Origin
Onalaska, WI
Afternoon in Onalaska on Tuesday
Local time
12:19 PM
CDT
Current temp
61°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Onalaska, 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
17m
Distance
6.3 mi
10 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$1
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 16m
★
6 AM
0h 17m
8 AM
0h 20m
10 AM
0h 18m
12 PM
0h 18m
3 PM
0h 18m
5 PM
0h 20m
8 PM
0h 16m
★
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Onalaska, WI
Wikimedia Commons
La Crosse, WI
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking for a quick and straightforward transit between Onalaska and La Crosse, this 6.2-mile connection is as efficient as it gets. Expect to spend about 15 minutes behind the wheel, making this an ideal day trip that requires no overnight planning. You will navigate entirely via local roads, specifically West George Street, Lang Drive, and West Avenue North, with zero highway driving involved. Budgeting for this trip is incredibly simple, as you will likely spend no more than $1 on fuel. Since both cities are located within the Midwest, the transition is seamless and familiar. This route is a practical choice for those needing to move between these Wisconsin communities quickly without the complexity of interstate travel.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| 2nd Avenue North | 2 mi | 4m |
| West George Street | 1.8 mi | 5m |
| Lang Drive | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| West Avenue North | 0.7 mi | 2m |
| 13th Street South | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Johnson Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Madison Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| West Avenue South | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
2nd Avenue North
— 2 mi, about 4m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Onalaska, WI and La Crosse, WI.
1
Start on WI 35
2.0 mi
·
4 min
·
2nd Avenue North
2
Turn left onto WI 35
1.8 mi
·
5 min
·
West George Street
3
Continue on WI 35
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Lang Drive
4
Continue on WI 35
0.7 mi
·
2 min
·
West Avenue North
5
Turn left onto Madison Street
449 ft
·
17 sec
·
Madison Street
6
Turn right onto 13th Street South
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
13th Street South
7
Turn right onto Johnson Street
0.1 mi
·
20 sec
·
Johnson Street
8
Turn right onto WI 35
326 ft
·
11 sec
·
West Avenue South
9
Arrive at destination
WI 35
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 55 decision points cluster between mile 2 and 6.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
2 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
WI 35 / West George Street
Turn left onto WI 35 / West George Street
Navigation decision point
4
5.6 mi into trip
|
~14m in
|
Madison Street
Turn left onto Madison Street
Navigation decision point
4
5.7 mi into trip
|
~15m in
|
13th Street South
Turn right onto 13th Street South
Navigation decision point
4
6.2 mi into trip
|
~16m in
|
Johnson Street
Turn right onto Johnson Street
Navigation decision point
5
6.3 mi into trip
|
~16m in
|
WI 35 / West Avenue South
Turn right onto WI 35 / West Avenue South
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$0.98 one way
$1.97 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
2 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $1.08 | $2.16 |
| premium | $4.89 | $1.21 | $2.42 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $1.39 | $2.78 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$1
Estimated CO2 emission: 2.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 50% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 1.9 | 0 | $0.66 | $0.30 |
| Efficient EV | 1.6 | 0 | $0.55 | $0.25 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 2.5 | 0 | $0.88 | $0.40 |
Gas CO2
2 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (50% 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
Afternoon in La Crosse on Tuesday
Local time
12:19 PM
CDT
Current temp
57°F
Partly Cloudy
S 2 mph
0% chance
Live forecast
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
4 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
17m 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 15-minute journey is defined by its turn-heavy, local nature rather than high-speed cruising. Because the entire route relies on surface streets, you will not encounter any interstate segments, keeping your highway share at a total of 0 percent. You should be prepared for a steady, urban pace, as the longest uninterrupted stretch on West George Street is essentially negligible. The road layout requires your full attention as you transition between the various local thoroughfares. Unlike monotonous highway grinds, this drive keeps you engaged with frequent turns and standard city traffic patterns.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
9 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 2 mi on 2nd Avenue North.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 2 miles in near WI 35 / West George Street.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 17m drive. You will face about 5 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 miles (WI 35 / West George Street): Navigation decision point; at 5.6 miles (Madison Street): Navigation decision point; at 5.7 miles (13th Street South): Navigation decision point.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
714 ft
643 ft
Total Climb
45 ft
Total Descent
91 ft
Highest Point
714 ft
Elevation Range
72 ft
About the Cities
Starting in Onalaska, WI
Full guide →Founded 1851
Top landmarks
- • Frank Eugene Nichols House — house in Onalaska, Wisconsin, United States
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
This is an incredibly easy same-day round trip, clocking in at just 6.3 miles and 17 minutes. You'll have plenty of time to explore La Crosse and be back home before dinner.
Family Friendly
Perfect for families! It's a super short 17-minute drive with minimal turns, making it easy to keep the kids happy and entertained without getting bored.
Solo Traveler
If you're looking for a quick solo drive, this 17-minute, 6.3-mile route is comfortable and straightforward. It's more of a short hop than a dedicated road trip, though.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
A great first-time driver route. With only 6.3 miles and a 3/10 complexity, this turn-heavy local drive is very manageable and won't overwhelm you.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 2 miles on 2nd Avenue North. 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 2 miles (WI 35 / West George Street): Navigation decision point; at 5.6 miles (Madison Street): Navigation decision point; at 5.7 miles (13th Street South): 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, EIA for fuel prices, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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