Origin
Poynette, WI
Night in Poynette on Saturday
Local time
11:21 PM
CDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Poynette, WI to La Crosse, WI
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
2h 20m
Distance
120.5 mi
194 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$19
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
2h 11m
★
6 AM
2h 20m
8 AM
2h 40m
10 AM
2h 27m
12 PM
2h 25m
3 PM
2h 28m
5 PM
2h 39m
8 PM
2h 14m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Poynette, WI
Wikimedia Commons
La Crosse, WI
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking to travel from Poynette to La Crosse, expect a journey covering 120.9 miles through the heart of the Midwest. This drive typically takes about 1 hour and 58 minutes, making it a perfect candidate for a single-day trip. You won’t need to worry about splitting the travel over multiple days, as the duration is quite manageable. Budgeting around $18 for fuel will cover your transit costs comfortably. Since the route avoids major interstates in favor of local roads, you should prepare for a slower, more deliberate pace. Ultimately, this trip is ideal if you prefer local scenery over the efficiency of a highway sprint.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
60.3 miles from Poynette, WI
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 7m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 90 | 102.6 mi | 1h 49m |
| I 39 | 6.3 mi | 6m |
| WI 16 | 4.9 mi | 8m |
| County Highway CS | 3.1 mi | 5m |
| 16th Street South | 0.8 mi | 2m |
| Main Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| North Main Street | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Losey Boulevard North | 0.5 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
I 90
— 102.6 mi, about 1h 49m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Poynette, WI and La Crosse, WI.
1
Start on CTH Q; CTH CS
0.5 mi
·
58 sec
·
North Main Street
2
Turn right onto CTH Q; CTH CS
0.2 mi
·
18 sec
·
County Hwys Q & CS
3
Continue on CTH CS
3.1 mi
·
5 min
·
County Highway CS
4
Continue on CTH J; CTH CS
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
·
County Hwys J & CS
5
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
6
Merge onto I 39; I 90; I 94
6.3 mi
·
6 min
·
I 39; I 90; I 94
7
Keep slight left at fork onto I 90; I 94
63 mi
·
1 hr 8 min
·
I 90; I 94
Use the straight lane.
8
Keep slight left at fork onto I 90
39 mi
·
41 min
·
I 90
Exit 45
Toward I 90 West: Tomah, La Crosse
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
Exit 5
Toward WI 16: La Crosse, Onalaska
10
At end of road, turn left onto WI 16
4.9 mi
·
8 min
·
WI 16
11
Continue on Losey Boulevard North
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Losey Boulevard North
12
Turn right onto CTH F
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Main Street
13
Turn left onto 16th Street South
0.8 mi
·
2 min
·
16th Street South
14
Turn right onto Johnson Street
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Johnson Street
15
At end of road, turn right onto WI 35
326 ft
·
11 sec
·
West Avenue South
16
Arrive at destination
WI 35
Trip Plan
Because this route relies on local roads rather than high-speed interstates, flexibility is your greatest asset. Plan for a departure that allows you to navigate the turn-heavy sections during daylight hours to ensure better visibility. Since the entire 120.9-mile drive takes less than two hours, you can easily complete it in one go without the need for forced rest stops. However, keep in mind that local roads may lack the frequent services found on major highways, so ensure your tank is ready for the $18 fuel expenditure before you leave Poynette. Specifically, monitor your GPS closely as you transition between County Highways Q, CS, and J, as the route's reliance on local connections makes precise navigation essential for staying on track.
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 60.3 miles from Poynette, WI, or about 1h 7m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 102.6 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 27 miles or 31m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 60.3 miles or 1h 7m 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 48m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near La Crosse, WI than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Poynette, 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 Poynette, WI
This is one driving day of about 120.5 miles and 2h 20m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 27 miles from Poynette, WI.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 90 for about 102.6 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
60 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.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 27 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 60.3 miles from Poynette, WI, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before I 90 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 102.6 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 115 decision points cluster between mile 3.9 and 120.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
3.9 mi into trip
|
~6m in
Take the ramp
Navigation decision point
6
10.4 mi into trip
|
~14m in
|
I 90; I 94
Keep slight left at fork onto I 90; I 94
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
7
73.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 22m in
|
I 90
Keep slight left at fork onto I 90 toward I 90 West: Tomah, La Crosse
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 45
Toward I 90 West: Tomah, La Crosse
6
113 mi into trip
|
~2h 4m in
Take the exit toward WI 16: La Crosse, Onalaska
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 5
Toward WI 16: La Crosse, Onalaska
5
120.5 mi into trip
|
~2h 20m in
|
WI 35 / West Avenue South
At end of road, turn right onto WI 35 / West Avenue South
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$18.84 one way
$37.68 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
42 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $20.68 | $41.37 |
| premium | $4.89 | $23.19 | $46.38 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $26.60 | $53.21 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$19
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$44–$69
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 42.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $13 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 36.2 | 0 | $12.65 | $5.78 |
| Efficient EV | 30.1 | 0 | $10.54 | $4.82 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 48.2 | 0 | $16.87 | $7.71 |
Gas CO2
42 kg
EV CO2
14 kg (67% 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
Night in La Crosse on Saturday
Local time
11:21 PM
CDT
Current temp
66°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
19 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
2h 20m 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.
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 37.5
View on nps.gov
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
What kind of drive is this?
This 120.9-mile journey is defined by a turn-heavy local profile that steers clear of major interstates entirely. With a highway share of 0%, you can expect to navigate a series of county roads, specifically County Highways Q, CS, and J. You will spend your time behind the wheel negotiating turns rather than cruising on straight, monotonous stretches. Because the route relies on local infrastructure, the driving experience is significantly more hands-on and technical than a standard highway commute. Be ready to stay alert as you transition between these smaller roadways throughout the duration of your trip.
94% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 102.6 mi on I 90.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 90 and I 39. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 3.9 miles in.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 2h 20m drive. You will face about 11 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 3.9 miles: Navigation decision point; at 10.4 miles (I 90; I 94): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 73.9 miles (I 90): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
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 Poynette, WI to La Crosse, WI, road signs begin pointing toward Onalaska along the way.
Onalaska
113 mi in
|
~2h 4m
About the Cities
Arriving in La Crosse, WI
Full guide →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.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 20m. Total distance: 120.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 20m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (94%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 102.6 miles on I 90. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 3.9 miles: Navigation decision point; at 10.4 miles (I 90; I 94): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 73.9 miles (I 90): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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.
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 NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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