Origin
Leon, WI
Late night in Leon on Tuesday
Local time
4:10 AM
CDT
Current temp
61°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Leon, WI to La Crosse, 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
40m
Distance
29.4 mi
47 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 37m
★
6 AM
0h 41m
8 AM
0h 48m
10 AM
0h 43m
12 PM
0h 43m
3 PM
0h 44m
5 PM
0h 47m
8 PM
0h 39m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Leon, WI
Mike Norris
La Crosse, WI
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 29.4-mile journey from Leon to La Crosse, Wisconsin, is a quick 40-minute drive that's perfect for a day trip. Primarily utilizing I-90, with brief stints on WI-16 and State Highway 27, the route offers a straightforward Midwest passage. With an estimated fuel cost of just $5, this drive is very budget-friendly. You'll find it's a convenient option for a short excursion, allowing for flexibility in your schedule without the need for an overnight stay. Plan for a minimal amount of time on the road, making it easy to fit into any itinerary.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 90 | 18.4 mi | 19m |
| WI 16 | 4.9 mi | 8m |
| State Highway 27 | 2.8 mi | 3m |
| 16th Street South | 0.8 mi | 2m |
| Main Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Losey Boulevard North | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| South Black River Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Johnson Street | 0.3 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
I 90
— 18.4 mi, about 19m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Leon, WI and La Crosse, WI.
1
Start on WI 27
2.8 mi
·
3 min
·
State Highway 27
2
Continue on WI 27
0.4 mi
·
36 sec
·
South Black River Street
3
Turn left
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
4
Merge onto I 90
18 mi
·
19 min
·
I 90
5
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
Exit 5
Toward WI 16: La Crosse, Onalaska
6
At end of road, turn left onto WI 16
4.9 mi
·
8 min
·
WI 16
7
Continue on Losey Boulevard North
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Losey Boulevard North
8
Turn right onto CTH F
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Main Street
9
Turn left onto 16th Street South
0.8 mi
·
2 min
·
16th Street South
10
Turn right onto Johnson Street
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Johnson Street
11
At end of road, turn right onto WI 35
326 ft
·
11 sec
·
West Avenue South
12
Arrive at destination
WI 35
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 85 decision points cluster between mile 3.1 and 29.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
3.1 mi into trip
|
~4m in
Turn left
Navigation decision point
6
21.9 mi into trip
|
~24m in
Take the exit toward WI 16: La Crosse, Onalaska
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 5
Toward WI 16: La Crosse, Onalaska
4
27.5 mi into trip
|
~35m in
|
CTH F / Main Street
Turn right onto CTH F / Main Street
Navigation decision point
4
29 mi into trip
|
~39m in
|
Johnson Street
Turn right onto Johnson Street
Navigation decision point
5
29.3 mi into trip
|
~40m in
|
WI 35 / West Avenue South
At end of road, turn right onto WI 35 / West Avenue South
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.60 one way
$9.19 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
10 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $5.05 | $10.09 |
| premium | $4.89 | $5.66 | $11.32 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.49 | $12.98 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8.8 | 0 | $3.09 | $1.41 |
| Efficient EV | 7.4 | 0 | $2.57 | $1.18 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 11.8 | 0 | $4.12 | $1.88 |
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (70% 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
La Crosse, WI
Late night in La Crosse on Tuesday
Local time
4:10 AM
CDT
Current temp
77°F
Partly Sunny then Showers And Thunderstorms
S 8 to 16 mph
90% chance
Live forecast
Severe Thunderstorm Warning
Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued April 17 at 10:10AM CDT until April 17 at 11:00AM CDT by NWS Twin Cities/Chanhassen M...
Severe Thunderstorm Watch
Severe Thunderstorm Watch issued April 17 at 9:38AM CDT until April 17 at 5:00PM CDT by NWS Duluth MN
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
16 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
40m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is overwhelmingly focused on highway travel, with 89% of the route on high-speed roads. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 18.4 miles on I-90, allowing for a consistent pace. You'll experience a highway-centric profile for most of the journey, meaning you can expect efficient travel with fewer opportunities for spontaneous stops. The shift from I-90 to local state highways like WI-16 and State Highway 27 will be brief, maintaining a generally fast-paced driving experience.
89% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 18.4 mi on I 90.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 90 and WI 16. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 3.1 miles in.
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 40m 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 3.1 miles: Navigation decision point; at 21.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 27.5 miles (CTH F / Main Street): Navigation decision point.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Leon, WI to La Crosse, WI, road signs begin pointing toward Onalaska along the way.
Onalaska
21.9 mi in
|
~24m
About the Cities
Arriving in La Crosse, WI
Full guide →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
- • St. Rose of Viterbo Convent — historic church in Wisconsin, United States
- • La Crosse station — train station in La Crosse, Wisconsin, US
- • Christ Episcopal Church — church building in Wisconsin, United States of America
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 40m. Total distance: 29.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
40m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (89%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 18.4 miles on I 90. 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: at 3.1 miles: Navigation decision point; at 21.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 27.5 miles (CTH F / Main Street): Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at La Crosse, 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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