Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
24m
Distance
11.2 mi
18 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Des Plaines, IL
Wikimedia Commons
River Forest, IL
Wikimedia Commons
This short, 11.2-mile drive from Des Plaines to River Forest, Illinois, is an easy 24-minute trip, making it perfect for a single day. You'll primarily navigate local roads, with no highway time to worry about. The estimated fuel cost is a budget-friendly $2, so you won't need to plan for extensive refueling stops. Given the minimal distance and time commitment, this route offers a lot of flexibility for when you want to depart and how you structure your journey. It's a straightforward local transit through the Midwest region.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Des Plaines River Road | 4.3 mi | 8m |
| South Des Plaines River Road | 2.8 mi | 5m |
| North River Road | 1.6 mi | 3m |
| North Avenue | 1 mi | 2m |
| Lathrop Avenue | 0.8 mi | 2m |
| North 1st Avenue | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Henry Avenue | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Augusta Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Des Plaines, IL and River Forest, IL.
Start on Henry Avenue
Turn right onto South Des Plaines River Road
Continue on North River Road
Continue on Des Plaines River Road
Turn straight onto IL 171
Turn left onto IL 64
Turn right onto Lathrop Avenue
Turn left onto Augusta Street
Arrive at destination
4 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 11.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn right onto South Des Plaines River Road
Lane positioning matters here
Turn left onto IL 64 / North Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Turn right onto Lathrop Avenue
Navigation decision point
Turn left onto Augusta Street
Navigation decision point
Regular Gas
$1.75 one way
$3.50 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $1.92 | $3.85 |
| premium | $4.89 | $2.16 | $4.31 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.47 | $4.95 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 3.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 75% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3.4 | 0 | $1.18 | $0.54 |
| Efficient EV | 2.8 | 0 | $0.98 | $0.45 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 4.5 | 0 | $1.57 | $0.72 |
Gas CO2
4 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (75% 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Late night in Des Plaines on Tuesday
Local time
5:10 AM
CDT
Current temp
69°F
Scattered Showers And Thunderstorms
Destination
Late night in River Forest on Tuesday
Local time
5:10 AM
CDT
Current temp
62°F
Unavailable
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
Expect a turn-heavy local drive for the entirety of this 11.2-mile journey, as indicated by the 0% highway share. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 4.3 miles along Des Plaines River Road. This route emphasizes navigating through local streets, so be prepared for frequent turns and adjustments rather than long, high-speed segments. The character of the drive is consistent, focusing on local road connectivity.
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near South Des Plaines River Road.
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 24m drive. You will face about 4 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (South Des Plaines River Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 9.3 miles (IL 64 / North Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 10.3 miles (Lathrop Avenue): Navigation decision point.
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
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 24m. Total distance: 11.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
24m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
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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