Lake Pepin Rest Area
0 mi from route
Trip from Trenton, WI to Racine, WI
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
6h 24m
Distance
325.1 mi
523 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$51
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
6h 12m
★
6 AM
6h 24m
8 AM
6h 49m
10 AM
6h 33m
12 PM
6h 31m
3 PM
6h 34m
5 PM
6h 48m
8 PM
6h 17m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Trenton, WI
Tom Fisk
Racine, WI
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 324.5-mile journey from Trenton to Racine, Wisconsin, is designed for a single day, taking approximately 5 hours and 18 minutes to complete. You'll primarily navigate local roads, including 174th Avenue, County Road K, and County Road VV, with no highway driving involved. The estimated fuel cost for this trip is around $49, making it an economical option. This route offers a turn-heavy local drive experience, perfect for those who prefer a more hands-on approach to navigation rather than cruising on interstates. It’s a straightforward trip within the Midwest region, staying entirely within Wisconsin.
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
162.6 miles from Trenton, WI
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 3h 16m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 90 | 138.1 mi | 2h 28m |
| I 94 | 64.2 mi | 1h 9m |
| Route 61 | 46.1 mi | 58m |
| US 14 | 20.9 mi | 23m |
| Route 61/Route 63 | 14.8 mi | 19m |
| North-South Freeway | 11.9 mi | 13m |
| Northwestern Avenue | 9 mi | 15m |
| Airport Freeway | 4.3 mi | 5m |
Longest stretch:
I 90
— 138.1 mi, about 2h 28m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Trenton, WI and Racine, WI.
1
Start on this road
185 ft
·
13 sec
·
this road
2
Continue on 174th Avenue
362 ft
·
19 sec
·
174th Avenue
3
Continue on 174th Avenue
174 ft
·
8 sec
·
174th Avenue
4
Turn right onto CTH K
1.3 mi
·
3 min
·
County Road K
5
Continue on CTH K
381 ft
·
11 sec
·
County Road K
6
Turn left onto CTH VV
0.4 mi
·
57 sec
·
County Road VV
7
Take the ramp
216 ft
·
8 sec
8
Merge onto US 63
2.3 mi
·
4 min
·
Route 63
Use the straight lane.
9
Turn right onto US 61; US 63
15 mi
·
19 min
·
Route 61/Route 63
Use the right lane.
10
Continue on US 61; US 63
2.8 mi
·
5 min
·
North Lakeshore Drive
11
Continue on US 61
9.5 mi
·
13 min
·
Route 61
12
Continue on US 61
0.2 mi
·
17 sec
·
2nd Street
13
Continue on US 61
37 mi
·
45 min
·
Route 61
Use the straight lane.
14
Enter roundabout onto US 14; US 61
162 ft
·
2 sec
·
US 14;US 61
15
Continue on US 14; US 61
0.2 mi
·
11 sec
·
US 14;US 61
16
Continue on US 14; US 61
12 mi
·
14 min
·
US 14; US 61
Use the straight lane.
17
Continue on US 14; US 61
8.5 mi
·
9 min
·
US 14; US 61
18
Keep slight left at fork onto I 90
138 mi
·
2 hr 28 min
·
I 90
Use the straight lane.
19
Keep slight left at fork onto I 94
64 mi
·
1 hr 9 min
·
I 94
Exit 138A
Toward I 94: Milwaukee
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
20
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Exit 305A-B
Toward I 41, I 894, US 45: Chicago, Fond du Lac
Use the slight right lane.
21
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
38 sec
Toward I 41 South, I 894 East, US 41 South, US 45 South: Chicago
Use the slight left lane.
22
Continue on this road
0.3 mi
·
30 sec
·
this road
Exit 305A
Toward I 41 South, I 894 East, US 41 South, US 45 South: Chicago
23
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
Toward I 41, I 894, US 45 South: Chicago
24
Merge onto I 41; I 894; US 41; US 45
4.0 mi
·
5 min
·
Zoo Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
25
Merge onto I 41; I 43; I 894; US 41
4.3 mi
·
5 min
·
Airport Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
26
Keep slight left at fork onto I 41; US 41
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
I 41; US 41
Exit 10B
Toward I 41 South, I 94 South: Chicago
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
27
Merge onto I 41; I 94; US 41
12 mi
·
13 min
·
North-South Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
28
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
30 sec
Exit 329
Toward CTH K: Racine, Caledonia
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
29
Turn left onto CTH K
5.1 mi
·
9 min
·
Northwestern Avenue
Use the left / straight lanes.
30
Enter roundabout onto WI 38
27 ft
·
0 sec
·
Northwestern Avenue
31
Continue on WI 38
3.4 mi
·
5 min
·
Northwestern Avenue
Use the straight lane.
32
Enter roundabout onto WI 38
91 ft
·
1 sec
·
Northwestern Avenue
33
Continue on WI 38
0.4 mi
·
34 sec
·
Northwestern Avenue
34
Enter roundabout onto WI 38
72 ft
·
4 sec
·
State Street
35
Continue on WI 38
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
State Street
Use the straight lane.
36
Turn right onto WI 32
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
·
Main Street
37
Turn right onto WI 20; WI 32
309 ft
·
17 sec
·
6th Street
38
Turn left onto Wisconsin Avenue
284 ft
·
14 sec
·
Wisconsin Avenue
39
Turn left onto WI 20; WI 32
245 ft
·
8 sec
·
7th Street
40
Arrive at destination
WI 20; WI 32
Trip Plan
Given the 5 hour and 18-minute duration and the turn-heavy nature of this 324.5-mile drive, starting in the morning is advisable to allow ample time for navigation and any unexpected delays. With only one recommended stop, you have flexibility in pacing. The estimated fuel cost of $49 suggests you’ll need to monitor your fuel levels, especially on these local roads where gas stations might be less frequent than on major highways. Pay close attention to signage for 174th Avenue, County Road K, and County Road VV as you make your way towards Racine.
Morning Departure
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Evening Departure
This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 162.6 miles from Trenton, WI, or about 3h 16m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 138.1 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 72 miles or 1h 38m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 162.6 miles or 3h 16m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 5h 8m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Racine, WI than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Trenton, 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 Trenton, WI
This is one driving day of about 325.1 miles and 6h 24m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 72 miles from Trenton, 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 138.1 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
163 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 72 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 162.6 miles from Trenton, 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 138.1 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Nearby Places
Restaurants, cafes, gas stations and more along your route.
Lyndon Station Rest Area 9
0 mi from route
Lake City Concourse
0 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.1 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.1 mi from route
Portage Rest Area 11
0.1 mi from route
Poynette Rest Area 12
0.1 mi from route
Bangor Rest Area 15
0.1 mi from route
Service Plaza
0.1 mi from route
Sparta Rest Area 16
0.1 mi from route
La Crosse Rest Area 31
0.1 mi from route
Dresbach Rest Area
0.1 mi from route
Service Plaza
0.1 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.2 mi from route
Road Ranger
0.2 mi from route
Johnson Creek Rest Area 14
0.2 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.2 mi from route
Petro Stopping Centers
0.3 mi from route
TA
0.3 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.3 mi from route
Mauston Rest Area 10
0.3 mi from route
Service Plaza
0.3 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.4 mi from route
Rest Area
1.8 mi from route
Rest Area
2.2 mi from route
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 265 decision points cluster between mile 227.2 and 314.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
227.2 mi into trip
|
~4h 25m 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
291.4 mi into trip
|
~5h 35m 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
292 mi into trip
|
~5h 36m 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
301.1 mi into trip
|
~5h 49m 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
314.3 mi into trip
|
~6h 4m in
Take the exit toward CTH K: Racine, Caledonia
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 329
Toward CTH K: Racine, Caledonia
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$50.83 one way
$101.65 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
114 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $55.80 | $111.61 |
| premium | $4.89 | $62.56 | $125.13 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $71.78 | $143.56 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$51
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$76–$101
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 113.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $34 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 97.5 | 1 | $34.14 | $15.60 |
| Efficient EV | 81.3 | 0 | $28.45 | $13.00 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 130 | 1 | $45.51 | $20.81 |
Gas CO2
114 kg
EV CO2
38 kg (67% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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.
Origin
Trenton, WI
Evening in Trenton on Saturday
Local time
8:12 PM
CDT
Current temp
44°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Racine, WI
Evening in Racine on Saturday
Local time
8:12 PM
CDT
Current temp
58°F
Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
N 5 to 10 mph
15% chance
Live forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 16 at 12:12PM CDT until April 21 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS Green Bay WI
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 16 at 12:12PM CDT by NWS Green Bay WI
64°F
Adams, WI
163 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
14 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
6h 24m on the road
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
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 168.2
Caution: Averill–Kelly Creek Wilderness Segment — Dangerous Ford at New Wood River
Caution: Skunk and Foster Lakes Segment — Storm Damage
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive on this route, as indicated by its 0% highway share. The journey involves frequent directional changes, making it engaging for drivers who enjoy navigating a series of county and local roads. You won't find long, uninterrupted stretches here; instead, the road personality is defined by its constant need for attention to turns. This means you'll be experiencing the local landscape more intimately, rather than covering ground quickly on high-speed thoroughfares. The drive progresses through a series of interconnected local routes, offering a consistent pace throughout.
95% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
40 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 138.1 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 227.2 miles in near I 94.
Driving Effort
9/10
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 26 significant decision points across 325.1 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 227.2 miles (I 94): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 291.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 292 miles: 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.
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 Trenton, WI to Racine, WI, road signs begin pointing toward Fond Du Lac along the way.
Fond Du Lac
291.4 mi in
|
~5h 35m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 6h 24m. Total distance: 325.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
6h 24m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 138.1 miles on I 90. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 25 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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 Racine, 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. There are 25 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 227.2 miles (I 94): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 291.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 292 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.
Not recommended in a single day. At 6.4 hours each way, a round trip means 12.8 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Racine, WI before the return drive.
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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