison Street
4

Continue on Germania Street

0.2 mi · 23 sec · Germania Street
5

Continue on Birch Street

1.5 mi · 2 min · Birch Street
6

Continue on River Prairie Drive

0.7 mi · 1 min · River Prairie Drive
Use the left lane.
7

Turn left

0.3 mi · 37 sec
Use the left lane.
8

Merge onto US 53

5.1 mi · 5 min · US 53
9

Take the exit

0.6 mi · 1 min
Exit 95A Toward WI 29 East: Green Bay
10

Merge onto WI 29

88 mi · 1 hr 40 min · WI 29
11

Keep slight left at fork onto WI 29

4.5 mi · 6 min · WI 29
Toward US 51 South: Green Bay, Madison Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12

Keep slight right at fork onto WI 29

72 mi · 1 hr 23 min · WI 29
Exit 187 Toward WI 29 East: Weston, Green Bay
13

Take the exit onto WI 55

0.3 mi · 50 sec · WI 55
Toward WI 55, WI 160: Pulaski, Seymour
14

Turn left onto WI 55

0.1 mi · 13 sec · State Highway 55
15

Continue on WI 160

2.7 mi · 4 min · State Highway 160
16

Continue on WI 160

0.5 mi · 50 sec · West Pulaski Street
17

Turn left onto WI 32

0.4 mi · 37 sec · North Saint Augustine Street
18

Continue on WI 32

2.6 mi · 3 min · State Highway 32
19

Turn right onto CTH S

4.4 mi · 7 min · County Highway S
20

Arrive at destination

CTH S

Trip Plan

For this relatively short 3 hour 41 minute drive, you have flexibility with your departure time. Leaving Eau Claire in the morning will get you to Chase with plenty of daylight remaining. You'll cover 184 miles, and with 95% of it on highways, you can maintain a consistent speed. Plan for one stop to break up the drive, perhaps around the halfway point or when you need fuel, as the estimated cost is $29. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially before heading onto longer highway stretches like the 164.1 miles on WI 29.

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.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 92 miles from Eau Claire, WI, or about 1h 48m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 164.1 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 40 miles or 49m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 92 miles or 1h 48m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 2h 57m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Chase, 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 184 miles and 3h 41m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 40 miles from Eau Claire, WI.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on WI 29 for about 164.1 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Downtown Schnappsville, WI, WI

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Schnappsville, WI

92 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

Crescent, WI

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 40 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Wausau, WI

Meal break

The midpoint is around 92 miles from Eau Claire, WI, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before WI 29 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 164.1 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.

Service Plaza

0.1 mi from route

George Street Park

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, short detour

Halfway reset 2.8 mi from route ~7 min detour

Rothschild, Wisconsin

Hours: 6 am–11 pm

+17153593660

Visit website

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 3 and 173 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

6
3 mi into trip | ~6m in

Turn left

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
5
8.3 mi into trip | ~12m in

Take the exit toward WI 29 East: Green Bay

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early

Exit 95A Toward WI 29 East: Green Bay
8
96.6 mi into trip | ~1h 53m in | WI 29

Keep slight left at fork onto WI 29 toward US 51 South: Green Bay, Madison

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward US 51 South: Green Bay, Madison
7
101.1 mi into trip | ~2h in | WI 29

Keep slight right at fork onto WI 29 toward WI 29 East: Weston, Green Bay

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Exit 187 Toward WI 29 East: Weston, Green Bay
5
173 mi into trip | ~3h 23m in | WI 55

Take the exit onto WI 55 toward WI 55, WI 160: Pulaski, Seymour

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward WI 55, WI 160: Pulaski, Seymour

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$30.59 one way

$61.18 round trip

$4.22/gal 25.4 MPG avg 64 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.60 $33.32 $66.65
premium $5.18 $37.55 $75.09
diesel $5.35 $38.76 $77.51

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$31

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$56–$81

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 64.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.

Driving Electric?

About $19 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 55.2 0 $19.32 $8.83
Efficient EV 46 0 $16.10 $7.36
EV Truck/SUV 73.6 0 $25.76 $11.78

Gas CO2

64 kg

EV CO2

22 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.

Travel Intel

Current conditions at both ends of the drive.

Forecast as of May 25, 2026

Origin

Eau Claire, WI

Afternoon in Eau Claire on Wednesday

Local time

4:50 PM

CDT

Current temp

58°F

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

S 5 mph 59% chance Live forecast

Special Weather Statement

Special Weather Statement issued May 24 at 7:41PM CDT by NWS Green Bay WI

Destination

Chase, WI

Afternoon in Chase on Wednesday

Local time

4:50 PM

CDT

Current temp

84°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

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

26 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

3h 41m on the road

The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

What kind of drive is this?

Expect to spend about 95% of your 184 miles on highways. The longest continuous stretch on a main road is 164.1 miles, primarily on WI 29. This means you'll experience mostly rural cruising with minimal time on surface roads. You'll notice a steady pace with frequent exits as you transition between WI 29 and US 53.

95% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 164.1 mi on WI 29.

How Hard Is This Drive?

6/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on WI 29 and US 53. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 3 miles in.

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 184 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 3 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 8.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 96.6 miles (WI 29): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

1,430 ft 771 ft

Total Climb

805 ft

Total Descent

823 ft

Highest Point

1,430 ft

~78.9 mi in

Elevation Range

660 ft

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 Chase, WI, road signs point toward Madison, Green Bay and Seymour.

Madison

96.6 mi in | ~1h 53m | via WI 29

Green Bay

101.1 mi in | ~2h | via WI 29

Seymour

173 mi in | ~3h 23m | via WI 55

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 Chase, WI

Full guide →

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 3h 41m. Total distance: 184 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

3h 41m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (95%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 164.1 miles on WI 29. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Yes — we found about 1 rest area or service plaza within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.

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 Chase, WI before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.

Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. There are 1 rest area along the route for bathroom stops.

The main spots that need attention: at 3 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 8.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 96.6 miles (WI 29): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Possible but tiring. At 3.7 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 7.4 hours — manageable with a long break at Chase, WI, but most travelers stay overnight.

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, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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