Origin
Clinton, IL
Late night in Clinton on Tuesday
Local time
3:16 AM
CDT
Current temp
69°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Clinton, IL to Joliet, IL
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
2h 20m
Distance
122.8 mi
198 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$19
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
2h 11m
★
6 AM
2h 21m
8 AM
2h 40m
10 AM
2h 28m
12 PM
2h 26m
3 PM
2h 29m
5 PM
2h 39m
8 PM
2h 15m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Clinton, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Joliet, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 122.8-mile drive from Clinton, IL, to Joliet, IL, is a straightforward trip that can easily be completed in about 2 hours and 20 minutes. With 97% of the journey on highways, it's a focused drive primarily utilizing US 51 and I-80. The estimated fuel cost is around $19, making it an economical option for a single-day excursion. Given its manageable length and efficient route, this trip is perfectly suited as a day trip, allowing for flexibility in your schedule. You'll be traveling within the Midwest region, staying within Illinois for the entire journey.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
61.4 miles from Clinton, IL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 10m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 51 | 95.2 mi | 1h 43m |
| US 51 Business | 18.5 mi | 22m |
| I 80 | 5.1 mi | 6m |
| North Center Street | 1 mi | 1m |
| North Grant Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| West Jefferson Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| South Center Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Hickory Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
US 51
— 95.2 mi, about 1h 43m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Clinton, IL and Joliet, IL.
1
Start on West Washington Street
108 ft
·
10 sec
·
West Washington Street
2
Turn left onto US 51 Business
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
North Grant Street
3
Continue on US 51 Business
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
West Woodlawn Street
4
Turn left onto US 51 Business
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
North Center Street
5
Take the ramp onto US 51 Business
19 mi
·
22 min
·
US 51 Business
Toward US 51 North: Bloomington
Use the straight lane.
6
Take the exit onto US 51
95 mi
·
1 hr 43 min
·
US 51
Toward I 74 West, US 51 North: Peoria, Rockford
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Exit 250A
Toward I 80 East: Indiana
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Merge onto I 80
5.1 mi
·
6 min
·
I 80
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.8 mi
·
1 min
Exit 131
Toward Center Street
10
Continue on South Center Street
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
·
South Center Street
11
Continue on Hickory Street
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
·
Hickory Street
12
Turn right onto US 30
0.3 mi
·
51 sec
·
West Jefferson Street
13
Turn left onto Joliet Street
174 ft
·
6 sec
·
Joliet Street
14
Turn right
272 ft
·
19 sec
15
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
With a total duration of just over two hours, this route offers considerable flexibility. You can depart at your leisure, perhaps aiming to avoid peak traffic by leaving mid-morning. Consider breaking up the 95.2-mile stretch on US 51 with a brief stop for fuel or a stretch, though no official stops are noted on this route. The estimated $19 fuel cost is a good budget point to keep in mind. Since this is a short drive, you won't need to worry about splitting it overnight; enjoy the straightforward journey.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 61.4 miles from Clinton, IL, or about 1h 10m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 95.2 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 27 miles or 33m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 61.4 miles or 1h 10m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 53m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Joliet, IL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Clinton, IL 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 Clinton, IL
This is one driving day of about 122.8 miles and 2h 20m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 27 miles from Clinton, IL.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on US 51 for about 95.2 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
61 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 27 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 61.4 miles from Clinton, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before US 51 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 95.2 miles.
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 105 decision points cluster between mile 1.6 and 121.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
1.6 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
US 51 Business
Take the ramp onto US 51 Business toward US 51 North: Bloomington
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Toward US 51 North: Bloomington
7
20.2 mi into trip
|
~26m in
|
US 51
Take the exit onto US 51 toward I 74 West, US 51 North: Peoria, Rockford
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 74 West, US 51 North: Peoria, Rockford
7
115.3 mi into trip
|
~2h 9m in
Take the exit toward I 80 East: Indiana
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 250A
Toward I 80 East: Indiana
5
116.1 mi into trip
|
~2h 10m in
|
I 80
Merge onto I 80
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
121.1 mi into trip
|
~2h 16m in
Take the exit toward Center Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 131
Toward Center Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$19.20 one way
$38.40 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
43 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $21.08 | $42.16 |
| premium | $4.89 | $23.63 | $47.26 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $27.11 | $54.23 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$19
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$44–$69
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 43 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $13 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 36.8 | 0 | $12.89 | $5.89 |
| Efficient EV | 30.7 | 0 | $10.75 | $4.91 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 49.1 | 0 | $17.19 | $7.86 |
Gas CO2
43 kg
EV CO2
14 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.
Destination
Joliet, IL
Late night in Joliet on Tuesday
Local time
3:16 AM
CDT
Current temp
65°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
68°F
Fairbury, IL
61 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
4 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
2h 20m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
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.
Pullman National Historical Park
National Historical Park
In a growing Chicago neighborhood, diverse people and stories intertwined. All were seeking opportunity. Some succeeded. Others were limited—by race, gender, or economic status. Their stories came tog...
27 mi from route
~68 min detour
Free
near mile 122.8
View on nps.gov
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a largely highway-focused experience on this route, with 97% of the drive taking place on major roads. You'll spend a significant portion of your time on US 51, including a substantial uninterrupted stretch of 95.2 miles. As you progress, the route transitions to I-80, offering a faster pace for the latter part of your journey. This drive is characterized by its efficiency and directness, minimizing time spent on slower, local roads.
97% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 95.2 mi on US 51.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 51 and US 51 Business. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 1.6 miles in near US 51 Business.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 2h 20m drive. You will face about 10 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.6 miles (US 51 Business): Lane positioning matters here; at 20.2 miles (US 51): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 115.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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.
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 Clinton, IL to Joliet, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Rockford along the way.
Rockford
20.2 mi in
|
~26m
|
via US 51
About the Cities
Starting in Clinton, IL
Full guide →Founded 1835
Arriving in Joliet, IL
Full guide →Founded 1833
Joliet is a city in the Chicagoland region of Illinois, a state in the Midwest of the United States of America. It is the largest city and county seat of Will County.
Top landmarks
- • Joliet Union Station — former train station in the United States
- • Christ Episcopal Church — church building in Joliet, Illinois, United States of America
- • Joliet Central High School — public school in Joliet, Illinois
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 2h 20m. Total distance: 122.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 20m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (97%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 95.2 miles on US 51. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 1.6 miles (US 51 Business): Lane positioning matters here; at 20.2 miles (US 51): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 115.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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 Joliet, 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 NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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