Origin
Iron River, WI
Evening in Iron River on Sunday
Local time
6:32 PM
CDT
Current temp
64°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Iron River, WI to Washburn, WI
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
44m
Distance
30.9 mi
50 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 41m
★
6 AM
0h 45m
8 AM
0h 52m
10 AM
0h 47m
12 PM
0h 47m
3 PM
0h 48m
5 PM
0h 52m
8 PM
0h 43m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Iron River, WI
Tom Fisk
Washburn, WI
Tom Fisk
Trip Overview
Iron River to Washburn is 30.9 miles and takes about 44 minutes via Major Richard I. Bong Memorial Highway, with a fuel budget near $5 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short drive stays entirely within Wisconsin, connecting two points in the Midwest region. Expect a local feel with plenty of turns, making it a straightforward trip for a single day. It's a quick hop that's perfect if you're looking for a brief scenic excursion or a simple transit between these two towns.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Major Richard I. Bong Memorial Highway | 23.3 mi | 32m |
| State Highway 13 | 5.6 mi | 7m |
| West Bayfield Street | 1.7 mi | 3m |
| North Washington Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| WI 13 ALT | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Oneida Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Major Richard I. Bong Memorial Highway
— 23.3 mi, about 32m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Iron River, WI and Washburn, WI.
1
Start on CTH H
73 ft
·
5 sec
·
Oneida Street
2
Turn right onto US 2
23 mi
·
32 min
·
Major Richard I. Bong Memorial Highway
Use the straight lane.
3
Keep slight left at fork onto WI 13 ALT
0.2 mi
·
13 sec
·
WI 13 ALT
Toward WI 13 North: Washburn, Bayfield
4
Enter roundabout onto State Highway 13
225 ft
·
12 sec
·
State Highway 13
Toward WI 13 North
5
Continue on State Highway 13
5.5 mi
·
7 min
·
State Highway 13
Toward WI 13 North
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
6
Continue on WI 13
1.7 mi
·
3 min
·
West Bayfield Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
7
Turn left onto North Washington Avenue
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
·
North Washington Avenue
Use the left lane.
8
Arrive at destination
North Washington Avenue
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 55 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 30.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 2 / Major Richard I. Bong Memorial Highway
Turn right onto US 2 / Major Richard I. Bong Memorial Highway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
6
23.3 mi into trip
|
~32m in
|
WI 13 ALT
Keep slight left at fork onto WI 13 ALT toward WI 13 North: Washburn, Bayfield
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward WI 13 North: Washburn, Bayfield
6
23.5 mi into trip
|
~32m in
|
State Highway 13
Enter roundabout onto State Highway 13 toward WI 13 North
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Toward WI 13 North
4
23.5 mi into trip
|
~32m in
|
State Highway 13
Slight right onto State Highway 13 toward WI 13 North
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
Toward WI 13 North
5
30.8 mi into trip
|
~44m in
|
North Washington Avenue
Turn left onto North Washington Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.83 one way
$9.66 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $5.30 | $10.61 |
| premium | $4.89 | $5.95 | $11.89 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.82 | $13.64 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.3 | 0 | $3.24 | $1.48 |
| Efficient EV | 7.7 | 0 | $2.70 | $1.24 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.4 | 0 | $4.33 | $1.98 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (64% 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
Washburn, WI
Evening in Washburn on Sunday
Local time
6:32 PM
CDT
Current temp
39°F
Unavailable
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
25 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
44m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
This route is characterized by its turn-heavy local drive profile, with 18% of the journey on highways. You'll experience a mix of road types, but the majority of your time will be on local roads that require your attention. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 23.3 miles along the Major Richard I. Bong Memorial Highway. The drive progresses through varied local landscapes, with frequent turns shaping the driving experience from start to finish.
Only 18% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
8 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 23.3 mi on Major Richard I. Bong Memorial Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 2 / Major Richard I. Bong Memorial Highway.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 44m drive. You will face about 5 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 2 / Major Richard I. Bong Memorial Highway): Lane positioning matters here; at 23.3 miles (WI 13 ALT): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 23.5 miles (State Highway 13): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
1,191 ft
610 ft
Total Climb
174 ft
Total Descent
591 ft
Highest Point
1,191 ft
~2.2 mi in
Elevation Range
582 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.
On the drive from Iron River, WI to Washburn, WI, road signs begin pointing toward Bayfield along the way.
Bayfield
23.3 mi in
|
~32m
|
via WI 13 ALT
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 44m. Total distance: 30.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
44m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (18%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 23.3 miles on Major Richard I. Bong Memorial Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 (US 2 / Major Richard I. Bong Memorial Highway): Lane positioning matters here; at 23.3 miles (WI 13 ALT): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 23.5 miles (State Highway 13): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
Yes — North Country National Scenic Trail and Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Washburn, 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, EIA for fuel prices, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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