Origin
Des Plaines, IL
Late night in Des Plaines on Sunday
Local time
3:02 AM
CDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Des Plaines, IL to Fox Lake Hills, IL
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
52m
Distance
34.5 mi
55 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 48m
★
6 AM
0h 52m
8 AM
1h 1m
10 AM
0h 55m
12 PM
0h 54m
3 PM
0h 56m
5 PM
1h 0m
8 PM
0h 50m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Des Plaines, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Fox Lake Hills, IL
Tom Fisk
Trip Overview
Des Plaines, IL to Fox Lake Hills, IL is 34.5 miles and takes about 52 minutes via East Rand Road and US 12, with a fuel budget near $5 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Illinois, making it a straightforward local excursion. The route primarily uses surface roads, so expect a more relaxed pace than a highway-only drive. With no designated stops, you have the flexibility to explore or make spontaneous detours as you see fit. It's a convenient option if you're looking for a short, manageable drive within the Midwest region.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| East Rand Road | 22.9 mi | 33m |
| US 12 | 4.2 mi | 5m |
| IL 59 | 2.7 mi | 4m |
| Rand Road | 2.2 mi | 3m |
| Fox Lake Road | 1 mi | 2m |
| South Des Plaines River Road | 1 mi | 2m |
| Bald Eagle Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Henry Avenue | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
East Rand Road
— 22.9 mi, about 33m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Des Plaines, IL and Fox Lake Hills, IL.
1
Start on Henry Avenue
0.1 mi
·
31 sec
·
Henry Avenue
2
Turn left onto South Des Plaines River Road
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
South Des Plaines River Road
3
Turn left onto US 12
2.2 mi
·
3 min
·
Rand Road
Use the left lane.
4
Continue on US 12
23 mi
·
33 min
·
East Rand Road
Use the left lane.
5
Continue on US 12; IL 59
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
US 12; IL 59
Use the left lane.
6
Continue on US 12; IL 59
2.3 mi
·
2 min
·
US 12; IL 59
7
Turn slight right onto IL 59
2.7 mi
·
4 min
·
IL 59
8
Continue on IL 59
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Fox Lake Road
9
Turn left onto Bald Eagle Road
0.2 mi
·
53 sec
·
Bald Eagle Road
Use the left lane.
10
Arrive at destination
Bald Eagle Road
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
17 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 34.5 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 17.2 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
3 of 33 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 34.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
South Des Plaines River Road
Turn left onto South Des Plaines River Road
Navigation decision point
4
1.1 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
US 12 / Rand Road
Turn left onto US 12 / Rand Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
34.2 mi into trip
|
~51m in
|
Bald Eagle Road
Turn left onto Bald Eagle Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.39 one way
$10.79 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
12 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $5.92 | $11.84 |
| premium | $4.89 | $6.64 | $13.28 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.62 | $15.23 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10.4 | 0 | $3.62 | $1.66 |
| Efficient EV | 8.6 | 0 | $3.02 | $1.38 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 13.8 | 0 | $4.83 | $2.21 |
Gas CO2
12 kg
EV CO2
4 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
Fox Lake Hills, IL
Late night in Fox Lake Hills on Sunday
Local time
3:02 AM
CDT
Current temp
44°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
7 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
52m 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?
This drive is mostly surface roads, with only 20% of the route on highways. You'll experience a longest stretch of 22.9 miles on East Rand Road before transitioning to other main roads. Expect to encounter more local traffic and intersections compared to interstate driving. The shift from any highway portion to surface streets will likely involve navigating through more developed areas with frequent exits and entrances.
Only 20% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
10 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 22.9 mi on East Rand Road.
How Hard Is This Drive?
2/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near South Des Plaines River Road.
Driving Effort
2/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Des Plaines, IL to Fox Lake Hills, IL is easy. At 52m with 20% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (South Des Plaines River Road): Navigation decision point; at 1.1 miles (US 12 / Rand Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 34.2 miles (Bald Eagle Road): 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 Fox Lake Hills, IL
Full guide →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 52m. Total distance: 34.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
52m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (20%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 22.9 miles on East Rand Road. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 (South Des Plaines River Road): Navigation decision point; at 1.1 miles (US 12 / Rand Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 34.2 miles (Bald Eagle Road): 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 Fox Lake Hills, 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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