Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Oct 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
2h 31m
Distance
125.2 mi
201 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$21
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
La Crosse, WI
Wikimedia Commons
Rio, WI
Bruno Scramgnon
La Crosse, WI to Rio, WI is 125 miles and takes about 2 hours 31 minutes via I 90 and WI 16, with a fuel budget near $19 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Wisconsin, moving from one part of the Midwest to another. It's a straightforward trip, primarily on major highways, making it a good option if you're looking for a simple, efficient connection between these two points. You'll spend most of your time on well-maintained roads, so it's a low-stress way to cover the distance.
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
62.6 miles from La Crosse, WI
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 14m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 90 | 99.6 mi | 1h 46m |
| State Highway 16 | 9.3 mi | 12m |
| WI 16 | 4.5 mi | 8m |
| WI 33 | 4 mi | 5m |
| US Highway 51 & State Highway 16 | 2.8 mi | 4m |
| West Wisconsin Street | 1.6 mi | 3m |
| Main Street | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| West Avenue South | 0.7 mi | 2m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 72 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~1,290 veh/hr typical · worst 1,940
Quietest
2 AM
~155 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
8.3×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 103 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between La Crosse, WI and Rio, WI.
Start on WI 35
Turn right
Turn straight onto CTH F
Turn left onto Losey Boulevard North
Continue on WI 16
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 90
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork
Turn straight onto WI 33
Turn right onto US 51; WI 16
Continue on US 51; WI 16
Turn left onto WI 16
Turn left onto Rio Street
Turn right onto Cemetery Road
Continue on West Harvey Street
Arrive at destination
Given the short duration of just over 2.5 hours, you have a lot of flexibility with your departure time. Leaving mid-morning could allow you to avoid peak commute traffic in any towns you pass through. The fuel cost is estimated at $19, so be sure to budget for that. With only one recommended stop, you can easily complete this drive without needing to break it up. Pay attention to the transition from I 90 to WI 16, as this is where the driving environment will change most significantly.
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.
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 28 miles or 37m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 62.6 miles or 1h 14m 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 57m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Rio, WI than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving La Crosse, 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 La Crosse, WI
This is one driving day of about 125.2 miles and 2h 31m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
63 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.
A short stop after about 28 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 62.6 miles from La Crosse, WI, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before I 90 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 99.6 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
5 decision points cluster between mile 1.7 and 115.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn left onto Losey Boulevard North
Navigation decision point
Merge onto I 90
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward WI 33: Portage, Baraboo
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Turn left onto WI 16 / State Highway 16
Navigation decision point
Regular Gas
$20.88 one way
$41.77 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $22.70 | $45.40 |
| premium | $5.26 | $25.92 | $51.84 |
| diesel | $6.18 | $30.46 | $60.91 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$21
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$46–$71
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 43.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-12.
Driving Electric?
About $13 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 37.6 | 0 | $13.15 | $6.01 |
| Efficient EV | 31.3 | 0 | $10.96 | $5.01 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 50.1 | 0 | $17.53 | $8.01 |
Gas CO2
44 kg
EV CO2
15 kg (66% 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Morning in La Crosse on Sunday
Local time
9:26 AM
CDT
Current temp
58°F
Widespread Frost then Sunny
Destination
Morning in Rio on Sunday
Local time
9:26 AM
CDT
Current temp
55°F
Sunny
52°F
Elroy, WI
63 mi in
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
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
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...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
This route is predominantly highway driving, with 96% of the trip on major roads. You'll experience a long stretch of 99.6 miles on I 90 before transitioning to surface roads. Expect to see many exits and potential for merging traffic on the interstate portion. The final miles will be on WI 16, likely offering a more rural cruising experience as you approach your destination.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 90 and State Highway 16. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 1.7 miles in near Losey Boulevard North.
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 2h 31m drive. You will face about 8 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.7 miles (Losey Boulevard North): Navigation decision point; at 7.1 miles (I 90): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 106.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
462 ft
Total Descent
199 ft
Highest Point
994 ft
~35.8 mi in
Elevation Range
326 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from La Crosse, WI to Rio, WI, road signs begin pointing toward Baraboo along the way.
Baraboo
Founded 1842
La Crosse is a city in the Coulee Region of Southwest Wisconsin on the Mississippi River. It is the county seat of La Crosse County. It's nestled between the river and picturesque bluffs that rise behind it. With a city population of around 50,000 and the metropolitan area just under 100,000, La Crosse offers visitors plenty of activities to do and sights to see, without the overwhelming hustle and bustle of bigger cities.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 31m. Total distance: 125.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 31m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (96%). Straightforward navigation.
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, NPS for national parks, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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