Racine, WI to Redgranite, WI is 137.6 miles and takes about 2h 56m via I 41 and State Highway 21, with a fuel budget near $22 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Midwest, crossing Wisconsin for a relatively short drive. Given its mostly highway profile, it’s a straightforward trip for a single day. Plan for a quick, efficient transition between major roadways and state highways to reach your destination.
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
68.8 miles from Racine, WI
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 30m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 41
86.1 mi
1h 37m
State Highway 21
22.4 mi
31m
Douglas Avenue
8.3 mi
13m
Airport Freeway
4.6 mi
6m
North-South Freeway
4.5 mi
5m
West Ryan Road
4 mi
6m
East Main Street
2.2 mi
5m
South Chicago Road
1.8 mi
3m
Longest stretch:
I 41
— 86.1 mi, about 1h 37m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Racine, WI and Redgranite, WI.
1
Start on WI 20; WI 32
69 ft·10 sec·7th Street
2
Turn left onto WI 32
0.7 mi·1 min·Main Street
3
Turn left onto WI 32
0.2 mi·19 sec·Hamilton Street
4
Turn right onto WI 32
8.3 mi·13 min·Douglas Avenue
Use the straight lane.
5
Continue on WI 32
1.8 mi·3 min·South Chicago Road
6
Turn straight
0.1 mi·22 sec
7
Turn left onto WI 100
4.0 mi·6 min·West Ryan Road
8
Take the ramp
0.5 mi·1 min
Toward I 41 North, I 94 West: Milwaukee
9
Merge onto I 41; I 94; US 41
4.5 mi·5 min·North-South Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight right at fork onto I 41; I 94; US 41
0.6 mi·49 sec·I 41; I 94; US 41
Exit 317Toward I 41 North, I 43 South, I 894 Bypass: Madison, Fond du LacUse the slight right lane.
11
Continue on I 41; US 41
1.1 mi·1 min·I 41; US 41
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Merge onto I 41; I 43; I 894; US 41
4.6 mi·6 min·Airport Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight right at fork onto I 41; I 894; US 41
25 mi·30 min·I 41; I 894; US 41
Toward I 41 North, I 894 North, US 41 North, US 45 North: Fond du LacUse the slight right lane.
14
Keep slight left at fork onto I 41; US 41
60 mi·1 hr 4 min·I 41; US 41
Toward US 41 North: Fond du Lac, AppletonUse the slight left lane.
15
Take the exit
0.2 mi·24 sec
Exit 119Toward WI 21Use the slight right lane.
16
Keep slight left at fork
267 ft·6 sec
17
Enter roundabout onto WI 21
249 ft·6 sec·State Highway 21
18
Continue on WI 21
307 ft·7 sec·State Highway 21
19
Enter roundabout onto WI 21
124 ft·3 sec·Omro Road
20
Continue on WI 21
0.2 mi·23 sec·Omro Road
21
Enter roundabout onto WI 21
131 ft·7 sec·State Highway 21
22
Continue on WI 21
6.0 mi·8 min·State Highway 21
23
Continue on WI 21
2.2 mi·5 min·East Main Street
24
Turn right onto WI 21; WI 116; CTH F
0.2 mi·37 sec·Spruce State Route
25
Turn left onto WI 21
1.0 mi·1 min·West River Drive
26
Continue on WI 21
16 mi·22 min·State Highway 21
27
Continue on WI 21
0.7 mi·1 min·Bannerman Avenue
28
Turn right onto Main Street
102 ft·4 sec·Main Street
29
Arrive at destination
Main Street
Trip Plan
This is a single-day trip, so you have flexibility with your departure time. Leaving Racine in the morning will get you to Redgranite with plenty of daylight to spare. You'll cover 137.6 miles, with the longest stretch on I 41 being 86.1 miles. Consider fueling up before you leave Racine, as the estimated fuel cost is $22. The drive is just under 3 hours, so you likely won't need more than one brief stop for gas or a stretch break. Keep an eye out for the transition from I 41 to State Highway 21, which marks the shift to less highway driving.
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.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 68.8 miles from Racine, WI, or about 1h 30m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 86.1 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 30 miles or 45m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 68.8 miles or 1h 30m 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 19m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Redgranite, WI than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Racine, 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 Racine, WI
This is one driving day of about 137.6 miles and 2h 56m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 30 miles from Racine, 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 41 for about 86.1 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 18
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.9 and 110.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.9 mi into trip|~1m in|WI 32 / Douglas Avenue
Turn right onto WI 32 / Douglas Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
9
20 mi into trip|~32m in|I 41; I 94; US 41
Keep slight right at fork onto I 41; I 94; US 41 toward I 41 North, I 43 South, I 894 Bypass: Madison, Fond du Lac
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 317
Toward I 41 North, I 43 South, I 894 Bypass: Ma...
8
26.3 mi into trip|~40m in|I 41; I 894; US 41
Keep slight right at fork onto I 41; I 894; US 41 toward I 41 North, I 894 North, US 41 North, US 45 North: Fond du Lac
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 41 North, I 894 North, US 41 North, US...
8
50.8 mi into trip|~1h 11m in|I 41; US 41
Keep slight left at fork onto I 41; US 41 toward US 41 North: Fond du Lac, Appleton
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Toward US 41 North: Fond du Lac, Appleton
7
110.7 mi into trip|~2h 15m in
Take the exit toward WI 21
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 119
Toward WI 21
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$21.51 one way
$43.02 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg48 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$23.62
$47.24
premium
$4.89
$26.48
$52.96
diesel
$5.61
$30.38
$60.76
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: 48.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $14 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
41.3
0
$14.45
$6.60
Efficient EV
34.4
0
$12.04
$5.50
EV Truck/SUV
55
0
$19.26
$8.81
Gas CO2
48 kg
EV CO2
16 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.
Forecast as of Apr 20, 2026
Origin
Racine, WI
Late night
in Racine on Tuesday
Local time
4:38 AM
CDT
Current temp
56°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Redgranite, WI
Late night
in Redgranite on Tuesday
Local time
4:38 AM
CDT
Current temp
60°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
60°F
Butler, WI
69 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
4 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 56m 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...
23 mi from route
~58 min detour
Free
near mile 137.6
Caution: General Advisory — Flooding Possible
Caution: Averill–Kelly Creek Wilderness Segment — Dangerous Ford at New Wood River
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
You'll spend most of your time on highways, with 85% of the 137.6 miles on high-speed roads like I 41. The longest continuous stretch on a highway is 86.1 miles on I 41. After that, you'll transition to surface streets, including Douglas Avenue, for the final part of your drive. Expect plenty of exits and merging as you navigate the interstate system before the change to more local roads.
85% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
29 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 86.1 mi on I 41.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 41 and State Highway 21. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.9 miles in near WI 32 / Douglas Avenue.
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 18 significant decision points across 137.6 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 0.9 miles (WI 32 / Douglas Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 20 miles (I 41; I 94; US 41): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 26.3 miles (I 41; I 894; US 41): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. 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.
Between Racine, WI and Redgranite, WI, road signs point toward Fond Du Lac and Appleton.
Racine is a city of 77,000 people (2019) in Southeast Wisconsin along Lake Michigan at the mouth of the Root River. It is the county seat of Racine County.
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 56m. Total distance: 137.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 56m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (85%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 86.1 miles on I 41. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 Redgranite, 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 0.9 miles (WI 32 / Douglas Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 20 miles (I 41; I 94; US 41): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 26.3 miles (I 41; I 894; US 41): 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.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Redgranite, WI before heading back.
