Hammond, WI to Wauwatosa, WI is 292.7 miles and takes about 5h 21m via I 94 and surface roads, with a fuel budget near $52 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This route stays entirely within Wisconsin, traversing the Midwest's familiar landscape. Expect a predominantly highway drive that's efficient for getting from point A to point B. With only one recommended stop, this trip is well-suited for a single-day journey, making it a straightforward option for visiting friends or a quick getaway.
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
146.4 miles from Hammond, WI
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 40m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 94
286.1 mi
5h 7m
Davis Street
2.5 mi
4m
West Watertown Plank Road
0.9 mi
2m
Zoo Freeway
0.5 mi
<1m
Harwood Avenue
0.3 mi
<1m
Harmonee Avenue
0.2 mi
<1m
County Highway T
0.1 mi
<1m
West Menomonee River Parkway
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 94
— 286.1 mi, about 5h 7m
Traffic on I-94
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 102 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~2,425 veh/hr typical
· worst 2,961
Quietest
2 AM
~154 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
15.7×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
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 Hammond, WI and Wauwatosa, WI.
1
Start on Wolf Street
83 ft·8 sec·Wolf Street
2
Turn left onto US 12; CTH T;
2.5 mi·4 min·Davis Street
3
Enter roundabout onto CTH T
133 ft·2 sec·County Highway T
4
Continue on CTH T
486 ft·27 sec·County Highway T
5
Enter roundabout
254 ft·14 sec
Toward I-94 Eastbound: Menomonie, Eau Claire
6
Continue
0.3 mi·38 sec
Toward I-94 Eastbound: Menomonie, Eau Claire
7
Merge onto I 94
222 mi·3 hr 57 min·I 94
Use the straight lane.
8
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.
9
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.
10
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.
11
Merge onto I 41; US 41; US 45
0.5 mi·44 sec·Zoo Freeway
12
Take the exit
0.2 mi·20 sec
Exit 40A-BToward Watertown Plank RoadUse the slight right lane.
13
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi·24 sec
Exit 40AToward Watertown Plank Road EastUse the right lane.
14
Turn straight onto West Watertown Plank Road
0.9 mi·2 min·West Watertown Plank Road
Use the left lane.
15
Continue on Harwood Avenue
0.3 mi·51 sec·Harwood Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
16
Turn left onto WI 181
0.2 mi·32 sec·Harmonee Avenue
Use the left / straight lanes.
17
Turn right onto West Menomonee River Parkway
498 ft·21 sec·West Menomonee River Parkway
18
Arrive at destination
West State Street
Trip Plan
To make the most of this 5-hour drive, consider leaving Hammond, WI in the morning to give yourself ample daylight for the entire trip. Since the route is primarily highway and can be completed in a single day, you have flexibility in timing your departure. Plan for one brief stop to stretch your legs and refuel if needed, especially since the longest stretch on I 94 is over 280 miles. Keep an eye on your fuel levels as you approach the Milwaukee metropolitan area, where gas prices can sometimes be higher.
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 146.4 miles from Hammond, WI, or about 2h 40m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 286.1 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 64 miles or 1h 11m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 146.4 miles or 2h 40m 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 20m
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 Hammond, 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 Hammond, WI
This is one driving day of about 292.7 miles and 5h 21m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 64 miles from Hammond, 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 286.1 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 14
5 decision points cluster between mile 2.6 and 291.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
2.6 mi into trip|~5m in
Enter roundabout toward I-94 Eastbound: Menomonie, Eau Claire
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I-94 Eastbound: Menomonie, Eau Claire
8
224.9 mi into trip|~4h 4m 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
289 mi into trip|~5h 13m 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
289.6 mi into trip|~5h 15m 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
9
291.2 mi into trip|~5h 17m 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
$43.23 one way
$86.45 round trip
$3.75/gal25.4 MPG avg102 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.14
$47.72
$95.44
premium
$4.72
$54.35
$108.69
diesel
$4.80
$55.27
$110.53
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$43
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$68–$93
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 102.4 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $31 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
87.8
1
$30.73
$14.05
Efficient EV
73.2
0
$25.61
$11.71
EV Truck/SUV
117.1
1
$40.98
$18.73
Gas CO2
102 kg
EV CO2
34 kg (67% 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 Jul 17, 2026
Origin
Hammond, WI
Late night
in Hammond on Sunday
Local time
2:00 AM
CDT
Current temp
67°F
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
WNW 5 to 10 mph31% chanceLive forecast
Severe Thunderstorm Warning
Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued July 17 at 5:57PM CDT until July 17 at 6:15PM CDT by NWS Duluth MN
Severe Thunderstorm Warning
Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued July 17 at 5:55PM CDT until July 17 at 6:15PM CDT by NWS Duluth MN
Destination
Wauwatosa, WI
Late night
in Wauwatosa on Sunday
Local time
2:00 AM
CDT
Current temp
75°F
Patchy Smoke then Partly Cloudy
SW 5 to 10 mph19% chanceLive forecast
Severe Thunderstorm Warning
Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued July 17 at 5:57PM CDT until July 17 at 6:15PM CDT by NWS Duluth MN
Severe Thunderstorm Warning
Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued July 17 at 5:55PM CDT until July 17 at 6:15PM CDT by NWS Duluth MN
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 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 21m 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...
26 mi from route
~64 min detour
Free
near mile 171.6
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is almost entirely on I 94, making up 98% of the total mileage. You'll experience one long stretch of 286.1 miles on I 94 before transitioning to surface streets like Davis Street and West Watertown Plank Road for the final segment. The high highway percentage means you'll encounter a consistent flow of traffic and frequent exit ramps as you approach your destination.
98% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 286.1 mi on I 94.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 94 and Davis Street. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2.6 miles in.
Driving Effort8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 14 significant decision points across 292.7 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 2.6 miles: Roundabout - know your exit number before entering. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 224.9 miles (I 94): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 289 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 21m. Total distance: 292.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 21m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (98%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 286.1 miles on I 94. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 26 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 26 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 2.6 miles: Roundabout - know your exit number before entering. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 224.9 miles (I 94): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 289 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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 5.4 hours each way, a round trip means 10.7 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.
