North La Crosse, WI to Sturtevant, WI is 231.2 miles and takes about 4h 19m via I 90 and I 94, with a fuel budget near $39 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Wisconsin, connecting two points in the Midwest region. Expect a straightforward drive primarily on major interstates, making it a convenient option for a quick transit between these two areas. It's a solid choice if you're looking for minimal fuss and a predictable travel time.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
115.6 miles from North La Crosse, WI
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 5m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 90
120.3 mi
2h 8m
I 94
64.2 mi
1h 9m
North-South Freeway
15.6 mi
17m
US 53
14 mi
15m
Airport Freeway
4.3 mi
5m
Zoo Freeway
4 mi
5m
Washington Avenue
3.1 mi
5m
90th Street
1.5 mi
3m
Longest stretch:
I 90
— 120.3 mi, about 2h 8m
Traffic on I-94
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 180 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~3,461 veh/hr typical
· worst 4,091
Quietest
2 AM
~194 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
17.8×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
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 North La Crosse, WI and Sturtevant, WI.
1
Start on US 53; CTH B
1.2 mi·2 min·Rose Street
2
Take the exit onto US 53
14 mi·15 min·US 53
3
Continue on I 90
120 mi·2 hr 8 min·I 90
Use the straight lane.
4
Keep slight left at fork onto I 94
64 mi·1 hr 9 min·I 94
Exit 138AToward I 94: MilwaukeeUse the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Take the exit
0.6 mi·1 min
Exit 305A-BToward I 41, I 894, US 45: Chicago, Fond du LacUse the slight right lane.
6
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi·38 sec
Toward I 41 South, I 894 East, US 41 South, US 45 South: ChicagoUse the slight left lane.
7
Continue on this road
0.3 mi·30 sec·this road
Exit 305AToward I 41 South, I 894 East, US 41 South, US 45 South: Chicago
8
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi·28 sec
Toward I 41, I 894, US 45 South: Chicago
9
Merge onto I 41; I 894; US 41; US 45
4.0 mi·5 min·Zoo Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Merge onto I 41; I 43; I 894; US 41
4.3 mi·5 min·Airport Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork onto I 41; US 41
1.3 mi·1 min·I 41; US 41
Exit 10BToward I 41 South, I 94 South: ChicagoUse the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Merge onto I 41; I 94; US 41
16 mi·17 min·North-South Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.2 mi·29 sec
Exit 333Toward WI 20: Racine, Mount PleasantUse the slight right lane.
14
Keep slight left at fork
273 ft·8 sec
Toward WI 20 East: Racine, Mount Pleasant
15
Turn left onto WI 20
3.1 mi·5 min·Washington Avenue
Use the straight lane.
16
Turn right onto 90th Street
1.5 mi·3 min·90th Street
17
Turn left onto WI 11
73 ft·8 sec·Durand Avenue
18
Turn left
35 ft·2 sec
19
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
Given the 4h 19m duration, leaving in the morning is ideal to maximize daylight and arrive with plenty of time. The $39 fuel estimate suggests you won't need to worry excessively about gas stops, but it's always wise to top off before embarking. Since this is a single-day drive, planning one short break around the halfway point will help you stay alert. Pay attention to exit numbers as you approach Sturtevant, as the highway transition can be quite busy with numerous exits clustered together.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 115.6 miles from North La Crosse, WI, or about 2h 5m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 120.3 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 51 miles or 56m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 115.6 miles or 2h 5m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 25m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Sturtevant, 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 231.2 miles and 4h 19m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 51 miles from North La Crosse, WI.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on I 90 for about 120.3 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 16
5 decision points cluster between mile 135.5 and 226.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
135.5 mi into trip|~2h 26m in|I 94
Keep slight left at fork onto I 94 toward I 94: Milwaukee
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 138A
Toward I 94: Milwaukee
8
199.7 mi into trip|~3h 36m in
Take the exit toward I 41, I 894, US 45: Chicago, Fond du Lac
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 305A-B
Toward I 41, I 894, US 45: Chicago, Fond du Lac
8
200.3 mi into trip|~3h 37m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 41 South, I 894 East, US 41 South, US 45 South: Chicago
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Toward I 41 South, I 894 East, US 41 South, US...
9
209.4 mi into trip|~3h 50m in|I 41; US 41
Keep slight left at fork onto I 41; US 41 toward I 41 South, I 94 South: Chicago
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 10B
Toward I 41 South, I 94 South: Chicago
8
226.3 mi into trip|~4h 10m in
Take the exit toward WI 20: Racine, Mount Pleasant
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 333
Toward WI 20: Racine, Mount Pleasant
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$38.57 one way
$77.13 round trip
$4.24/gal25.4 MPG avg81 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.62
$42.08
$84.16
premium
$5.25
$47.81
$95.63
diesel
$6.28
$57.13
$114.25
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$39
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$64–$89
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 80.9 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-19.
Driving Electric?
About $24 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
69.4
0
$24.28
$11.10
Efficient EV
57.8
0
$20.23
$9.25
EV Truck/SUV
92.5
1
$32.37
$14.80
Gas CO2
81 kg
EV CO2
27 kg (67% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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 Oct 19, 2026
Origin
North La Crosse, WI
Morning
in North La Crosse on Thursday
Local time
6:33 AM
CDT
Current temp
66°F
Mostly Sunny
S 5 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Sturtevant, WI
Morning
in Sturtevant on Thursday
Local time
6:33 AM
CDT
Current temp
60°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
6 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
4h 19m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Ice Age National Scenic Trail
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...
25 mi from route
~63 min detour
Free
near mile 79.7
Caution: Use Caution — Skunk and Foster Lakes Segment
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route is almost entirely highway, with 97% of the 231.2 miles on major freeways like I 90 and I 94. You'll experience a continuous stretch of 120.3 miles on I 90, which means long distances between significant changes in scenery or road type. The transition to surface roads will occur very late in the trip, near Sturtevant.
97% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 120.3 mi on I 90.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 90 and I 94. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 135.5 miles in near I 94.
Driving Effort9/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 16 significant decision points across 231.2 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 135.5 miles (I 94): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 199.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 200.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
985 ft648 ft
Total Climb
668 ft
Total Descent
615 ft
Highest Point
985 ft
~33 mi in
Elevation Range
337 ft
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 Sturtevant, WI, road signs begin pointing toward Fond Du Lac along the way.
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 19m. Total distance: 231.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 19m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (97%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 120.3 miles on I 90. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
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 Sturtevant, WI before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 135.5 miles (I 94): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 199.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 200.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Ice Age National Scenic Trail. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 4.3 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 8.7 hours — manageable with a long break at Sturtevant, WI, but most travelers stay overnight.
