City of Gary, IN to Hendricks, IN is 164.7 miles and takes about 3h 11m via Casimir Pulaski Memorial Highway and I-65, with a fuel budget near $29 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Indiana, moving from the Midwest region to the same region. Expect a route that's mostly on surface roads, so plan for a more local driving experience rather than pure highway cruising. With a drive time under four hours, it's a manageable one-day excursion, perfect for a quick change of scenery without needing an overnight stay.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
82.4 miles from City of Gary, IN
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 32m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Casimir Pulaski Memorial Highway
132.6 mi
2h 25m
I 465
13.7 mi
15m
I 65
5.9 mi
6m
West Southport Road
2.1 mi
4m
County Road 300 West
2 mi
3m
South Meridian Street
2 mi
3m
West 5th Avenue
1.8 mi
3m
I 69
1.2 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
Casimir Pulaski Memorial Highway
— 132.6 mi, about 2h 25m
Traffic on I-65
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 48 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~1,864 veh/hr typical
· worst 2,433
Quietest
2 AM
~258 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
7.2×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 52 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 Hendricks, 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
133 mi·2 hr 25 min·Casimir Pulaski Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight left at fork onto I 65
5.9 mi·6 min·I 65
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.2 mi·29 sec
Exit 123Toward I 465 South
8
Continue on this road
0.6 mi·1 min·this road
Exit 123Toward I 465 South
9
Merge onto I 465
14 mi·15 min·I 465
10
Take the exit
0.8 mi·1 min
Exit 5Toward I 69 South: EvansvilleUse the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Continue on I 69
1.2 mi·1 min·I 69
12
Take the exit
0.4 mi·51 sec
Use the slight right lane.
13
Turn left onto West Southport Road
2.1 mi·4 min·West Southport Road
14
Turn right onto SR 135
2.0 mi·3 min·South Meridian Street
15
Continue on SR 135
2.0 mi·3 min·County Road 300 West
16
Turn left onto West Smith Valley Road
0.6 mi·1 min·West Smith Valley Road
17
Turn left onto Schooley Drive
0.1 mi·33 sec·Schooley Drive
18
Arrive at destination
Schooley Drive
Trip Plan
Given the 3h 11m drive time, leaving Gary, IN in the morning will easily get you to Hendricks, IN before dinner. The drive is mostly on surface roads, so allow for slower speeds and potential local traffic, especially on the 132.6-mile section of Casimir Pulaski Memorial Highway. With only one stop suggested and a fuel cost around $29, this is a straightforward drive with minimal logistical planning needed. Take advantage of the short duration by leaving a bit later if you prefer a more relaxed start to your day.
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 82.4 miles from City of Gary, IN, or about 1h 32m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 132.6 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 36 miles or 42m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 82.4 miles or 1h 32m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 30m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Hendricks, 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 164.7 miles and 3h 11m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 36 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 Casimir Pulaski Memorial Highway for about 132.6 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 12
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 157.6 — 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
6
135.1 mi into trip|~2h 30m in|I 65
Keep slight left at fork onto I 65
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
140.9 mi into trip|~2h 37m in
Take the exit toward I 465 South
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 123
Toward I 465 South
7
155.5 mi into trip|~2h 55m in
Take the exit toward I 69 South: Evansville
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 5
Toward I 69 South: Evansville
5
157.6 mi into trip|~2h 58m in
Take the exit
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$27.38 one way
$54.77 round trip
$4.22/gal25.4 MPG avg58 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.60
$29.83
$59.66
premium
$5.18
$33.61
$67.22
diesel
$5.35
$34.69
$69.38
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$27
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$52–$77
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 57.6 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $17 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
49.4
0
$17.29
$7.91
Efficient EV
41.2
0
$14.41
$6.59
EV Truck/SUV
65.9
0
$23.06
$10.54
Gas CO2
58 kg
EV CO2
19 kg (67% 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 May 24, 2026
Origin
City of Gary, IN
Evening
in City of Gary on Wednesday
Local time
5:55 PM
CDT
Current temp
63°F
Patchy Fog
NE 5 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued May 24 at 12:22PM EDT until May 26 at 5:00AM EDT by NWS Indianapolis IN
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued May 24 at 12:22PM EDT until May 27 at 2:00AM EDT by NWS Indianapolis IN
Destination
Hendricks, IN
Evening
in Hendricks on Wednesday
Local time
6:55 PM
EDT
Current temp
74°F
Showers And Thunderstorms
WNW 6 mph80% chanceLive forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued May 24 at 12:22PM EDT until May 26 at 5:00AM EDT by NWS Indianapolis IN
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued May 24 at 12:22PM EDT until May 27 at 2:00AM EDT by NWS Indianapolis 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
1 hour later
The destination clock does not match departure time, so double-check hotel check-in windows and late arrival plans.
Temperature spread
11 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
3h 11m 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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Indiana Dunes National Park
National Park
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...
12 mi from route
~31 min detour
$20
near mile 5.7
Park Closure: Partial Closures to Marquette Greenway Trail and Glenwood Dunes Trail
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route features only a 13% highway share, meaning most of your time will be spent on surface roads. You'll experience a significant stretch of 132.6 miles on Casimir Pulaski Memorial Highway, which will likely feel like cruising through local towns and varied scenery. After that, you'll transition to interstate driving on I-465 and I-65, offering a different pace before returning to surface roads.
Only 13% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 132.6 mi on Casimir Pulaski Memorial Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 12 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 164.7 miles you will encounter 12 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 135.1 miles (I 65): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 140.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
959 ft604 ft
Total Climb
527 ft
Total Descent
343 ft
Highest Point
959 ft
~129.4 mi in
Elevation Range
355 ft
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 11m. Total distance: 164.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 11m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (13%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 132.6 miles on Casimir Pulaski Memorial Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 28 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.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (West 8th Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 135.1 miles (I 65): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 140.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Yes — Indiana Dunes National Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 3.2 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 6.4 hours — manageable with a long break at Hendricks, IN, but most travelers stay overnight.
