Origin
Deerfield, IL
Morning in Deerfield on Sunday
Local time
6:17 AM
CDT
Current temp
43°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Deerfield, IL to Des Plaines, IL
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 26, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
20m
Distance
13.3 mi
21 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 19m
★
6 AM
0h 21m
8 AM
0h 25m
10 AM
0h 22m
12 PM
0h 22m
3 PM
0h 22m
5 PM
0h 24m
8 PM
0h 20m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Deerfield, IL
Mike Tyurin
Des Plaines, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This short, 13.3-mile drive from Deerfield to Des Plaines, Illinois, is easily manageable in about 20 minutes, making it a perfect option for a single-day trip. You'll primarily navigate using Tri-State Tollway, Deerfield Road, and North Des Plaines River Road. With a modest estimated fuel cost of $2, this journey is quite budget-friendly. The route offers a straightforward local transit experience within the Midwest region. Expect a generally practical and efficient drive without the need for an overnight stay.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Tri-State Tollway | 7.9 mi | 9m |
| Deerfield Road | 1.6 mi | 3m |
| North Des Plaines River Road | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| East Golf Road | 1 mi | 1m |
| North Waukegan Road | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Elder Lane | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Henry Avenue | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| North East River Road | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Tri-State Tollway
— 7.9 mi, about 9m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Deerfield, IL and Des Plaines, IL.
1
Start on this road
112 ft
·
10 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right onto Elder Lane
0.1 mi
·
34 sec
·
Elder Lane
3
Turn left onto IL 43
0.3 mi
·
28 sec
·
North Waukegan Road
4
Turn right onto Deerfield Road
1.6 mi
·
3 min
·
Deerfield Road
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
Toward I 94 East Toll: Chicago
6
Merge onto I 94
0.8 mi
·
53 sec
·
Tri-State Tollway
7
Keep slight right at fork onto I 294
7.2 mi
·
8 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
Toward I 294 South Toll: Indiana, O'Hare
Use the slight right lane.
8
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
1 min
Exit 45
Toward IL 58: Golf Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Turn left onto North East River Road
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
·
North East River Road
Use the left lane.
10
Turn right onto IL 58
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
East Golf Road
Use the right lane.
11
Turn left onto US 45
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
North Des Plaines River Road
Use the left lane.
12
Turn right onto Henry Avenue
0.1 mi
·
24 sec
·
Henry Avenue
13
Arrive at destination
Henry Avenue
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 115 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 11.7 — 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
|
IL 43 / North Waukegan Road
Turn left onto IL 43 / North Waukegan Road
Navigation decision point
5
1.9 mi into trip
|
~4m in
Take the ramp toward I 94 East Toll: Chicago
Navigation decision point
Toward I 94 East Toll: Chicago
8
3.1 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
I 294 / Tri-State Tollway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 294 / Tri-State Tollway toward I 294 South Toll: Indiana, O'Hare
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 294 South Toll: Indiana, O'Hare
7
10.2 mi into trip
|
~14m in
Take the exit toward IL 58: Golf Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 45
Toward IL 58: Golf Road
6
11.7 mi into trip
|
~17m in
|
US 45 / North Des Plaines River Road
Turn left onto US 45 / North Des Plaines River Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.03 one way
$4.06 round trip
$3.88/gal
25.4 MPG avg
5 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.27 | $2.23 | $4.47 |
| premium | $4.81 | $2.52 | $5.03 |
| diesel | $5.40 | $2.83 | $5.66 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.48
Tri-state Tollway
(7.9 mi)
$0.48
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Tolls
$0
Total
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 4.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-20.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 4 | 0 | $1.40 | $0.64 |
| Efficient EV | 3.3 | 0 | $1.16 | $0.53 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 5.3 | 0 | $1.86 | $0.85 |
Gas CO2
5 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (60% 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
Des Plaines, IL
Morning in Des Plaines on Sunday
Local time
6:17 AM
CDT
Current temp
47°F
Widespread Fog
ESE 5 mph
0% chance
Live forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 16 at 8:50PM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 16 at 8:50PM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA 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
4 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
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.
What kind of drive is this?
This route is characterized as a 'turn-heavy local drive,' suggesting frequent navigation changes rather than long stretches of uninterrupted highway. While it includes a 7.9-mile segment on the Tri-State Tollway, the overall experience is more about local road engagement. With a 0% highway share, you'll be moving through more community-oriented settings. The frequent turns will keep you actively involved in the driving process, offering a dynamic feel as you transition between different local thoroughfares.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 7.9 mi on Tri-State Tollway.
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 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near IL 43 / North Waukegan Road.
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 13.3 miles you will encounter 11 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 (IL 43 / North Waukegan Road): Navigation decision point; at 1.9 miles: Navigation decision point; at 3.1 miles (I 294 / Tri-State Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
694 ft
631 ft
Total Climb
72 ft
Total Descent
128 ft
Highest Point
694 ft
~1.9 mi in
Elevation Range
63 ft
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 Deerfield, IL to Des Plaines, IL, road signs begin pointing toward O'hare along the way.
O'hare
3.1 mi in
|
~5m
|
via I 294
About the Cities
Starting in Deerfield, IL
Full guide →Founded 1903
Deerfield is a small town in Illinois.
Top landmarks
- • Deerfield — railway station in Illinois
Arriving in Des Plaines, IL
Full guide →Founded 1852
Des Plaines is in Chicagoland. It is an inner-ring, northwest suburb of Chicago with two distinct portions: a suburban northern portion reminiscient of other, nearby northwest suburbs (including Niles, Park Ridge, and Mount Prospect), as well as a built-up southern portion with the businesses, hotels, and other amenities of the O'Hare Airport corridor (much like Rosemont, Chicago's O'Hare neighborhood, and Elk Grove Village).
Top landmarks
- • McDonald's #1 Store Museum — former McDonald's spot
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 20m. Total distance: 13.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
20m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 7.9 miles on Tri-State Tollway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.48 in tolls one way, starting with Tri-state Tollway. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.
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 Des Plaines, 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 0.1 miles (IL 43 / North Waukegan Road): Navigation decision point; at 1.9 miles: Navigation decision point; at 3.1 miles (I 294 / Tri-State Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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 Des Plaines, 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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Des Plaines, IL
More trips to Des Plaines, IL
Explore more options from Deerfield, IL or browse trips ending in Des Plaines, IL.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse IL road trips.