Des Plaines, IL to Burton, IL is 317.9 miles and takes about 6h 1m via Adlai Stevenson Expressway and I-72, with a fuel budget near $50 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Illinois, traversing the Midwest region for its entirety. It's primarily a highway-focused journey, making it a straightforward option for a single-day trip. You'll find it to be a practical and efficient way to cover the distance, with most of your time spent on interstates. Consider this route if you're looking for a no-fuss drive with minimal navigation challenges.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
158.9 miles from Des Plaines, IL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 3h 2m into the drive
.
Step-by-step road directions between Des Plaines, IL and Burton, IL.
1
Start on Henry Avenue
0.1 mi·25 sec·Henry Avenue
2
Turn right onto South Des Plaines River Road
1.8 mi·3 min·South Des Plaines River Road
Use the left lane.
3
Take the ramp
0.4 mi·55 sec
Toward I 294 South: Indiana
4
Merge onto I 294
11 mi·14 min·Tri-State Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Keep slight left at fork onto I 294
4.8 mi·5 min·Tri-State Tollway
6
Keep slight right at fork onto I 294
1.2 mi·1 min·Tri-State Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.6 mi·1 min
Exit 23Toward I 55: Chicago, St. Louis
8
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi·56 sec
Toward I 55 South: Saint LouisUse the slight right lane.
9
Merge onto I 55
119 mi·2 hr 13 min·Adlai Stevenson Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight right at fork onto I 55
65 mi·1 hr 10 min·I 55
Toward I 55 South: Saint Louis, SpringfieldUse the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight right at fork onto I 72; US 36
93 mi·1 hr 39 min·I 72; US 36
Toward I 72 West, US 36 West: Jacksonville
12
Keep slight left at fork
0.8 mi·51 sec
Toward I 172 North: Quincy
13
Continue on I 172; IL 110
14 mi·14 min·Chicago-Kansas City Expressway
14
Take the exit
0.3 mi·38 sec
Toward IL 104: Quincy
15
Turn right onto IL 104
0.4 mi·47 sec·Broadway Street
16
Turn right onto North 63rd Street
0.6 mi·2 min·North 63rd Street
17
At end of road, turn left onto State Street
3.3 mi·7 min·State Street
18
Continue on County Road 5
0.7 mi·1 min·County Road 5
19
Continue on Main Street
0.1 mi·28 sec·Main Street
20
Arrive at destination
North 1003rd Lane
Trip Plan
With a total drive time of just over 6 hours, this trip is easily manageable in a single day, so aim for an early start to maximize daylight. The longest stretch without a major road change is nearly 120 miles, so plan your fuel and rest stops accordingly before you hit that segment. Given the $50 fuel cost estimate, it’s wise to fill up before departing Des Plaines. Since it’s a relatively short, highway-centric drive, you have flexibility; however, be aware that the 91% highway share means fewer opportunities for spontaneous roadside attractions.
Morning Departure
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Evening Departure
This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 158.9 miles from Des Plaines, IL, or about 3h 2m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 119.4 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 70 miles or 1h 23m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 158.9 miles or 3h 2m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 51m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Burton, IL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Des Plaines, 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 Des Plaines, IL
This is one driving day of about 317.9 miles and 6h 1m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 70 miles from Des Plaines, IL.
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 Adlai Stevenson Expressway for about 119.4 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 14
5 decision points cluster between mile 18.6 and 205.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
18.6 mi into trip|~25m in|I 294 / Tri-State Tollway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 294 / Tri-State Tollway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
19.8 mi into trip|~26m in
Take the exit toward I 55: Chicago, St. Louis
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 23
Toward I 55: Chicago, St. Louis
7
20.5 mi into trip|~28m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 55 South: Saint Louis
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 55 South: Saint Louis
8
140.3 mi into trip|~2h 42m in|I 55
Keep slight right at fork onto I 55 toward I 55 South: Saint Louis, Springfield
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 55 South: Saint Louis, Springfield
6
205.1 mi into trip|~3h 52m in|I 72; US 36
Keep slight right at fork onto I 72; US 36 toward I 72 West, US 36 West: Jacksonville
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 72 West, US 36 West: Jacksonville
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$49.70 one way
$99.40 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg111 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$54.57
$109.14
premium
$4.89
$61.18
$122.35
diesel
$5.61
$70.19
$140.38
Estimated Tolls: $1.05
Tri-state Tollway
(17.5 mi)$1.05
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$50
Tolls
$1
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$76–$101
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 111.2 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $33 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
95.4
1
$33.38
$15.26
Efficient EV
79.5
0
$27.82
$12.72
EV Truck/SUV
127.2
1
$44.51
$20.35
Gas CO2
111 kg
EV CO2
37 kg (67% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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 Apr 16, 2026
Origin
Des Plaines, IL
Late night
in Des Plaines on Tuesday
Local time
4:08 AM
CDT
Current temp
69°F
Scattered Showers And Thunderstorms
NW 10 to 15 mph44% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Burton, IL
Late night
in Burton on Tuesday
Local time
4:08 AM
CDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
68°F
Bloomington, IL
159 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
18 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
6h 1m on the road
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
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.
Springfield 1908 Race Riot National Monument
National Monument
In August 1908, a large White mob attacked the Black community in Springfield, Illinois. Rioters destroyed homes and businesses and lynched two men. The event led to the founding of the National Assoc...
4 mi from route
~10 min detour
Free
near mile 197.3
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...
17 mi from route
~42 min detour
Free
near mile 21.9
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route is predominantly highway-focused, with 91% of the drive utilizing major interstates. You'll experience a 6-hour journey that's largely consistent, featuring a significant 119.4-mile stretch on the Adlai Stevenson Expressway. Expect mostly high-speed travel with clear, direct paths for the majority of the trip. While the landscape might be consistent, the uninterrupted highway sections allow for steady progress toward your destination. This drive offers a predictable pace for those who prefer to keep moving.
91% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 119.4 mi on Adlai Stevenson Expressway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Adlai Stevenson Expressway and I 72. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 18.6 miles in near I 294 / Tri-State Tollway.
Driving Effort8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 14 significant decision points across 317.9 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 18.6 miles (I 294 / Tri-State Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 19.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 20.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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.
Between Des Plaines, IL and Burton, IL, road signs point toward St. Louis and Springfield.
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
Doable as a same-day drive at 6h 1m. Total distance: 317.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
6h 1m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 119.4 miles on Adlai Stevenson Expressway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $1.05 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.
Yes — we found about 29 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.
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 Burton, IL before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. There are 29 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 18.6 miles (I 294 / Tri-State Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 19.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 20.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Springfield 1908 Race Riot National Monument and Pullman National Historical Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 6.0 hours each way, a round trip means 12.1 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Burton, IL before the return drive.
