Origin
Crystal Lake, IL
Late night in Crystal Lake on Sunday
Local time
3:00 AM
CDT
Current temp
66°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Crystal Lake, IL to Gurnee, IL
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
48m
Distance
29.5 mi
48 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 45m
★
6 AM
0h 49m
8 AM
0h 57m
10 AM
0h 51m
12 PM
0h 51m
3 PM
0h 52m
5 PM
0h 56m
8 PM
0h 46m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Crystal Lake, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Gurnee, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 29.5-mile drive from Crystal Lake to Gurnee, Illinois, is a straightforward local trip that can easily be completed in about 48 minutes. Designed as a single-day excursion, you won't need to worry about overnight stays. The estimated fuel cost is around $5, making it an economical option for a short journey. You'll primarily navigate via West Belvidere Road and IL 31, with about 17% of the route on highways. The overall feel is that of a practical, turn-heavy local drive through the Midwest region of Illinois.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| West Belvidere Road | 10.5 mi | 16m |
| IL 31 | 5.1 mi | 8m |
| Belvidere Road | 2.6 mi | 3m |
| North Milwaukee Avenue | 2.3 mi | 3m |
| East Terra Cotta Avenue | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| Grand Avenue | 1.2 mi | 1m |
| Charles J Miller Road | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| West Elm Street | 1.1 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
West Belvidere Road
— 10.5 mi, about 16m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Crystal Lake, IL and Gurnee, IL.
1
Start on East Crystal Lake Avenue
25 ft
·
8 sec
·
East Crystal Lake Avenue
2
Turn left onto North Main Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
North Main Street
3
Turn right onto IL 176
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
East Terra Cotta Avenue
4
Turn left onto IL 31
5.1 mi
·
8 min
·
IL 31
5
Turn right onto A32
0.2 mi
·
17 sec
·
Bull Valley Road
6
Continue on A32
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Charles J Miller Road
7
At end of road, turn left onto V45
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
South River Road
Use the straight lane.
8
Continue on V45
0.7 mi
·
58 sec
·
Chapel Hill Road
Use the straight lane.
9
Turn slight right
208 ft
·
5 sec
Use the right lane.
10
Turn straight onto IL 120
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
West Elm Street
11
Continue on IL 120
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Rand Road
12
Continue on IL 120
10 mi
·
16 min
·
West Belvidere Road
Use the right lane.
13
Continue on IL 120
2.6 mi
·
3 min
·
Belvidere Road
Use the left lane.
14
Turn slight right
0.4 mi
·
1 min
15
Turn left onto IL 21
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
North Milwaukee Avenue
Use the left lane.
16
Continue on North Milwaukee Avenue
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
North Milwaukee Avenue
Use the left lane.
17
Continue on North Riverside Drive
0.3 mi
·
31 sec
·
North Riverside Drive
18
Turn sharp right onto Grand Avenue
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Grand Avenue
19
Turn right onto North Greenleaf Street
92 ft
·
3 sec
·
North Greenleaf Street
20
Arrive at destination
North Greenleaf Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 85 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 28.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
North Main Street
Turn left onto North Main Street
Navigation decision point
4
0.5 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
IL 176 / East Terra Cotta Avenue
Turn right onto IL 176 / East Terra Cotta Avenue
Navigation decision point
7
8.5 mi into trip
|
~14m in
|
V45 / South River Road
At end of road, turn left onto V45 / South River Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
4
25.8 mi into trip
|
~42m in
|
IL 21 / North Milwaukee Avenue
Turn left onto IL 21 / North Milwaukee Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
28.3 mi into trip
|
~46m in
|
Grand Avenue
Turn sharp right onto Grand Avenue
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.61 one way
$9.22 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
10 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $5.06 | $10.13 |
| premium | $4.89 | $5.68 | $11.35 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.51 | $13.03 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8.9 | 0 | $3.10 | $1.42 |
| Efficient EV | 7.4 | 0 | $2.58 | $1.18 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 11.8 | 0 | $4.13 | $1.89 |
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (70% 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
Gurnee, IL
Late night in Gurnee on Sunday
Local time
3:00 AM
CDT
Current temp
67°F
Scattered Showers And Thunderstorms
N 10 mph
26% chance
Live forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 16 at 12:33PM CDT until April 18 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS Chicago IL
Flood Watch
Flood Watch issued April 16 at 12:29PM CDT by NWS Chicago IL
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 warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
48m 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?
Expect a "turn-heavy local drive" for this 29.5-mile trip. While only 17% of the route is on highways, the majority of your driving will be on local roads like West Belvidere Road and IL 31. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 10.5 miles on West Belvidere Road, so while not entirely freeway, there are some longer segments. This route is characterized by frequent turns and transitions as you move through familiar Midwestern terrain, rather than long, open highway stretches.
Only 17% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 10.5 mi on West Belvidere Road.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near North Main Street.
Driving Effort
6/10
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 29.5 miles you will encounter 8 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: near the start (North Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.5 miles (IL 176 / East Terra Cotta Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 8.5 miles (V45 / South River Road): Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Arriving in Gurnee, IL
Full guide →Founded 1928
Gurnee is a village in Illinois. It sits at the midpoint between Chicago and Milwaukee. It's best known as the home of the Six Flags Great America amusement park, Six Flags Hurricane Harbor Chicago water park, the Gurnee Mills shopping mall, and a Great Wolf Lodge location. As such, Gurnee sees over 23 million visitors every year.
Top landmarks
- • Goliath (Six Flags Great America) — wooden roller coaster at Six Flags Great America in Gurnee, Illinois
- • The Flash: Vertical Velocity — amusement ride in Six Flags Great America
- • Shockwave — roller coaster at Six Flags Great America in Gurnee, 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 48m. Total distance: 29.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
48m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 10.5 miles on West Belvidere Road. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 Gurnee, 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: near the start (North Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.5 miles (IL 176 / East Terra Cotta Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 8.5 miles (V45 / South River Road): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Gurnee, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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