How far is Milwaukee, WI from Lake Mills, WI?

The driving distance from Milwaukee, WI to Lake Mills, WI is about 53.6 miles (86.2 km), with a travel time of about 01h 03m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 50.8 miles (81.8 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 02h 06m 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
53.55 mi
01h 03m
Flight
50.83 mi
81.81 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Milwaukee.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
50.83 mi
Kilometers
81.81 km
Flight Time
00h 06m

Driving Distance

Road route
53.55 mi
Kilometers
86.18 km
Drive Time
01h 03m

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 01h 03m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Lake Mills
Sun, Apr 19, 6:54 AM CDT
Return by in Milwaukee
Sun, Apr 19, 7:57 AM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Milwaukee
2026-04-19T05:51
Arrive Lake Mills
Sun, Apr 19, 6:54 AM CDT
Route Timing
01h 03m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
8:00 AM to 10:00 AM CDT
Aim for a morning departure
Arrive between
9:03 AM to 11:03 AM CDT

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

Leave by
4:24 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 03h 00m at the destination.
Back in Milwaukee
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
Delafield
WI

Fourth-class city in Waukesha County, Wisconsin, United States

From Milwaukee
26.7 mi
00h 31m
To Lake Mills
26.8 mi
00h 31m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
49°F
Sunday

Slight Chance Snow Showers then Mostly Sunny

Starts
Sun, Apr 19 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
10 to 15 mph W
Destination
49°F
Sunday

Mostly Sunny

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

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Milwaukee and Lake Mills.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Milwaukee and Lake Mills.

  1. 1

    Start on North Milwaukee Street

    14 m · 9 sec · North Milwaukee Street

  2. 2

    Turn left onto East Wisconsin Avenue

    671 ft · 25 sec · East Wisconsin Avenue

  3. 3

    Turn right onto North Jackson Street

    894 ft · 29 sec · North Jackson Street

  4. 4

    Take the ramp slight right toward I 794 West

    1550 ft · 28 sec

  5. 5

    Merge slight right onto East-West Freeway

    1269 ft · 22 sec · East-West Freeway

  6. 6

    Continue on East-West Freeway

    17.1 mi · 22 min · East-West Freeway

  7. 7

    Keep slight left to continue on East-West Freeway

    34.3 mi · 37 min · East-West Freeway

  8. 8

    Take the exit slight right toward WI 89: Lake Mills, Waterloo

    1555 ft · 53 sec

  9. 9

    Keep slight left to continue on State Highway 89

    141 m · 15 sec · State Highway 89

  10. 10

    Continue on North Main Street

    1.4 km · 2 min · North Main Street

  11. 11

    Turn sharp right onto West Madison Street

    10 m · 1 sec · West Madison Street

  12. 12

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · West Madison Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Milwaukee and Lake Mills.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Highway-focused drive

Most of the mileage stays on named highways, so the important moments are ramps, exits, merges, and the final local approach.

Directions
12 steps
3 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
3
1 merges, 2 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
22.4 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
East-West Freeway
51.7 mi · 97%
North Main Street
0.87 mi · 2%
WI 89
0.29 mi · 1%
I 794 West
0.29 mi · 1%
North Jackson Street
0.17 mi
East Wisconsin Avenue
0.13 mi
Longest Stretch

East-West Freeway

Keep slight left to continue on East-West Freeway

34.3 mi · 00h 37m

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
01h 03m
Day trip friendly
Same-Day Return
02h 06m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+2.8 mi
50.8 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Delafield
00h 31m from Milwaukee
Leave By
4:24 PM CDT
Morning start is best
Weather Watch

Slight Chance Snow Showers then Mostly Sunny leaving Milwaukee and Mostly Sunny near Lake Mills.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Milwaukee to Lake Mills?

The road trip is about 53.6 miles (86.2 km) and usually takes 01h 03m 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?

Delafield is a useful midpoint, sitting about 26.7 miles from Milwaukee and 26.8 miles from Lake Mills.

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

The direct path is about 50.8 miles (81.8 km), while the road route adds roughly 2.8 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 4:24 PM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $7.13 one way or $14.25 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 16.8 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Slight Chance Snow Showers then Mostly Sunny around Milwaukee and Mostly Sunny near Lake Mills.

Stop Ideas Near Delafield

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

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

RAIL

Milwaukee Intermodal Station

40 mi away
433 West St. Paul Ave.
RAIL

Milwaukee Airport Railroad Station

41 mi away
5601 South 6th Street
BUS

Beaver Dam, WI

55 mi away
817 Park Avenue
RAIL

Sturtevant station

56 mi away
9900 East Exploration Court

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Milwaukee and Lake Mills. Straight-line distance: 50.83 mi (81.81 km).

Milwaukee

#1 Milwaukee

The thirtieth most populous city in the United States and the center of the Milwaukee metropolitan area.

Population589,067
Coordinates43.0389000, -87.9064700
Altitude188
CountryUnited States
Lake Mills

#2 Lake Mills

City in Iowa, USA

Population2,135
Coordinates43.0813900, -88.9117700
Altitude256
CountryUnited States
Start: Milwaukee (-87.90647, 43.0389)
End: Lake Mills (-88.91177, 43.08139)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 86 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)01h 47m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)01h 20m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)01h 04m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 53m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 45m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 40m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
1.89 gal
7.15 L · about $7.13
Round trip
$14.25
3.78 gal · 14.3 L
Estimated CO2
16.8 kg one way
Round trip: 33.6 kg / 74 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $7.13 $14.25
Mid-grade $4.25 $8.04 $16.08
Premium $4.65 $8.80 $17.59
Diesel $5.30 $10.02 $20.05

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 Milwaukee and Lake Mills. The current time is 05:51:00.

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.