Cicero, IL to McHenry, IL is 56.2 miles and takes about 1h 20m via I 290 and North Rand Road, with a fuel budget near $9 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Midwest and Illinois, taking you from a suburban area into a more exurban setting. It's a relatively short drive, making it ideal for a single-day excursion without feeling rushed. The route offers a mix of highway cruising and surface street navigation, so be prepared for a change in pace.
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
7.1 mi
9m
Elm Street
2.6 mi
5m
West Belvidere Road
1.9 mi
3m
South Laramie Avenue
1.8 mi
3m
Rand Road
1.1 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
I 290
— 15.4 mi, about 20m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Cicero, IL and McHenry, IL.
1
Start on South Laramie Avenue
1.8 mi·3 min·South Laramie Avenue
Use the straight / left lanes.
2
Turn left onto West Flournoy Street
0.5 mi·55 sec·West Flournoy Street
3
Continue on this road
0.2 mi·25 sec·this road
Toward I 290 WestUse the left / straight / right lanes.
4
Merge onto I 290; IL 110
7.1 mi·9 min·Eisenhower Expressway
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
5
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.
6
Keep slight left at fork onto IL 53
8.9 mi·11 min·IL 53
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Continue on Lake Cook Road
0.7 mi·1 min·Lake Cook Road
Use the left lane.
8
Continue on US 12
14 mi·18 min·North Rand Road
Use the right lane.
9
Continue on US 12; IL 59
0.6 mi·46 sec·US 12; IL 59
10
Turn left onto IL 120
1.9 mi·3 min·West Belvidere Road
Use the left lane.
11
Continue on IL 120
1.1 mi·1 min·Rand Road
12
Continue on IL 120
2.6 mi·5 min·Elm Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
13
Turn left onto North Green Street
0.9 mi·3 min·North Green Street
14
Turn left
105 ft·13 sec
15
Turn left
237 ft·17 sec
16
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
The midpoint is around 28.1 miles from Cicero, 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 10
5 decision points cluster between mile 2.5 and 56.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
2.5 mi into trip|~4m 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 left lanes.
8
9.6 mi into trip|~14m 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
25.1 mi into trip|~34m 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.
4
49.6 mi into trip|~1h 7m in|IL 120 / West Belvidere Road
Turn left onto IL 120 / West Belvidere Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
56.2 mi into trip|~1h 20m in
Turn left
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.57 one way
$17.15 round trip
$3.88/gal25.4 MPG avg20 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.27
$9.44
$18.89
premium
$4.81
$10.63
$21.27
diesel
$5.40
$11.95
$23.91
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 19.7 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-20.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging
· 0 stops
· 65% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
16.9
0
$5.90
$2.70
Efficient EV
14.1
0
$4.92
$2.25
EV Truck/SUV
22.5
0
$7.87
$3.60
Gas CO2
20 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (65% 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 Apr 25, 2026
Origin
Cicero, IL
Afternoon
in Cicero on Sunday
Local time
4:55 PM
CDT
Current temp
47°F
Partly Cloudy
N 5 to 10 mph1% chanceLive forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 24 at 9:32PM CDT by NWS Milwaukee/Sullivan WI
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 24 at 9:06PM CDT until May 1 at 1:00PM CDT by NWS St Louis MO
Destination
McHenry, IL
Afternoon
in McHenry on Sunday
Local time
4:55 PM
CDT
Current temp
46°F
Partly Cloudy
N 5 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 24 at 9:32PM CDT by NWS Milwaukee/Sullivan WI
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 24 at 9:06PM CDT until May 1 at 1:00PM 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
1 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 20m 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 57% highway, meaning you'll spend a good portion of the 1 hour and 20 minutes on faster roads. The longest stretch on the interstate is 15.4 miles on I 290. You'll transition from highway driving to surface streets, specifically North Rand Road and IL 53, after the main highway portion concludes. Expect a noticeable shift in traffic patterns and speed as you move from the interstate to these roads.
57% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
16 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 2.5 miles in near I 290; IL 110 / Eisenhower Expressway.
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 56.2 miles you will encounter 10 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 2.5 miles (I 290; IL 110 / Eisenhower Expressway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 9.6 miles (I 290): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 25.1 miles (IL 53): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
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 Cicero, IL to McHenry, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Milwaukee along the way.
Cicero is a town of 81,000 people (2019) in the Chicagoland area, just west of the Chicago city limits. It became famous when gangster Al Capone moved here to escape from the Chicago Police in the early 1920s.
Top landmarks
•Hawthorne Works — Factory complex in Cicero, Illinois
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 20m. Total distance: 56.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 20m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (57%). 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.
Yes — we found about 3 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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 2.5 miles (I 290; IL 110 / Eisenhower Expressway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 9.6 miles (I 290): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 25.1 miles (IL 53): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
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.
