How far is Lake Wisconsin, WI from Eau Claire, WI?

The driving distance from Lake Wisconsin, WI to Eau Claire, WI is about 161 miles (259.1 km), with a travel time of about 02h 34m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 137.8 miles (221.7 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 05h 09m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM CDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This route works well as a day trip with time at the destination. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
161 mi
02h 34m
Flight
137.73 mi
221.66 km direct

This route works well as a day trip with time at the destination.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Lake Wisconsin.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
137.73 mi
Kilometers
221.66 km
Flight Time
00h 16m

Driving Distance

Road route
161 mi
Kilometers
259.11 km
Drive Time
02h 34m

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 02h 34m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Eau Claire
Sun, Apr 19, 2:38 AM CDT
Return by in Lake Wisconsin
Sun, Apr 19, 5:13 AM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Lake Wisconsin
2026-04-19T00:03
Arrive Eau Claire
Sun, Apr 19, 2:38 AM CDT
Route Timing
02h 34m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
8:00 AM to 10:00 AM CDT
Aim for a morning departure
Arrive between
10:35 AM to 12:35 PM CDT

A morning start gives you useful time at the destination and keeps the return out of the late evening.

Leave by
1:20 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 03h 00m at the destination.
Back in Lake Wisconsin
9:30 PM CDT
Morning start is best

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
Tomah
WI

City in Monroe County, Wisconsin, United States

From Lake Wisconsin
80.2 mi
01h 17m
To Eau Claire
80.8 mi
01h 17m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
48°F
Sunday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Sun, Apr 19 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
10 to 15 mph NW
Destination
46°F
Sunday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Sun, Apr 19 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
10 to 15 mph WNW

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Lake Wisconsin and Eau Claire.

  1. 1

    Start on Summerville Park Road

    1.2 mi · 5 min · Summerville Park Road

  2. 2

    Turn left onto County Highway V

    3.5 mi · 6 min · County Highway V

  3. 3

    Turn left onto County Hwys J & V

    1.1 mi · 2 min · County Hwys J & V

  4. 4

    Turn right onto County Highway J

    2.2 mi · 3 min · County Highway J

  5. 5

    At the end of the road, turn right onto County Hwys J & CS

    1.1 mi · 2 min · County Hwys J & CS

  6. 6

    Take the ramp left

    1274 ft · 31 sec

  7. 7

    Merge slight left

    6.3 mi · 7 min

  8. 8

    Keep slight left

    63.5 mi · 1 hr 8 min

  9. 9

    Keep slight right to continue on I 94 West: Eau Claire, Saint Paul

    76.1 mi · 1 hr 22 min

  10. 10

    Take the exit slight right toward US 53: Eau Claire, Superior

    1027 ft · 19 sec

  11. 11

    Keep slight right to continue on US 53 North: Eau Claire, Superior

    2757 ft · 36 sec

  12. 12

    Merge slight left

    1.3 mi · 1 min

  13. 13

    Take the exit slight right toward US 53 Business: Hastings Way

    1.6 mi · 3 min · South Hastings Way

  14. 14

    Turn left onto Brackett Avenue

    2261 ft · 59 sec · Brackett Avenue

  15. 15

    Continue on Harding Avenue

    1.2 km · 1 min · Harding Avenue

  16. 16

    Continue on Washington Street

    721 ft · 19 sec · Washington Street

  17. 17

    Turn right onto South Farwell Street

    2973 ft · 1 min · South Farwell Street

  18. 18

    Turn left onto East Grand Avenue

    11 m · 1 sec · East Grand Avenue

  19. 19

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · East Grand Avenue

Car Route Details

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

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Interchange-aware route

The drive includes several ramps, exits, or merges, so checking the next few maneuvers before busy interchanges is useful.

Directions
19 steps
7 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
5
2 merges, 3 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
11.8 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
I 94 West
76.1 mi · 47%
County Hwys J & CS
71.1 mi · 44%
County Highway V
3.51 mi · 2%
County Highway J
2.21 mi · 1%
US 53 North
1.78 mi · 1%
Summerville Park Road
1.21 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

I 94 West

Keep slight right to continue on I 94 West: Eau Claire, Saint Paul

76.1 mi · 01h 22m

Route Summary

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

Trip Read

A comfortable day-trip route

This route works well as a day trip. You can leave in the morning, spend meaningful time at the destination, and still return the same day.

Drive Time
02h 34m
Day trip friendly
Same-Day Return
05h 10m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+23.2 mi
137.8 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Tomah
01h 17m from Lake Wisconsin
Leave By
1:20 PM CDT
Morning start is best
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny leaving Lake Wisconsin and Mostly Sunny near Eau Claire.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Lake Wisconsin to Eau Claire?

The road trip is about 161 miles (259.1 km) and usually takes 02h 34m in normal driving conditions.

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

This route works well as a day trip. You can leave in the morning, spend meaningful time at the destination, and still return the same day.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Tomah is a useful midpoint, sitting about 80.2 miles from Lake Wisconsin and 80.8 miles from Eau Claire.

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

The direct path is about 137.8 miles (221.7 km), while the road route adds roughly 23.2 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 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM CDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 1:20 PM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $21.42 one way or $42.84 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 50.5 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Sunny around Lake Wisconsin and Mostly Sunny near Eau Claire.

Stop Ideas Near Tomah

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

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Tomah, 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 Tomah.

RAIL

Tomah

1 mi away
North Superior Ave. and Washington St.
RAIL

La Crosse

62 mi away
St. Andrew and Caledonia Streets
BUS

Wisconsin Rapids, WI

69 mi away
2611 West Grand Avenue
RAIL

Wisconsin Dells

70 mi away
Superior and La Crosse Sts.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Lake Wisconsin and Eau Claire. Straight-line distance: 137.73 mi (221.66 km).

Lake Wisconsin

#1 Lake Wisconsin

Census designated place in Columbia and Sauk counties in Wisconsin, United States

Population4,189
Coordinates43.3736000, -89.5756800
Altitude247
CountryUnited States
Eau Claire

#2 Eau Claire

The most populous city in Eau Claire County, Wisconsin.

Population67,065
Coordinates44.8113500, -91.4984900
Altitude240
CountryUnited States
Start: Summerville Park Road (-89.575296, 43.373571)
End: East Grand Avenue (-91.49848, 44.811339)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 259 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)05h 21m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)04h 01m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)03h 13m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)02h 41m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)02h 18m
80 mph (129 km/h)02h 00m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
5.68 gal
21.51 L · about $21.42
Round trip
$42.84
11.36 gal · 43.02 L
Estimated CO2
50.5 kg one way
Round trip: 101 kg / 223 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $21.42 $42.84
Mid-grade $4.25 $24.16 $48.31
Premium $4.65 $26.43 $52.87
Diesel $5.30 $30.13 $60.25

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 · Apr 19, 2026

There is no time difference between Lake Wisconsin and Eau Claire. The current time is 00:03:48.

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.