Ellsworth to Wauwatosa is 287.7 miles and takes about 5h 40m via I 94, with a fuel budget near $44 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Wisconsin, moving from the Midwest region to another part of the Midwest. With 96% of the drive on highways, expect a straightforward trip focused on covering ground efficiently. It’s a solid choice if you need to get from point A to point B without a lot of detours or complex navigation.
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
143.8 miles from Ellsworth, WI
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 3h 1m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 94
214.7 mi
3h 50m
US Highway 10
61.4 mi
1h 25m
West Main Street
3.7 mi
8m
10th Street
3.3 mi
5m
West Watertown Plank Road
0.9 mi
2m
Zoo Freeway
0.5 mi
<1m
Mondovi Street West
0.4 mi
1m
Harwood Avenue
0.3 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 94
— 214.7 mi, about 3h 50m
Traffic on I-94
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 164 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~2,887 veh/hr typical
· worst 3,478
Quietest
2 AM
~160 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
18×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 104 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 Ellsworth, WI and Wauwatosa, WI.
1
Start on US 10; US 63
1.5 mi·4 min·West Main Street
2
Continue on US 10; US 63
0.2 mi·24 sec·US Highway 10
3
Take the exit onto US 10
28 mi·39 min·US Highway 10
4
Continue on US 10
0.2 mi·18 sec·United States Highway 10
5
Turn straight onto US 10
14 mi·19 min·US Highway 10
6
Continue on US 10
2.2 mi·4 min·West Main Street
7
Continue on US 10
8.9 mi·12 min·US Highway 10
8
Continue on US 10
0.4 mi·1 min·Mondovi Street West
9
Continue on US 10
10 mi·13 min·US Highway 10
10
Continue on US 10; US 53
3.3 mi·5 min·10th Street
11
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·35 sec
12
Merge onto I 94
151 mi·2 hr 41 min·I 94
Use the straight lane.
13
Keep slight left at fork onto I 94
64 mi·1 hr 9 min·I 94
Exit 138AToward I 94: MilwaukeeUse the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
0.6 mi·1 min
Exit 305A-BToward I 41, I 894, US 45: Chicago, Fond du LacUse the slight right lane.
15
Keep slight right at fork
0.8 mi·1 min
Exit 305BToward I 41 North, US 45 North: Fond du LacUse the slight right lane.
16
Merge onto I 41; US 41; US 45
0.5 mi·44 sec·Zoo Freeway
17
Take the exit
0.2 mi·20 sec
Exit 40A-BToward Watertown Plank RoadUse the slight right lane.
18
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi·24 sec
Exit 40AToward Watertown Plank Road EastUse the right lane.
19
Turn straight onto West Watertown Plank Road
0.9 mi·2 min·West Watertown Plank Road
Use the left lane.
20
Continue on Harwood Avenue
0.3 mi·51 sec·Harwood Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
21
Turn left onto WI 181
0.2 mi·32 sec·Harmonee Avenue
Use the left / straight lanes.
22
Turn right onto West Menomonee River Parkway
498 ft·21 sec·West Menomonee River Parkway
23
Arrive at destination
West State Street
Trip Plan
Given the 5h 40m duration, leaving Ellsworth in the morning should allow you to reach Wauwatosa with plenty of daylight to spare. The route has just one recommended stop, suggesting you can easily complete this in a single day. With a fuel cost estimated at $44, it's wise to fill up before you leave, especially since the longest stretch on I 94 is over 200 miles. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge as services might be less frequent on the longer highway segments.
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 143.8 miles from Ellsworth, WI, or about 3h 1m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 214.7 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 63 miles or 1h 31m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 143.8 miles or 3h 1m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 40m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Wauwatosa, WI than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Ellsworth, 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 Ellsworth, WI
This is one driving day of about 287.7 miles and 5h 40m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 63 miles from Ellsworth, 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 I 94 for about 214.7 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 12
5 decision points cluster between mile 219.8 and 286.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
219.8 mi into trip|~4h 23m in|I 94
Keep slight left at fork onto I 94 toward I 94: Milwaukee
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 138A
Toward I 94: Milwaukee
8
284 mi into trip|~5h 32m in
Take the exit toward I 41, I 894, US 45: Chicago, Fond du Lac
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 305A-B
Toward I 41, I 894, US 45: Chicago, Fond du Lac
9
284.6 mi into trip|~5h 34m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 41 North, US 45 North: Fond du Lac
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 305B
Toward I 41 North, US 45 North: Fond du Lac
7
285.9 mi into trip|~5h 36m in
Take the exit toward Watertown Plank Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 40A-B
Toward Watertown Plank Road
9
286.1 mi into trip|~5h 36m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Watertown Plank Road East
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Exit 40A
Toward Watertown Plank Road East
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$47.99 one way
$95.98 round trip
$4.24/gal25.4 MPG avg101 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.62
$52.36
$104.73
premium
$5.25
$59.50
$119.00
diesel
$6.28
$71.09
$142.17
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$48
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$73–$98
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 100.7 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-19.
Driving Electric?
About $30 in charging
· 1 stop
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
86.3
1
$30.21
$13.81
Efficient EV
71.9
0
$25.17
$11.51
EV Truck/SUV
115.1
1
$40.28
$18.41
Gas CO2
101 kg
EV CO2
34 kg (66% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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 Oct 22, 2026
Origin
Ellsworth, WI
Late night
in Ellsworth on Thursday
Local time
5:27 AM
CDT
Current temp
46°F
Mostly Clear then Areas Of Fog
0 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Wauwatosa, WI
Late night
in Wauwatosa on Thursday
Local time
5:27 AM
CDT
Current temp
48°F
Mostly Clear
0 mph0% chanceLive 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
2 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
5h 40m 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...
25 mi from route
~63 min detour
Free
near mile 158.6
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
You'll spend almost the entire 5h 40m drive on highways, with 96% of the 287.7 miles covered on I 94 and US Highway 10. The longest continuous stretch on the highway is 214.7 miles on I 94. Surface roads, like West Main Street, will only appear for a small portion of your trip, likely near the beginning or end. Expect frequent exits and merging traffic as you navigate through various towns and cities.
96% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
23 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 214.7 mi on I 94.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 94 and US Highway 10. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 219.8 miles in near I 94.
Driving Effort9/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 12 significant decision points across 287.7 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 219.8 miles (I 94): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 284 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 284.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 40m. Total distance: 287.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 40m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (96%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 214.7 miles on I 94. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 22 rest areas or service plazas 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 Wauwatosa, 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 22 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 219.8 miles (I 94): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 284 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 284.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Ice Age National Scenic Trail. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 5.7 hours each way, a round trip means 11.4 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Wauwatosa, WI before the return drive.
