How far is Eau Claire, WI from Ludington, WI?

The driving distance from Eau Claire, WI to Ludington, WI is about 31.7 miles (51 km), with a travel time of about 00h 41m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 18.2 miles (29.3 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 22m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM CDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This is an easy same-day return drive. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
31.69 mi
00h 41m
Flight
18.23 mi
29.34 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Eau Claire.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
18.23 mi
Kilometers
29.34 km
Flight Time
00h 02m

Driving Distance

Road route
31.69 mi
Kilometers
51 km
Drive Time
00h 41m

Gas Cost Calculator

Leave and Arrive Planner

Pick a departure time to see your estimated arrival and same-day return window.

Drive time stays fixed at 00h 41m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Ludington
Tue, May 26, 3:46 AM CDT
Return by in Eau Claire
Tue, May 26, 4:28 AM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Eau Claire
2026-05-26T03:05
Arrive Ludington
Tue, May 26, 3:46 AM CDT
Route Timing
00h 41m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM CDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:41 AM to 7:41 PM CDT

This is a short drive, so your comfort window is wide. Traffic and current weather matter more than the clock.

Leave by
7:08 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Eau Claire
10:00 PM CDT
Flexible departure

You are leaving earlier than the recommended window, which gives you extra margin for breaks and traffic.

Halfway Point

A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.

Mid-route stop
Lake Wissota
WI

Census designated place

From Eau Claire
15.8 mi
00h 20m
To Ludington
15.8 mi
00h 20m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
91°F
Tuesday

Sunny

Starts
Tue, May 26 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
5 mph SSW
Destination
91°F
Tuesday

Sunny

Starts
Tue, May 26 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
5 mph SW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Eau Claire and Ludington.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Eau Claire and Ludington.

  1. 1

    Start on East Grand Avenue

    11 m · 8 sec · East Grand Avenue

  2. 2

    Turn left onto South Farwell Street

    2012 ft · 49 sec · South Farwell Street

  3. 3

    Turn right onto East Madison Street

    1102 ft · 31 sec · East Madison Street

  4. 4

    Continue on Germania Street

    884 ft · 23 sec · Germania Street

  5. 5

    Continue on Birch Street

    1.5 mi · 3 min · Birch Street

  6. 6

    Continue on River Prairie Drive

    1.1 km · 2 min · River Prairie Drive

  7. 7

    Turn left

    1444 ft · 37 sec

  8. 8

    Merge slight left

    5.1 mi · 6 min

  9. 9

    Take the exit slight right toward WI 29 East: Green Bay

    3008 ft · 1 min

  10. 10

    Merge slight left

    14.3 mi · 15 min

  11. 11

    Take the exit slight right toward WI 27: Cadott, Augusta

    1461 ft · 36 sec

  12. 12

    Turn right onto State Highway 27

    8.2 mi · 12 min · State Highway 27

  13. 13

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · State Highway 27

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Eau Claire and Ludington.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Turn-heavy local drive

The route has frequent decision points for its length, so lane choice and turn timing will matter more than cruising speed.

Directions
13 steps
4 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
4
2 merges, 2 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
41 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
WI 29 East
14.9 mi · 47%
State Highway 27
8.22 mi · 26%
River Prairie Drive
5.8 mi · 18%
Birch Street
1.48 mi · 5%
South Farwell Street
0.38 mi · 1%
WI 27
0.28 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

WI 29 East

Merge slight left

14.3 mi · 00h 15m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

A short regional drive

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

Drive Time
00h 41m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
01h 22m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+13.5 mi
18.2 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Lake Wissota
00h 20m from Eau Claire
Leave By
7:08 PM CDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving Eau Claire and Sunny near Ludington.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Eau Claire to Ludington?

The road trip is about 31.7 miles (51 km) and usually takes 00h 41m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Lake Wissota is a useful midpoint, sitting about 15.8 miles from Eau Claire and 15.8 miles from Ludington.

How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?

The direct path is about 18.2 miles (29.3 km), while the road route adds roughly 13.5 extra miles because roads do not follow the straight air line.

When is the best time to leave for this route?

A good departure window is usually 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM CDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 7:08 PM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $4.22 one way or $8.45 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 10 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Sunny around Eau Claire and Sunny near Ludington.

Stop Ideas Near Lake Wissota

Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Lake Wissota, so nearby transit and meeting points are shown instead.
Reviewed stop coverage is still thin around this midpoint, so practical transit waypoints are shown on the right.

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Lake Wissota.

BUS

Chippewa Falls, WI

11 mi away
2750 120th Street
BUS

Eau Claire, WI

22 mi away
642 University Drive
BUS

Eau Claire, WI

25 mi away
6251 Traux Lane
BUS

Stanley, WI

29 mi away
604 South Broadway Street

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Eau Claire and Ludington. Straight-line distance: 18.23 mi (29.34 km).

Eau Claire

#1 Eau Claire

The most populous city in Eau Claire County, Wisconsin.

Population67,065
Coordinates44.8113500, -91.4984900
Altitude240
CountryUnited States
Photo coming soon

#2 Ludington

Human settlement in Eau Claire County, Wisconsin, United States of America

Population1,084
Coordinates44.8291300, -91.1273700
Altitude332
CountryUnited States
Start: Eau Claire (-91.49849, 44.81135)
End: Ludington (-91.12737, 44.82913)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 51 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)01h 03m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 47m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 38m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 31m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 27m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 23m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
1.12 gal
4.23 L · about $4.22
Round trip
$8.45
2.24 gal · 8.46 L
Estimated CO2
10 kg one way
Round trip: 19.9 kg / 44 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $4.22 $8.45
Mid-grade $4.25 $4.76 $9.53
Premium $4.65 $5.21 $10.42
Diesel $5.30 $5.94 $11.88

Assumes 8.3 L/100 km (about 28.3 MPG). CO2 is an estimate and varies by vehicle, fuel blend, traffic, and terrain.

Prices in Wisconsin · May 26, 2026

There is no time difference between Eau Claire and Ludington. The current time is 03:05:12.

Distance to Other Cities

Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.