Origin
Kenosha, WI
Morning in Kenosha on Tuesday
Local time
7:25 AM
CDT
Current temp
57°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Kenosha, WI to Lake Ripley, WI
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
2h 1m
Distance
79 mi
127 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$12
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 53m
★
6 AM
2h 1m
8 AM
2h 19m
10 AM
2h 7m
12 PM
2h 6m
3 PM
2h 8m
5 PM
2h 18m
8 PM
1h 56m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Kenosha, WI
Wikimedia Commons
Lake Ripley, WI
Tom Fisk
Trip Overview
Kenosha, WI to Lake Ripley, WI is 79 miles and takes about 2h 1m via Iron Brigade Memorial Highway and State Highway 50, with a fuel budget near $12 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Wisconsin, connecting two points in the Midwest region. Expect a drive that's mostly on surface roads, making it a straightforward excursion. Given its short duration and manageable cost, this route is ideal for a day trip or an easy leg of a longer journey.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
39.5 miles from Kenosha, WI
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 57m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Iron Brigade Memorial Highway | 17.3 mi | 25m |
| 75th Street | 13.9 mi | 21m |
| State Highway 50 | 12.6 mi | 18m |
| Madison Avenue | 8.1 mi | 13m |
| North Wisconsin Street | 5.4 mi | 8m |
| Stephen Ambrose Memorial Highway | 3.8 mi | 5m |
| Geneva Road | 2.3 mi | 3m |
| Roosevelt Road | 1.2 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
Iron Brigade Memorial Highway
— 17.3 mi, about 25m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Kenosha, WI and Lake Ripley, WI.
1
Start on 56th Street
265 ft
·
9 sec
·
56th Street
2
Turn left onto WI 32
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Sheridan Road
Use the straight lane.
3
Turn right onto WI 50
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
63rd Street
4
Turn slight left onto WI 50
320 ft
·
7 sec
·
State Highway 50
5
Continue on WI 50
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Roosevelt Road
6
Continue on WI 50
2.6 mi
·
4 min
·
State Highway 50
7
Continue on WI 50
14 mi
·
21 min
·
75th Street
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
8
Continue on WI 50; WI 83
2.3 mi
·
3 min
·
Geneva Road
Use the straight lane.
9
Continue on WI 50
10.0 mi
·
13 min
·
State Highway 50
Use the straight lane.
10
Take the exit
11 mi
·
12 min
11
Take the exit
97 ft
·
3 sec
Toward WI 67 South: Elkhorn
12
Turn right onto North Wisconsin Street
5.4 mi
·
8 min
·
North Wisconsin Street
13
Continue on US 12; WI 67
9.3 mi
·
13 min
·
Iron Brigade Memorial Highway
Use the straight lane.
14
Continue on US 12; WI 59
3.8 mi
·
5 min
·
Stephen Ambrose Memorial Highway
Use the straight lane.
15
Continue on US 12; WI 89
7.9 mi
·
12 min
·
Iron Brigade Memorial Highway
16
Continue on US 12; WI 89
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
South Main Street
17
Turn left onto US 12; WI 26 Business
8.1 mi
·
13 min
·
Madison Avenue
18
Continue on US 12; CTH A
0.3 mi
·
27 sec
·
US 12; CTH A
19
Turn right onto CTH A
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
County Road A
20
Continue on CTH A
0.3 mi
·
46 sec
·
County Road A
21
Turn left onto Ripley Road
1.0 mi
·
3 min
·
Ripley Road
22
Turn right onto Ripley Road
307 ft
·
22 sec
·
Ripley Road
23
Arrive at destination
Ripley Road
Trip Plan
Given the 2-hour drive time, you can easily complete this route in a single day, leaving ample flexibility for your schedule. Consider departing in the morning to maximize daylight and allow for spontaneous stops if you find something interesting. The fuel cost is estimated at $12, so ensure you have enough gas before you leave Kenosha, as there are no designated stops on this route. The longest stretch without a major road change is 17.3 miles, so plan accordingly for any necessary refueling or rest breaks.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 39.5 miles from Kenosha, WI, or about 57m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 17.3 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 17 miles or 28m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 39.5 miles or 57m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 38m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Lake Ripley, 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 79 miles and 2h 1m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 17 miles from Kenosha, WI.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Iron Brigade Memorial Highway for about 17.3 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
40 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 17 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 39.5 miles from Kenosha, 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 0.1 and 78.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
WI 32 / Sheridan Road
Turn left onto WI 32 / Sheridan Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
3
0.5 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
WI 50 / 63rd Street
Turn right onto WI 50 / 63rd Street
Navigation decision point
4
41.9 mi into trip
|
~1h in
Take the exit toward WI 67 South: Elkhorn
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward WI 67 South: Elkhorn
4
77.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 57m in
|
Ripley Road
Turn left onto Ripley Road
Navigation decision point
4
78.9 mi into trip
|
~2h in
|
Ripley Road
Turn right onto Ripley Road
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$12.35 one way
$24.70 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
28 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $13.56 | $27.12 |
| premium | $4.89 | $15.20 | $30.41 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $17.44 | $34.88 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$12
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$37–$62
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 27.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 23.7 | 0 | $8.30 | $3.79 |
| Efficient EV | 19.8 | 0 | $6.91 | $3.16 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 31.6 | 0 | $11.06 | $5.06 |
Gas CO2
28 kg
EV CO2
9 kg (68% 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
Lake Ripley, WI
Morning in Lake Ripley on Tuesday
Local time
7:25 AM
CDT
Current temp
63°F
Unavailable
Live 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
6 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
2h 1m 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 drive is primarily on surface roads, with only 16% of the route utilizing highways. You'll spend the majority of your time navigating local streets and state highways. The longest continuous stretch on a main road is 17.3 miles on Iron Brigade Memorial Highway. Be prepared for more frequent intersections and varied speed limits as you transition from highway driving to surface roads.
Only 16% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
23 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 17.3 mi on Iron Brigade Memorial Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near WI 32 / Sheridan Road.
Driving Effort
5/10
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 79 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: at 0.1 miles (WI 32 / Sheridan Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.5 miles (WI 50 / 63rd Street): Navigation decision point; at 41.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
About the Cities
Starting in Kenosha, WI
Full guide →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."
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 1m. Total distance: 79 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 1m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (16%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 17.3 miles on Iron Brigade Memorial Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (WI 32 / Sheridan Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.5 miles (WI 50 / 63rd Street): Navigation decision point; at 41.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Lake Ripley, 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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