Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Oct 23, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
2h 52m
Distance
132.7 mi
214 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$22
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
North La Crosse, WI
Wikimedia Commons
Ripon, WI
Tom Fisk
North La Crosse, WI to Ripon, WI is 132.7 miles and takes about 2h 52m via I 90 and State Highway 23, with a fuel budget near $18 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Wisconsin, moving you across the Midwest region. Expect a route that's primarily highway driving, making for a straightforward and efficient trip. With only one recommended stop and a short duration, this is a very manageable drive for a single day.
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
66.4 miles from North La Crosse, WI
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 12m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 90 | 51.9 mi | 55m |
| State Highway 82 | 28.3 mi | 42m |
| State Highway 23 | 16 mi | 23m |
| US 53 | 14 mi | 15m |
| State Highway 23 & 73 | 9.5 mi | 13m |
| State Highway 23 & 49 | 3.4 mi | 4m |
| West Fond du Lac Street | 2.2 mi | 4m |
| Underwood Avenue | 1.8 mi | 2m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 40 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~1,150 veh/hr typical · worst 1,716
Quietest
1 AM
~137 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
8.4×
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 North La Crosse, WI and Ripon, WI.
Start on US 53; CTH B
Take the exit onto US 53
Continue on I 90
Take the exit
Turn left onto State Highway 82
Continue on State Highway 82
At end of road, turn left onto State Highway 82
Continue on WI 82
Continue on WI 82
Continue on WI 82
Continue on State Highway 23
Continue on WI 23
Continue on WI 23; CTH C
Continue on WI 22; WI 23; CTH C
Continue on WI 23
Continue on WI 23
Turn right onto WI 73; CTH J
Turn right onto WI 23; WI 73; CTH D
Continue on WI 23; WI 73
Continue on WI 23; WI 49
Continue on WI 23; WI 49
Continue on WI 23; WI 49
At end of road, turn right onto WI 23; WI 49; CTH E
Turn left onto WI 23; WI 49; CTH E
Turn left
Arrive at destination
For this 2h 52m drive, leaving mid-morning is a good plan, allowing for a relaxed start and arriving in Ripon with plenty of afternoon daylight. Given the short distance, you have flexibility with stops; consider a brief break around the halfway point. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, as the $18 estimated cost suggests a fairly direct run with fewer amenities. A specific tip: the transition from I 90 to State Highway 23 is a key point to be aware of as you approach Portage, WI.
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.
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 29 miles or 32m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 66.4 miles or 1h 12m 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 15m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Ripon, WI than in the middle of the route.
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 132.7 miles and 2h 52m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
66 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 29 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 66.4 miles from North La Crosse, WI, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
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 67.1 and 132.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Take the exit toward WI 82: Mauston, Oxford
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
At end of road, turn left onto State Highway 82
Navigation decision point
At end of road, turn right onto WI 23; WI 49; CTH E / Blackburn Street
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
Turn left onto WI 23; WI 49; CTH E / East Fond du Lac Street
Navigation decision point
Turn left
Navigation decision point
Regular Gas
$22.14 one way
$44.27 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.62 | $24.15 | $48.30 |
| premium | $5.25 | $27.44 | $54.89 |
| diesel | $6.28 | $32.79 | $65.58 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$22
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$47–$72
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 46.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-19.
Driving Electric?
About $14 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 39.8 | 0 | $13.93 | $6.37 |
| Efficient EV | 33.2 | 0 | $11.61 | $5.31 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 53.1 | 0 | $18.58 | $8.49 |
Gas CO2
46 kg
EV CO2
16 kg (65% 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
Late night in North La Crosse on Friday
Local time
1:34 AM
CDT
Current temp
66°F
Mostly Sunny
Destination
Late night in Ripon on Friday
Local time
1:34 AM
CDT
Current temp
65°F
Sunny
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 about 93% of your time on highways, covering 132.7 miles in under 3 hours. The longest continuous stretch you'll encounter is 51.9 miles on I 90. Transitioning from the interstate to State Highway 23 near Portage, WI marks the shift to more rural cruising. The majority of your time will be spent on high-speed, limited-access roads.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 90 and State Highway 82. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes around 67.1 miles in.
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from North La Crosse, WI to Ripon, WI is easy. At 2h 52m with 93% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 67.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 67.6 miles (State Highway 82): Navigation decision point; at 132.5 miles (WI 23; WI 49; CTH E / Blackburn Street): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
673 ft
Total Descent
388 ft
Highest Point
1,020 ft
~85.3 mi in
Elevation Range
372 ft
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 Ripon, WI, road signs begin pointing toward Oxford along the way.
Oxford
Founded 1842
Top landmarks
Founded 1849
Ripon is a town in Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin, United States. Ripon is a town steeped in history. It is the official birthplace of the Republican Party in the United States, and was a hotbed of idealistic thought in the 19th Century. The nearby settlement of Ceresco was a communal experiment that ultimately failed, leading to Ceresco being absorbed by the town of Ripon in 1851. Unsurprisingly, Ripon was a strongly abolitionist enclave. These days, Ripon hosts Ripon College and the Little White Schoolhouse, the latter of which is the place where the Republican Party was created.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 52m. Total distance: 132.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 52m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (93%). 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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