Berwyn, IL to McHenry, IL is 53.7 miles and takes about 1 hour 17 minutes via I 290 and North Rand Road, with a fuel budget near $8 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This route stays within Illinois, taking you from the Midwest's urban fringe towards its more suburban and exurban areas. Expect a mix of interstate cruising and surface street driving as you make your way north. It's a straightforward drive, ideal for a quick trip without needing an overnight stay, and you'll find it's quite manageable for a single day.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 290
15.4 mi
20m
North Rand Road
14.3 mi
18m
IL 53
8.9 mi
11m
Eisenhower Expressway
3.5 mi
4m
Elm Street
2.6 mi
5m
West Belvidere Road
1.9 mi
3m
1st Avenue Cutoff
1.7 mi
3m
Cermak Road
1.3 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
I 290
— 15.4 mi, about 20m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Berwyn, IL and McHenry, IL.
1
Start on West Cermak Road
0.5 mi·1 min·West Cermak Road
2
Continue on Cermak Road
1.3 mi·2 min·Cermak Road
Use the left / straight lanes.
3
Turn slight right onto 1st Avenue Cutoff
1.7 mi·3 min·1st Avenue Cutoff
Use the right lane.
4
Turn left onto Harrison Street
354 ft·9 sec·Harrison Street
5
Take the ramp
0.1 mi·19 sec
Toward I 290 West
6
Merge onto I 290; IL 110
3.5 mi·4 min·Eisenhower Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight right at fork onto I 290
15 mi·20 min·I 290
Toward I 290 West, I 294 North Toll: Rockford, MilwaukeeUse the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork onto IL 53
8.9 mi·11 min·IL 53
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on Lake Cook Road
0.7 mi·1 min·Lake Cook Road
Use the left lane.
10
Continue on US 12
14 mi·18 min·North Rand Road
Use the right lane.
11
Continue on US 12; IL 59
0.6 mi·46 sec·US 12; IL 59
12
Turn left onto IL 120
1.9 mi·3 min·West Belvidere Road
Use the left lane.
13
Continue on IL 120
1.1 mi·1 min·Rand Road
14
Continue on IL 120
2.6 mi·5 min·Elm Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
15
Turn left onto North Green Street
0.9 mi·3 min·North Green Street
16
Turn left
105 ft·13 sec
17
Turn left
237 ft·17 sec
18
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
The midpoint is around 26.9 miles from Berwyn, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 11
5 decision points cluster between mile 3.5 and 53.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
3.5 mi into trip|~6m in|Harrison Street
Turn left onto Harrison Street
Navigation decision point
5
3.7 mi into trip|~7m in|I 290; IL 110 / Eisenhower Expressway
Merge onto I 290; IL 110 / Eisenhower Expressway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
7.1 mi into trip|~11m in|I 290
Keep slight right at fork onto I 290 toward I 290 West, I 294 North Toll: Rockford, Milwaukee
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 290 West, I 294 North Toll: Rockford,...
6
22.6 mi into trip|~32m in|IL 53
Keep slight left at fork onto IL 53
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
53.7 mi into trip|~1h 17m in
Turn left
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.93 one way
$15.86 round trip
$3.75/gal25.4 MPG avg19 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.14
$8.75
$17.51
premium
$4.72
$9.97
$19.94
diesel
$4.80
$10.14
$20.28
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 18.8 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging
· 0 stops
· 68% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
16.1
0
$5.64
$2.58
Efficient EV
13.4
0
$4.70
$2.15
EV Truck/SUV
21.5
0
$7.52
$3.44
Gas CO2
19 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (68% 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 Jul 20, 2026
Origin
Berwyn, IL
Night
in Berwyn on Monday
Local time
11:49 PM
CDT
Current temp
66°F
Smoke
SSE 0 to 5 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 20 at 2:45AM CDT until July 20 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 20 at 2:10AM CDT until July 20 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS St Louis MO
Destination
McHenry, IL
Night
in McHenry on Monday
Local time
11:49 PM
CDT
Current temp
58°F
Smoke
0 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 20 at 2:45AM CDT until July 20 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 20 at 2:10AM CDT until July 20 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS St Louis MO
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
8 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 17m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is about half interstate cruising, with 53% of the route on highways. You'll experience a stretch of 15.4 miles on I 290 before transitioning to surface roads like North Rand Road and IL 53. Be prepared for frequent exits and changes in speed limits as you move from the faster interstate to more local thoroughfares. The shift from highway to surface road will be noticeable as you approach your destination.
53% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 15.4 mi on I 290.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 3.5 miles in near Harrison Street.
Driving Effort7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 53.7 miles you will encounter 11 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 3.5 miles (Harrison Street): Navigation decision point; at 3.7 miles (I 290; IL 110 / Eisenhower Expressway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 7.1 miles (I 290): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
848 ft618 ft
Total Climb
268 ft
Total Descent
86 ft
Highest Point
848 ft
~34.5 mi in
Elevation Range
230 ft
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 Berwyn, IL to McHenry, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Milwaukee along the way.
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 17m. Total distance: 53.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 17m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (53%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 15.4 miles on I 290. 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 McHenry, IL before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 3.5 miles (Harrison Street): Navigation decision point; at 3.7 miles (I 290; IL 110 / Eisenhower Expressway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 7.1 miles (I 290): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Pullman National Historical Park. 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 McHenry, IL before heading back.
