Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 7, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
3h 38m
Distance
177 mi
285 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$27
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
Taycheedah, WI
Wikimedia Commons
La Crosse to Taycheedah is 177 miles and takes about 3h 38m via I 90 and WI 33, with a fuel budget near $28 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Wisconsin, moving from the Midwest region to another part of the Midwest. The majority of this trip is on major highways, making it a straightforward connection. It’s a manageable distance, ideal for a single-day excursion, especially if you're looking for a direct route between these two points.
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
88.5 miles from La Crosse, WI
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 42m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 90 | 99.6 mi | 1h 46m |
| WI 33 | 33.4 mi | 49m |
| US 151 | 29.3 mi | 35m |
| County Road C | 6 mi | 8m |
| WI 16 | 4.5 mi | 8m |
| Main Street | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| West Avenue South | 0.7 mi | 2m |
| County Road K | 0.6 mi | 1m |
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 Taycheedah, 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 CTH A; CTH C
Continue on CTH A; CTH C
Turn left onto CTH C
Take the ramp
Merge onto US 151
Take the exit
Turn left onto US 151
Turn straight onto US 151
Turn left onto CTH K
At end of road, turn right onto CTH WH
Turn right onto Calumet Street
Arrive at destination
Given the 3-hour 38-minute estimated drive time, starting your trip in the morning will give you ample time to reach Taycheedah without feeling rushed. With only one recommended stop and a highway-heavy profile, you have flexibility in when and where you choose to take a break. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially during the 99.6-mile stretch on I 90, as services can be more spread out on interstates. Your estimated fuel cost is around $28, so plan accordingly for gas stations along your route.
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.
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 39 miles or 49m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 88.5 miles or 1h 42m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 58m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Taycheedah, 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 177 miles and 3h 38m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
89 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 39 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 88.5 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 7.1 and 177 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
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
Take the exit toward US 151 North: Fond du Lac
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Turn right onto Calumet Street
Navigation decision point
Regular Gas
$27.44 one way
$54.88 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.32 | $30.09 | $60.18 |
| premium | $4.93 | $34.34 | $68.68 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $39.02 | $78.03 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$27
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$52–$77
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 61.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $19 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 53.1 | 0 | $18.59 | $8.50 |
| Efficient EV | 44.3 | 0 | $15.49 | $7.08 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 70.8 | 0 | $24.78 | $11.33 |
Gas CO2
62 kg
EV CO2
21 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
Night in La Crosse on Sunday
Local time
9:27 PM
CDT
Current temp
81°F
Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Rain Showers
Destination
Night in Taycheedah on Sunday
Local time
9:27 PM
CDT
Current temp
79°F
Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
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.
You'll spend 94% of your time on highways, with the longest uninterrupted stretch covering 99.6 miles on I 90. The transition to surface roads will occur after this highway segment, as you'll then navigate on WI 33 and US 151. Expect a consistent cruising feel for most of the drive, with a more local road experience as you approach your destination.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 90 and WI 33. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 7.1 miles in near I 90.
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 3h 38m drive. You will face about 14 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: 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; at 106.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
653 ft
Total Descent
566 ft
Highest Point
1,109 ft
~37.9 mi in
Elevation Range
440 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 Taycheedah, 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
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 38m. Total distance: 177 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 38m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (94%). 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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