City of Gary, IN to Darmstadt, IN is 267.3 miles and takes about 5h 39m via US 41, with a fuel budget near $47 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Indiana, taking you from the Midwest region to another part of the Midwest. It's a straightforward drive that can easily be completed in a single day, making it ideal if you're looking for an efficient way to get from point A to point B. Consider this route if you prefer a mostly highway experience with minimal fuss.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
133.6 miles from City of Gary, IN
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 47m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US 41
149.4 mi
3h 9m
SR 63
63.4 mi
1h 20m
Casimir Pulaski Memorial Highway
41.1 mi
46m
State Road 14
9.2 mi
12m
West 5th Avenue
1.8 mi
3m
East Boonville New Harmony Road
1.3 mi
3m
Madison Street
0.4 mi
1m
West 8th Avenue
0.2 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
US 41
— 149.4 mi, about 3h 9m
Traffic on I-65
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 22 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~1,975 veh/hr typical
Quietest
1 AM
~245 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
8.1×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 13 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between City of Gary, IN and Darmstadt, IN.
1
Start on this road
342 ft·27 sec·this road
2
Turn right onto West 8th Avenue
0.2 mi·33 sec·West 8th Avenue
3
Turn left onto Madison Street
0.4 mi·1 min·Madison Street
4
Turn right onto US 12; US 20
1.8 mi·3 min·West 5th Avenue
5
Turn right onto I 65
41 mi·46 min·Casimir Pulaski Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.5 mi·46 sec
Exit 220Toward SR 14: WinamacUse the slight right lane.
7
Turn right onto SR 14
9.2 mi·12 min·State Road 14
8
Turn left onto US 41
26 mi·32 min·US 41
9
Keep slight left at fork onto US 41
22 mi·26 min·US 41
10
Continue on SR 63
63 mi·1 hr 20 min·SR 63
11
Continue on US 41
58 mi·1 hr 17 min·US 41
Use the straight lane.
12
Take the exit onto US 41; US 150
0.2 mi·28 sec·US 41; US 150
13
Merge onto US 41; US 50; US 150
0.9 mi·1 min·US 41; US 50; US 150
14
Keep slight right at fork onto US 41
43 mi·51 min·US 41
15
Turn right onto East Boonville New Harmony Road
1.3 mi·3 min·East Boonville New Harmony Road
16
Arrive at destination
West Boonville New Harmony Road
Trip Plan
Given the 5h 39m duration, starting your drive in the morning is recommended to avoid any late-day fatigue. With only one recommended stop, you have flexibility in when and where you take breaks. Keep an eye on your fuel levels, especially during the 149.4-mile segment on US 41, as services might be more spread out. Budget around $47 for fuel, but it's always wise to have a little extra. This is a manageable drive for one day, so you can afford to leave a bit later if needed.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 133.6 miles from City of Gary, IN, or about 2h 47m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 149.4 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 59 miles or 1h 12m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 133.6 miles or 2h 47m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 40m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Darmstadt, IN than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving City of Gary, IN so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from City of Gary, IN
This is one driving day of about 267.3 miles and 5h 39m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 59 miles from City of Gary, IN.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on US 41 for about 149.4 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 10
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 43.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|West 8th Avenue
Turn right onto West 8th Avenue
Navigation decision point
4
0.2 mi into trip|~1m in|Madison Street
Turn left onto Madison Street
Navigation decision point
4
0.6 mi into trip|~2m in|US 12; US 20 / West 5th Avenue
Turn right onto US 12; US 20 / West 5th Avenue
Navigation decision point
4
2.4 mi into trip|~5m in|I 65 / Casimir Pulaski Memorial Highway
Turn right onto I 65 / Casimir Pulaski Memorial Highway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
43.5 mi into trip|~51m in
Take the exit toward SR 14: Winamac
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 220
Toward SR 14: Winamac
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$39.47 one way
$78.95 round trip
$3.75/gal25.4 MPG avg94 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.14
$43.58
$87.16
premium
$4.72
$49.63
$99.26
diesel
$4.80
$50.47
$100.94
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$39
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$64–$89
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 93.5 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $28 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
80.2
0
$28.07
$12.83
Efficient EV
66.8
0
$23.39
$10.69
EV Truck/SUV
106.9
1
$37.42
$17.11
Gas CO2
94 kg
EV CO2
31 kg (67% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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 18, 2026
Origin
City of Gary, IN
Late night
in City of Gary on Sunday
Local time
2:13 AM
CDT
Current temp
75°F
Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
SW 5 to 10 mph17% chanceLive forecast
Beach Hazards Statement
Beach Hazards Statement issued July 17 at 10:41PM EDT until July 19 at 5:00AM EDT by NWS Northern Indiana
Destination
Darmstadt, IN
Late night
in Darmstadt on Sunday
Local time
2:13 AM
CDT
Current temp
73°F
Partly Cloudy
SW 5 mph3% chanceLive forecast
Beach Hazards Statement
Beach Hazards Statement issued July 17 at 10:41PM EDT until July 19 at 5:00AM EDT by NWS Northern Indiana
82°F
Fairview Park, IN
134 mi in
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
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
2 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
5h 39m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
George Rogers Clark National Historical Park
National Historical Park
The British flag would not be raised above Fort Sackville Feb. 25, 1779. At 10 A.M., the garrison surrendered to American Colonel George Rogers Clark. His American army, aided by French residents of t...
3 mi from route
~6 min detour
Free
near mile 221.2
Lake Michigan's might has influenced Indiana Dunes for millennia. Wind and waves have shaped the land, leaving a rich mosaic of habitats along these 15 miles of Indiana coast. Over 50 miles of trails...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
You'll spend about 80% of this 267.3-mile drive on highways. The longest continuous stretch you'll encounter is 149.4 miles on US 41. After this long highway segment, expect a change to surface roads for the remainder of your trip. The high percentage of highway driving means you'll likely notice a consistent flow of traffic with relatively fewer exits for significant portions of the drive.
80% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 149.4 mi on US 41.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 41 and SR 63. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near West 8th Avenue.
Driving Effort5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 267.3 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 0.1 miles (West 8th Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (Madison Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.6 miles (US 12; US 20 / West 5th Avenue): Navigation decision point.
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 39m. Total distance: 267.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 39m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (80%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 149.4 miles on US 41. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 19 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.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. There are 19 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (West 8th Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (Madison Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.6 miles (US 12; US 20 / West 5th Avenue): Navigation decision point.
Yes — George Rogers Clark National Historical Park and Indiana Dunes National Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 5.7 hours each way, a round trip means 11.3 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Darmstadt, IN before the return drive.
