Origin
Des Plaines, IL
Late night in Des Plaines on Sunday
Local time
2:59 AM
CDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Des Plaines, IL to Belvidere, IL
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 7m
Distance
55.2 mi
89 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 3m
★
6 AM
1h 8m
8 AM
1h 19m
10 AM
1h 12m
12 PM
1h 11m
3 PM
1h 12m
5 PM
1h 18m
8 PM
1h 5m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Des Plaines, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Belvidere, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 55.2-mile drive from Des Plaines, IL, to Belvidere, IL, will take you about 1 hour and 7 minutes. It's a straightforward trip that's perfect for a single-day excursion, so no overnight stays are required. You'll navigate primarily on the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway, with some local road segments on East and West Oakton Street at the start. Budget around $9 for fuel for this journey. Given that both your origin and destination are within the Midwest region, expect a familiar driving environment throughout.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Jane Addams Memorial Tollway | 47.5 mi | 50m |
| East Oakton Street | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| West Oakton Street | 1 mi | 1m |
| Belvidere Road | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| South Main Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Logan Avenue | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| East Algonquin Road | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Lee Street | 0.5 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
— 47.5 mi, about 50m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Des Plaines, IL and Belvidere, IL.
1
Start on Henry Avenue
262 ft
·
16 sec
·
Henry Avenue
2
Turn left onto White Street
0.1 mi
·
32 sec
·
White Street
3
At end of road, turn right onto East Algonquin Road
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
East Algonquin Road
4
Turn left onto US 12; US 45
0.5 mi
·
51 sec
·
Lee Street
5
Turn right onto East Oakton Street
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
East Oakton Street
6
Continue on West Oakton Street
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
West Oakton Street
7
Turn left onto South Elmhurst Road
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
South Elmhurst Road
Use the left / uturn lanes.
8
Take the ramp
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 90 West Toll: Rockford
Use the right lane.
9
Merge onto I 90
48 mi
·
50 min
·
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
53 sec
Exit 25
Toward Belvidere
11
Keep slight left at fork
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
Toward Belvidere
12
Keep slight right at fork
287 ft
·
7 sec
13
Turn straight onto CR T40
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
·
Genoa Road
14
Continue on US 20 Business
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Belvidere Road
15
Turn left onto Logan Avenue
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Logan Avenue
16
Turn right onto South Main Street
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
South Main Street
17
Turn right onto East Perry Street
59 ft
·
2 sec
·
East Perry Street
18
Arrive at destination
East Perry Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
28 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 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 27.6 miles from Des Plaines, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
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 135 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 52.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
East Algonquin Road
At end of road, turn right onto East Algonquin Road
Navigation decision point
5
3.8 mi into trip
|
~8m in
Take the ramp toward I 90 West Toll: Rockford
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward I 90 West Toll: Rockford
5
4.4 mi into trip
|
~9m in
|
I 90 / Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
Merge onto I 90 / Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
51.9 mi into trip
|
~1h in
Take the exit toward Belvidere
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 25
Toward Belvidere
5
52.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 1m in
Keep slight left at fork toward Belvidere
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward Belvidere
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.63 one way
$17.26 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $9.48 | $18.95 |
| premium | $4.89 | $10.62 | $21.25 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.19 | $24.37 |
Estimated Tolls: $3.33
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
(47.5 mi)
$3.33
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Tolls
$3
Total
$12
Estimated CO2 emission: 19.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16.6 | 0 | $5.80 | $2.65 |
| Efficient EV | 13.8 | 0 | $4.83 | $2.21 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 22.1 | 0 | $7.73 | $3.53 |
Gas CO2
19 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (68% 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
Belvidere, IL
Late night in Belvidere on Sunday
Local time
2:59 AM
CDT
Current temp
69°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
18 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
1h 7m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a "turn-heavy local drive" that transitions to highway travel. While the highway share is 0%, you will experience a significant 47.5-mile stretch on the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway, offering a period of more consistent speed. The initial and final portions of the drive involve more frequent turns and changes in road type as you navigate local streets. This route offers a blend of quicker highway cruising and more involved local road navigation, keeping you engaged behind the wheel.
Only 0% 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: 47.5 mi on Jane Addams Memorial Tollway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near East Algonquin Road.
Driving Effort
7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 55.2 miles you will encounter 13 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 0.2 miles (East Algonquin Road): Navigation decision point; at 3.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 4.4 miles (I 90 / Jane Addams Memorial Tollway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting 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
Arriving in Belvidere, IL
Full guide →Founded 1835
Top landmarks
- • Pettit Memorial Chapel — historic building in Belvidere, Illinois
- • United States Post Office — government building in Belvidere, Illinois
- • Old Belvidere High School — high school in Belvidere, 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 1h 7m. Total distance: 55.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 7m 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 47.5 miles on Jane Addams Memorial Tollway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $3.33 in tolls one way, starting with Jane Addams Memorial 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 Belvidere, 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 0.2 miles (East Algonquin Road): Navigation decision point; at 3.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 4.4 miles (I 90 / Jane Addams Memorial Tollway): Merge point - match speed before joining. 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 Belvidere, 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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