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Trip from Cairo, IL to McClure, IL

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jun 3, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

47m

Distance

30.5 mi

49 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$5

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 12 min
4 AM
0h 43m ★
6 AM
0h 47m
8 AM
0h 55m
10 AM
0h 50m
12 PM
0h 49m
3 PM
0h 50m
5 PM
0h 54m
8 PM
0h 45m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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city in Illinois, United States

Cairo, IL

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown McClure, IL, IL

McClure, IL

Quang Vuong

Trip Overview

Cairo, IL to McClure, IL is 30.5 miles and takes about 47m via Illinois Route 3, with a fuel budget near $5 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short Midwest drive stays within Illinois, offering a straightforward journey between two points. It's a quick trip, perfect for when you need to get from point A to point B without a lot of fuss. The estimated fuel cost of $5 makes it an economical choice for a quick errand or connecting drive. Given its brevity, you won't need extensive planning, but it's good to know what to expect on the road.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Illinois Route 3 17.5 mi 26m
Sycamore Street 7.1 mi 12m
IL 3 3.8 mi 5m
Illinois State Route 3 1.7 mi 2m
County Highway 4 0.3 mi <1m
Washington Avenue <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Illinois Route 3 — 17.5 mi, about 26m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Cairo, IL and McClure, IL.

1

Start on US 51

308 ft · 8 sec · Washington Avenue
2

Continue on US 51

7.1 mi · 12 min · Sycamore Street
Use the straight lane.
3

Continue on IL 3

3.8 mi · 5 min · IL 3
4

Turn left onto IL 3

18 mi · 26 min · Illinois Route 3
Use the straight lane.
5

Continue on IL 3; IL 146

1.7 mi · 2 min · Illinois State Route 3
Use the straight lane.
6

Turn right onto County Highway 4

0.3 mi · 46 sec · County Highway 4
7

Arrive at destination

County Highway 4

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Downtown Unity, IL, IL

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Unity, IL

15 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

Cape Girardeau, MO

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 30.5 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Unity, IL

Meal break

The midpoint is around 15.2 miles from Cairo, 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

2 of 2

2 decision points cluster between mile 10.9 and 30.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

5
10.9 mi into trip | ~17m in | IL 3 / Illinois Route 3

Turn left onto IL 3 / Illinois Route 3

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight lane.
3
30.2 mi into trip | ~46m in | County Highway 4

Turn right onto County Highway 4

Navigation decision point

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$5.07 one way

$10.14 round trip

$4.22/gal 25.4 MPG avg 11 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.60 $5.52 $11.05
premium $5.18 $6.22 $12.45
diesel $5.35 $6.42 $12.85

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$5

Estimated CO2 emission: 10.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.

Driving Electric?

About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 9.2 0 $3.20 $1.46
Efficient EV 7.6 0 $2.67 $1.22
EV Truck/SUV 12.2 0 $4.27 $1.95

Gas CO2

11 kg

EV CO2

4 kg (64% 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 Jun 1, 2026

Origin

Cairo, IL

Afternoon in Cairo on Wednesday

Local time

3:45 PM

CDT

Current temp

67°F

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

0 mph 27% chance Live forecast

Special Weather Statement

Special Weather Statement issued June 1 at 5:49AM CDT by NWS Paducah KY

Severe Thunderstorm Watch

Severe Thunderstorm Watch issued June 1 at 5:44AM CDT until June 1 at 9:00AM CDT by NWS St Louis MO

Destination

McClure, IL

Afternoon in McClure on Wednesday

Local time

3:45 PM

CDT

Current temp

64°F

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

NW 1 mph 32% chance Live forecast

Special Weather Statement

Special Weather Statement issued June 1 at 5:49AM CDT by NWS Paducah KY

Severe Thunderstorm Watch

Severe Thunderstorm Watch issued June 1 at 5:44AM CDT until June 1 at 9:00AM CDT by NWS St Louis MO

87°F

Unity, IL

15 mi in

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

3 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

47m 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.

What kind of drive is this?

This drive is primarily highway-focused, with 77% of the journey taking place on main roads like Illinois Route 3 and Sycamore Street. You'll experience a longest stretch of 17.5 miles entirely on Illinois Route 3, offering a consistent pace for a significant portion of the trip. Expect a driving personality that leans towards efficiency rather than winding scenic byways. The road's character is defined by its main arteries, providing a direct path. It's a drive where the focus is on covering ground efficiently.

77% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
7 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 17.5 mi on Illinois Route 3.

How Hard Is This Drive?

1/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Illinois Route 3 and Sycamore Street. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes around 10.9 miles in near IL 3 / Illinois Route 3.

Driving Effort 1/10

Very easy - short and simple to drive

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

The drive from Cairo, IL to McClure, IL is easy. At 47m with 77% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 10.9 miles (IL 3 / Illinois Route 3): Lane positioning matters here; at 30.2 miles (County Highway 4): Navigation decision point.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

476 ft 311 ft

Total Climb

174 ft

Total Descent

145 ft

Highest Point

476 ft

~19.6 mi in

Elevation Range

165 ft

About the Cities

Starting in Cairo, IL

Full guide →

Founded 1818

Cairo (pronounced KAY-ro) is in Illinois on a small strip of land in between Missouri and Kentucky as well as the confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers, made famous in Mark Twain's Huckleberry Finn. It was briefly a thriving community, but descended into industrial decline and racial violence for several decades, leaving it almost entirely abandoned.

Top landmarks

  • • Cairo Historic District — historic district in Cairo, Illinois, United States
  • • Old Custom House — custom house in Cairo, Illinois

Arriving in McClure, IL

Full guide →

City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 47m. Total distance: 30.5 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

47m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (77%). Straightforward navigation.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 17.5 miles on Illinois Route 3. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

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 10.9 miles (IL 3 / Illinois Route 3): Lane positioning matters here; at 30.2 miles (County Highway 4): Navigation decision point.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at McClure, IL before heading back.

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 USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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