Milwaukee to Lowville is 91.5 miles and takes about 1 hour 47 minutes via East-West Freeway and US Highway 51, with a fuel budget near $14 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Wisconsin, traversing the Midwest region. Given its relatively short length and primarily highway profile, it's a straightforward drive. You'll likely find it a convenient option for a quick trip where minimal travel time is the priority.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
45.7 miles from Milwaukee, WI
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 53m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
East-West Freeway
70.9 mi
1h 19m
US Highway 51
10.3 mi
14m
I 94
5.6 mi
5m
State Highway 22
3.5 mi
4m
North Jackson Street
0.2 mi
<1m
East Wisconsin Avenue
0.1 mi
<1m
County Road CS
<0.1 mi
<1m
North Milwaukee Street
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
East-West Freeway
— 70.9 mi, about 1h 19m
Traffic on I-94
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 232 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~3,835 veh/hr typical
· worst 4,529
Quietest
2 AM
~228 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
16.8×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
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Averaged across 104 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Milwaukee, WI and Lowville, WI.
1
Start on US 18; WI 32
45 ft·8 sec·North Milwaukee Street
2
Turn left onto East Wisconsin Avenue
0.1 mi·25 sec·East Wisconsin Avenue
3
Turn right onto North Jackson Street
0.2 mi·29 sec·North Jackson Street
4
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·28 sec
Toward I 794 WestUse the straight / slight right / right lanes.
5
Merge onto I 794
0.2 mi·21 sec·East-West Freeway
6
Continue on I 794
17 mi·21 min·East-West Freeway
Exit 1AToward I 94 West: MadisonUse the straight / slight left lanes.
7
Keep slight left at fork onto I 94
54 mi·57 min·East-West Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight right at fork onto I 94
5.6 mi·5 min·I 94
Exit 240Toward I 39 North, I 90 West, I 94 West: Wisconsin Dells, Eau ClaireUse the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi·31 sec
Exit 132Toward US 51, I 39 Alternate: Madison, De ForestUse the slight right lane.
10
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi·17 sec
Toward US-51 NORTH: DeForestUse the left / right lanes.
11
Merge onto US 51; CTH CV
10 mi·14 min·US Highway 51
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Enter roundabout onto WI 22
115 ft·1 sec·State Highway 22
13
Continue on WI 22
3.5 mi·4 min·State Highway 22
14
Turn right onto CTH CS
248 ft·6 sec·County Road CS
15
Arrive at destination
CTH CS
Trip Plan
Since this is a short, one-day drive, you have a lot of flexibility with your departure time. Leaving Milwaukee in the morning will get you to Lowville with plenty of daylight remaining. With a drive time under two hours and a fuel cost around $14, there's no need to split the drive. You won't need to worry about extensive stops, but keep an eye out for rest areas along US Highway 51 if needed. The minimal surface road time means you can focus on maintaining your speed on the main routes.
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 45.7 miles from Milwaukee, WI, or about 53m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 70.9 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 20 miles or 25m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 45.7 miles or 53m 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 24m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Lowville, WI than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Milwaukee, WI so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Milwaukee, WI
This is one driving day of about 91.5 miles and 1h 47m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 20 miles from Milwaukee, WI.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on East-West Freeway for about 70.9 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 12
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.3 and 77.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.3 mi into trip|~1m in
Take the ramp toward I 794 West
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right / right lanes.
Toward I 794 West
6
18 mi into trip|~23m in|I 94 / East-West Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 94 / East-West Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
71.5 mi into trip|~1h 21m in|I 94
Keep slight right at fork onto I 94 toward I 39 North, I 90 West, I 94 West: Wisconsin Dells, Eau Claire
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 240
Toward I 39 North, I 90 West, I 94 West: Wiscon...
8
77.1 mi into trip|~1h 27m in
Take the exit toward US 51, I 39 Alternate: Madison, De Forest
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 132
Toward US 51, I 39 Alternate: Madison, De Fores...
8
77.4 mi into trip|~1h 27m in
Keep slight right at fork toward US-51 NORTH: DeForest
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / right lanes.
Toward US-51 NORTH: DeForest
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$14.19 one way
$28.37 round trip
$3.94/gal25.4 MPG avg32 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.32
$15.56
$31.11
premium
$4.93
$17.75
$35.50
diesel
$5.60
$20.17
$40.34
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$14
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$39–$64
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 32 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $10 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
27.5
0
$9.61
$4.39
Efficient EV
22.9
0
$8.01
$3.66
EV Truck/SUV
36.6
0
$12.81
$5.86
Gas CO2
32 kg
EV CO2
11 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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Forecast as of Sep 1, 2026
Origin
Milwaukee, WI
Night
in Milwaukee on Wednesday
Local time
10:42 PM
CDT
Current temp
89°F
Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
SW 5 to 10 mph17% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Lowville, WI
Night
in Lowville on Wednesday
Local time
10:42 PM
CDT
Current temp
88°F
Chance Rain Showers
SW 5 mph11% chanceLive forecast
82°F
Concord, WI
46 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
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
1 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 47m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is almost entirely highway, with a 99% highway share. You'll experience a longest stretch of 70.9 miles on the East-West Freeway before encountering any significant changes. Expect consistent cruising with a high percentage of time spent on major thoroughfares. The transition from the main highway to any surface roads will be minimal, likely occurring only as you approach your final destination.
99% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 70.9 mi on East-West Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on East-West Freeway and US Highway 51. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.3 miles in.
Driving Effort8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 91.5 miles you will encounter 12 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 0.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 18 miles (I 94 / East-West Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 71.5 miles (I 94): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
1,023 ft615 ft
Total Climb
600 ft
Total Descent
237 ft
Highest Point
1,023 ft
~71.9 mi in
Elevation Range
408 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Milwaukee, WI and Lowville, WI, road signs point toward Eau Claire and De Forest.
Milwaukee is the largest city in the state of Wisconsin, United States. The city celebrates its heritage as a major center for beer-brewing, and of it German and Polish communities. It is now known for its many festivals.
The city's population is about 600,000 with about 1.6 million in the metropolitan area (2019). It is in the southeastern portion of the state on the western shore of Lake Michigan.
Top landmarks
•Milwaukee Art Museum — art museum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
•Milwaukee City Hall — municipal office in E. Wells St. Milwaukee, United States
•Basilica of St. Josaphat — church building in Milwaukee, United States of America
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 47m. Total distance: 91.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 47m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (99%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 70.9 miles on East-West Freeway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Lowville, WI before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
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 0.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 18 miles (I 94 / East-West Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 71.5 miles (I 94): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Lowville, WI before heading back.
