North La Crosse, WI to Colfax, WI is 105.1 miles and takes about 2h 23m via State Highway 93 and US 53, with a fuel budget near $16 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Wisconsin, traversing the Midwest region. Expect a predominantly highway experience for most of this relatively short drive. It's a straightforward option if you're looking for a quick hop between points in western Wisconsin without much fuss.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
52.6 miles from North La Crosse, WI
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 13m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
State Highway 93
34.7 mi
48m
US 53
24.8 mi
32m
I 94
16.3 mi
17m
State Highway 93 / 121
15.3 mi
20m
State Highway 40
7.8 mi
10m
Osseo Road
1.5 mi
2m
Rose Street
1.2 mi
2m
US 12
1 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
State Highway 93
— 34.7 mi, about 48m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between North La Crosse, WI and Colfax, WI.
1
Start on US 53; CTH B
1.2 mi·2 min·Rose Street
2
Take the exit onto US 53
1.3 mi·1 min·US 53
3
Take the exit onto US 53
0.2 mi·29 sec·US 53
Toward US 53 North, WI 157: La Crosse, Onalaska
4
Keep slight left at fork onto US 53
23 mi·29 min·US 53
5
Continue on WI 93
21 mi·29 min·State Highway 93
6
Continue on WI 93
0.1 mi·18 sec·Diagonal Street
7
Continue on WI 93
0.3 mi·59 sec·Burrows Road
8
Continue on WI 93; CTH Q
0.2 mi·41 sec·Washington Street
9
Continue on WI 93
1.5 mi·2 min·Osseo Road
10
Continue on WI 93; WI 121
15 mi·20 min·State Highway 93 / 121
11
Continue on WI 93
0.3 mi·52 sec·Main Street South
12
Turn straight onto WI 93
0.3 mi·43 sec·Lake Park Drive
13
Continue on WI 93
13 mi·18 min·State Highway 93
14
Turn left
0.4 mi·50 sec
Toward I 94
15
Merge onto I 94
16 mi·17 min·I 94
16
Take the exit
0.3 mi·41 sec
Exit 52Toward US 12, WI 29, WI 40: Colfax, Elk Mound
17
At end of road, turn left onto US 12; WI 29
0.7 mi·57 sec·US 12; WI 29
18
Take the exit onto US 12
0.3 mi·44 sec·US 12
Exit 61Toward US 12 East, WI 40 North: Colfax, Elk Mound
19
Continue on US 12
7.8 mi·10 min·State Highway 40
20
Continue on WI 40
0.5 mi·1 min·Main Street
21
Arrive at destination
WI 40
Trip Plan
Given the 2h 23m duration, this route is easily manageable in a single day, so you can leave whenever is most convenient. With only 105.1 miles, you won't need to rush stops, but there are no specific stops noted, so plan to refuel before you leave North La Crosse if your tank is low. The fuel cost is estimated at around $16, which is quite affordable. Keep an eye out for the transition from State Highway 93 to US 53, as this is where the highway feel begins.
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 52.6 miles from North La Crosse, WI, or about 1h 13m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 34.7 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 23 miles or 31m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 52.6 miles or 1h 13m 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 58m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Colfax, WI than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving North 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 North La Crosse, WI
This is one driving day of about 105.1 miles and 2h 23m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 23 miles from North La Crosse, WI.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on State Highway 93 for about 34.7 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 8
5 decision points cluster between mile 2.6 and 96.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
2.6 mi into trip|~4m in|US 53
Take the exit onto US 53 toward US 53 North, WI 157: La Crosse, Onalaska
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 53 North, WI 157: La Crosse, Onalaska
4
2.8 mi into trip|~5m in|US 53
Keep slight left at fork onto US 53
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
4
78.9 mi into trip|~1h 50m in
Turn left toward I 94
Navigation decision point
Toward I 94
6
95.5 mi into trip|~2h 8m in
Take the exit toward US 12, WI 29, WI 40: Colfax, Elk Mound
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 52
Toward US 12, WI 29, WI 40: Colfax, Elk Mound
6
96.6 mi into trip|~2h 10m in|US 12
Take the exit onto US 12 toward US 12 East, WI 40 North: Colfax, Elk Mound
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 61
Toward US 12 East, WI 40 North: Colfax, Elk Mou...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$16.43 one way
$32.86 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg37 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$18.04
$36.08
premium
$4.89
$20.23
$40.45
diesel
$5.61
$23.20
$46.41
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$16
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$41–$66
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 36.8 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $11 in charging
· 0 stops
· 68% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
31.5
0
$11.04
$5.04
Efficient EV
26.3
0
$9.20
$4.20
EV Truck/SUV
42
0
$14.71
$6.73
Gas CO2
37 kg
EV CO2
12 kg (68% 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 19, 2026
Origin
North La Crosse, WI
Late night
in North La Crosse on Sunday
Local time
3:05 AM
CDT
Current temp
57°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Colfax, WI
Late night
in Colfax on Sunday
Local time
3:05 AM
CDT
Current temp
42°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
68°F
Whitehall, WI
53 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
15 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
2h 23m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
You'll spend about 95% of this 105.1-mile trip on highways. The longest continuous stretch on a single highway is 34.7 miles on State Highway 93. After that, you'll transition to US 53 and then I-94, which will feel like a typical interstate cruise with a steady flow of traffic and frequent exits. The final portion of the drive will involve some surface road cruising as you approach Colfax.
95% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
21 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 34.7 mi on State Highway 93.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on State Highway 93 and US 53. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 2.6 miles in near US 53.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 2h 23m 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 2.6 miles (US 53): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.8 miles (US 53): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 78.9 miles: Navigation decision point.
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 North La Crosse, WI to Colfax, WI, road signs begin pointing toward Elk Mound along the way.
Elk Mound
95.5 mi in|~2h 8m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 23m. Total distance: 105.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
The longest stretch is about 34.7 miles on State Highway 93. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 4 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
The main spots that need attention: at 2.6 miles (US 53): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.8 miles (US 53): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 78.9 miles: Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Colfax, WI before heading back.
