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Trip from Lake Delton, WI to Merrimac, WI

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

37m

Distance

23.7 mi

38 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$4

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 9 min
4 AM
0h 34m ★
6 AM
0h 37m
8 AM
0h 43m
10 AM
0h 39m
12 PM
0h 39m
3 PM
0h 40m
5 PM
0h 43m
8 PM
0h 35m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

village in Sauk County, Wisconsin, United States

Lake Delton, WI

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Merrimac, WI, WI

Merrimac, WI

Tom Fisk

Trip Overview

Lake Delton to Merrimac is 23.7 miles and takes about 37 minutes via Wisconsin Dells Parkway South, with a fuel budget near $4 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within Wisconsin, connecting two points in the Midwest. The drive is primarily on highways, making it a straightforward connection between these two locations. It’s a good option if you’re looking for a quick transit with minimal hassle, allowing you to maximize your time at your destination. Expect a fairly direct journey without significant detours.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Wisconsin Dells Parkway South 9.3 mi 12m
State Highway 136 3.1 mi 5m
State Highway 113 2.3 mi 4m
County Highway DL 2.3 mi 4m
State Road 113 2.1 mi 3m
State Road 78 and 113 1.9 mi 2m
Main Street 0.9 mi 1m
Wisconsin Dells Parkway North 0.8 mi 1m
Longest stretch: Wisconsin Dells Parkway South — 9.3 mi, about 12m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Lake Delton, WI and Merrimac, WI.

1

Start on West Lake Avenue

64 ft · 7 sec · West Lake Avenue
2

Turn right onto US 12; WI 23

0.8 mi · 1 min · Wisconsin Dells Parkway North
3

Turn left onto US 12

9.3 mi · 12 min · Wisconsin Dells Parkway South
Use the straight lane.
4

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 42 sec
5

Enter roundabout onto CTH W

260 ft · 5 sec · County Highway W
6

Continue on CTH W

356 ft · 7 sec · County Highway W
7

Enter roundabout onto US 12 BUS; CTH W

124 ft · 2 sec · South Boulevard West
8

Continue on US 12 BUS; CTH W

0.4 mi · 46 sec · South Boulevard West
9

Turn right onto WI 136

1.5 mi · 2 min · State Highway 136
10

Continue on WI 136

1.3 mi · 2 min · State Highway 136
11

Continue on WI 136; CTH DL

0.3 mi · 36 sec · State Highway 136
12

Continue on CTH DL

2.3 mi · 4 min · County Highway DL
13

At end of road, turn right onto WI 113; CTH DL

2.3 mi · 4 min · State Highway 113
14

Continue on WI 113

2.1 mi · 3 min · State Road 113
15

At end of road, turn left onto WI 78; WI 113

1.9 mi · 2 min · State Road 78 and 113
16

Continue on WI 78; WI 113

0.9 mi · 1 min · Main Street
17

Turn left onto School Street

77 ft · 3 sec · School Street
18

Arrive at destination

School Street

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 9

5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 20.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

4
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | US 12; WI 23 / Wisconsin Dells Parkway North

Turn right onto US 12; WI 23 / Wisconsin Dells Parkway North

Navigation decision point

5
10.5 mi into trip | ~15m in | CTH W / County Highway W

Enter roundabout onto CTH W / County Highway W

Roundabout - know your exit number before entering

5
10.6 mi into trip | ~15m in | US 12 BUS; CTH W / South Boulevard West

Enter roundabout onto US 12 BUS; CTH W / South Boulevard West

Roundabout - know your exit number before entering

5
16.4 mi into trip | ~26m in | WI 113; CTH DL / State Highway 113

At end of road, turn right onto WI 113; CTH DL / State Highway 113

Navigation decision point

5
20.9 mi into trip | ~33m in | WI 78; WI 113 / State Road 78 and 113

At end of road, turn left onto WI 78; WI 113 / State Road 78 and 113

Navigation decision point

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$3.71 one way

$7.41 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 8 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $4.07 $8.14
premium $4.89 $4.56 $9.12
diesel $5.61 $5.23 $10.47

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$4

Estimated CO2 emission: 8.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 7.1 0 $2.49 $1.14
Efficient EV 5.9 0 $2.07 $0.95
EV Truck/SUV 9.5 0 $3.32 $1.52

Gas CO2

8 kg

EV CO2

3 kg (63% 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 Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Lake Delton, WI

Late night in Lake Delton on Sunday

Local time

5:27 AM

CDT

Current temp

69°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Merrimac, WI

Late night in Merrimac on Sunday

Local time

5:27 AM

CDT

Current temp

69°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

Very similar conditions

Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.

Road read

37m 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 largely highway-focused, with 66% of the drive utilizing major roads. You'll experience a 9.3-mile stretch on Wisconsin Dells Parkway South, offering a sustained period on a well-maintained road. The road profile suggests a drive that balances efficiency with the feel of open highway. Expect smooth transitions as you move between Wisconsin Dells Parkway South, State Highway 136, and State Highway 113. The overall character is one of steady progress rather than winding backroads.

66% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 9.3 mi on Wisconsin Dells Parkway South.

How Hard Is This Drive?

4/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Wisconsin Dells Parkway South and State Highway 136. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 12; WI 23 / Wisconsin Dells Parkway North.

Driving Effort 4/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a straightforward 37m drive. You will face about 9 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 12; WI 23 / Wisconsin Dells Parkway North): Navigation decision point; at 10.5 miles (CTH W / County Highway W): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 10.6 miles (US 12 BUS; CTH W / South Boulevard West): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 37m. Total distance: 23.7 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

37m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (66%). Straightforward navigation.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 9.3 miles on Wisconsin Dells Parkway South. 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 12; WI 23 / Wisconsin Dells Parkway North): Navigation decision point; at 10.5 miles (CTH W / County Highway W): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 10.6 miles (US 12 BUS; CTH W / South Boulevard West): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.

Yes — Ice Age National Scenic Trail. 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 Merrimac, 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, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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Explore more options from Lake Delton, WI or browse trips ending in Merrimac, WI.

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