Kenosha to Keshena is 197.8 miles and takes about 3h 56m via I 43 and WI 29, with a fuel budget near $31 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Wisconsin, moving from the Midwest region to another part of the Midwest. The drive is predominantly on highways, making it a straightforward option if you prefer to cover ground efficiently. It's a single-day trip that should be manageable without needing an overnight stay.
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
98.9 miles from Kenosha, WI
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 43
86.7 mi
1h 32m
WI 29
29.7 mi
34m
North-South Freeway
28.2 mi
36m
I 41
24.7 mi
27m
WI 172
5.3 mi
6m
Burlington Road
3.7 mi
6m
State Highway 55
3.7 mi
5m
Washington Road
3 mi
6m
Longest stretch:
I 43
— 86.7 mi, about 1h 32m
Traffic on I-43
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 66 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~2,077 veh/hr typical
· worst 2,539
Quietest
2 AM
~137 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
15.2×
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 Kenosha, WI and Keshena, WI.
1
Start on 56th Street
265 ft·11 sec·56th Street
2
Turn right onto WI 32
1.0 mi·2 min·Sheridan Road
3
Turn left onto CTH S
3.0 mi·6 min·Washington Road
Use the straight lane.
4
Continue on Burlington Road
3.7 mi·6 min·Burlington Road
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·40 sec
Toward I 41 North, I 94 West
6
Merge onto I 41; I 94; US 41
23 mi·24 min·I 41; I 94; US 41
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight left at fork onto I 94
28 mi·36 min·North-South Freeway
Toward I 43 North, I 94 West: MilwaukeeUse the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on I 43; WI 57
87 mi·1 hr 32 min·I 43; WI 57
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
1.1 mi·2 min
Exit 180Toward WI 172 West: Austin Straubel Airport
10
Continue on WI 172
5.3 mi·6 min·WI 172
11
Take the exit
0.9 mi·1 min
Toward I 41 North: Marinette
12
Merge onto I 41; US 41
2.0 mi·2 min·I 41; US 41
13
Take the exit
0.6 mi·1 min
Exit 168B; 168CToward I 41 North, WI 29 North, WI 32 North: Wausau
14
Keep slight right at fork onto WI 32 North
2.9 mi·3 min·WI 32 North
Toward WI 29 West, WI 32 North: Wausau
15
Continue on WI 29; WI 32
14 mi·15 min·WI 29; WI 32
16
Continue on WI 29; WI 55
7.7 mi·8 min·WI 29; WI 55
17
Continue on WI 29; WI 47; WI 55
8.2 mi·9 min·WI 29; WI 47; WI 55
18
Take the exit
0.3 mi·40 sec
Toward WI 22: Shawano, Clintonville
19
Turn right onto WI 22
0.4 mi·39 sec·State Highway 22
20
Continue on WI 22
1.7 mi·2 min·South Main Street
21
Continue on WI 47; WI 55
0.7 mi·1 min·State Highway 47
22
Continue on WI 47; WI 55
3.7 mi·5 min·State Highway 55
23
Continue on WI 47; WI 55
0.7 mi·59 sec·Ben Warrington Road
24
Continue on WI 47
0.2 mi·18 sec·State Highway 47
25
Enter roundabout onto WI 47
96 ft·1 sec·State Highway 47
26
Continue on WI 47
1.8 mi·2 min·State Highway 47
27
Turn right onto CTH VV
90 ft·2 sec·County Road VV
28
Arrive at destination
CTH VV
Trip Plan
Given the manageable 3h 56m driving time, you can comfortably start your trip anytime in the morning. The route is mostly highway, so you can plan for a single stop if needed, perhaps around the halfway point or where you transition from I 43 to WI 29. Keep an eye on your fuel, especially as you get closer to Keshena, as services might become less frequent. The relatively short duration means you have flexibility if you decide to depart later in the day.
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 98.9 miles from Kenosha, WI, or about 2h into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 86.7 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 44 miles or 57m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 98.9 miles or 2h in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 12m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Keshena, WI than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Kenosha, 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 Kenosha, WI
This is one driving day of about 197.8 miles and 3h 56m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 44 miles from Kenosha, 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 43 for about 86.7 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 14
5 decision points cluster between mile 1 and 155.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
1 mi into trip|~2m in|CTH S / Washington Road
Turn left onto CTH S / Washington Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
5
7.8 mi into trip|~15m in
Take the ramp toward I 41 North, I 94 West
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 41 North, I 94 West
8
30.8 mi into trip|~40m in|I 94 / North-South Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 94 / North-South Freeway toward I 43 North, I 94 West: Milwaukee
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 43 North, I 94 West: Milwaukee
6
155.1 mi into trip|~3h 3m in
Take the exit toward I 41 North, WI 29 North, WI 32 North: Wausau
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 168B; 168C
Toward I 41 North, WI 29 North, WI 32 North: Wa...
6
155.7 mi into trip|~3h 4m in|WI 32 North
Keep slight right at fork onto WI 32 North toward WI 29 West, WI 32 North: Wausau
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward WI 29 West, WI 32 North: Wausau
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$32.89 one way
$65.77 round trip
$4.22/gal25.4 MPG avg69 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.60
$35.82
$71.64
premium
$5.18
$40.36
$80.72
diesel
$5.35
$41.66
$83.33
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$33
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$58–$83
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 69.2 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $21 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
59.3
0
$20.77
$9.49
Efficient EV
49.5
0
$17.31
$7.91
EV Truck/SUV
79.1
0
$27.69
$12.66
Gas CO2
69 kg
EV CO2
23 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.
Forecast as of Jun 2, 2026
Origin
Kenosha, WI
Afternoon
in Kenosha on Wednesday
Local time
2:53 PM
CDT
Current temp
67°F
Sunny
NE 10 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Keshena, WI
Afternoon
in Keshena on Wednesday
Local time
2:53 PM
CDT
Current temp
80°F
Sunny
ESE 7 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
13 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 56m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is mostly highway, with 93% of the route on major roads. You'll experience an 86.7-mile stretch on I 43 before transitioning to surface roads. Expect a consistent cruising experience for the majority of the trip, with fewer turns and quicker travel times on the main freeways.
93% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
28 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 86.7 mi on I 43.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 43 and WI 29. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1 miles in near CTH S / Washington Road.
Driving Effort7/10
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 197.8 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 1 miles (CTH S / Washington Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 7.8 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 30.8 miles (I 94 / North-South Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Kenosha is Wisconsin's fourth largest city. It is in the state's southeast region. Many of its residents commute to jobs elsewhere, leading to its appellation as "Chicago's northernmost suburb."
Top landmarks
•Kenosha County Courthouse and Jail — prison in Kenosha, United States of America
•Kenosha Light — lighthouse in Wisconsin, United States
•Kenosha North Pier Light — lighthouse in Wisconsin, United States
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 56m. Total distance: 197.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 56m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (93%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 86.7 miles on I 43. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 13 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 Keshena, 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 13 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 1 miles (CTH S / Washington Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 7.8 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 30.8 miles (I 94 / North-South Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Possible but tiring. At 3.9 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 7.9 hours — manageable with a long break at Keshena, WI, but most travelers stay overnight.
