Origin
Hudson, WI
Late night in Hudson on Sunday
Local time
3:01 AM
CDT
Current temp
45°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Hudson, WI to Eau Claire, WI
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 19m
Distance
67.3 mi
108 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$11
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 13m
★
6 AM
1h 19m
8 AM
1h 31m
10 AM
1h 23m
12 PM
1h 22m
3 PM
1h 24m
5 PM
1h 31m
8 PM
1h 15m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Hudson, WI
Tom Fisk
Eau Claire, WI
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Hudson to Eau Claire is 67.3 miles and takes about 1 hour 19 minutes via I 94, with a fuel budget near $11 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This straightforward drive stays within Wisconsin, moving you across the Midwest region. It's a short trip, making it ideal for a quick excursion or a convenient leg of a longer journey. You'll primarily be on interstate highways, so expect a consistent pace for most of the drive. Consider this route if you're looking for an efficient way to get from point A to point B without extensive detours.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 94 | 58.3 mi | 1h 2m |
| North Crossing | 4.2 mi | 6m |
| Second Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| 3rd Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Jeffers Road | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Truax Boulevard | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| West Madison Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| WI 35 | 0.5 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
I 94
— 58.3 mi, about 1h 2m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Hudson, WI and Eau Claire, WI.
1
Start on WI 35
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Second Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
2
Keep slight left at fork onto WI 35
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
WI 35
Toward Eau Claire, River Falls
Use the slight left lane.
3
Merge onto I 94; US 12; WI 35
58 mi
·
1 hr 2 min
·
I 94; US 12; WI 35
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
50 sec
Exit 59
Toward US 12, WI 312, CTH EE: Eau Claire, Chippawa Falls
5
Keep slight right at fork
482 ft
·
11 sec
6
Turn straight onto WI 312; CTH EE
4.2 mi
·
6 min
·
North Crossing
7
Turn right onto CTH F
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Jeffers Road
8
Turn left onto Truax Boulevard
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Truax Boulevard
9
Continue on 3rd Street
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
3rd Street
10
Continue on Platt Street
506 ft
·
12 sec
·
Platt Street
11
Turn right onto Bellinger Street
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
·
Bellinger Street
12
Turn left onto West Madison Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
West Madison Street
13
Turn slight right
303 ft
·
8 sec
14
Turn slight left onto North Farwell Street
0.4 mi
·
46 sec
·
North Farwell Street
15
Turn right onto East Grand Avenue
35 ft
·
1 sec
·
East Grand Avenue
16
Arrive at destination
East Grand Avenue
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
34 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 15 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 33.7 miles from Hudson, WI, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 95 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 66.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
WI 35 / Second Street
Depart onto WI 35 / Second Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
8
0.7 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
WI 35
Keep slight left at fork onto WI 35 toward Eau Claire, River Falls
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Toward Eau Claire, River Falls
5
1.2 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
I 94; US 12; WI 35
Merge onto I 94; US 12; WI 35
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
59.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 5m in
Take the exit toward US 12, WI 312, CTH EE: Eau Claire, Chippawa Falls
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 59
Toward US 12, WI 312, CTH EE: Eau Claire, Chipp...
5
66.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 16m in
|
Bellinger Street
Turn right onto Bellinger Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.52 one way
$21.04 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
24 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $11.55 | $23.10 |
| premium | $4.89 | $12.95 | $25.90 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $14.86 | $29.72 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 23.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 20.2 | 0 | $7.07 | $3.23 |
| Efficient EV | 16.8 | 0 | $5.89 | $2.69 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 26.9 | 0 | $9.42 | $4.31 |
Gas CO2
24 kg
EV CO2
8 kg (67% 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.
Destination
Eau Claire, WI
Late night in Eau Claire on Sunday
Local time
3:01 AM
CDT
Current temp
76°F
Showers And Thunderstorms
WSW 15 mph
96% chance
Live forecast
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
31 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 19m 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?
This drive is heavily focused on highway travel, with 87% of the route utilizing major highways. You'll experience a significant stretch of 58.3 miles on I 94, which forms the backbone of this journey. The feel is predominantly that of a highway-focused drive, meaning you'll encounter higher speeds and fewer interruptions compared to local roads. While the majority is interstate, brief segments on North Crossing and Second Street might offer a slight change in scenery before you merge back onto the faster routes. Expect a consistent driving experience for the most part.
87% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 58.3 mi on I 94.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 94 and North Crossing. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near WI 35 / Second Street.
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 67.3 miles you will encounter 9 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: near the start (WI 35 / Second Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.7 miles (WI 35): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.2 miles (I 94; US 12; WI 35): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
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 Hudson, WI and Eau Claire, WI, road signs point toward Cth Ee: Eau Claire and Chippawa Falls.
Cth Ee: Eau Claire
59.5 mi in
|
~1h 5m
Chippawa Falls
59.5 mi in
|
~1h 5m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 19m. Total distance: 67.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 19m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (87%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 58.3 miles on I 94. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 Eau Claire, WI before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
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: near the start (WI 35 / Second Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.7 miles (WI 35): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.2 miles (I 94; US 12; WI 35): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Eau Claire, WI before heading back.
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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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