El Paso, IL to Markham, IL is 108 miles and takes about 2 hours and 9 minutes via I 55 and I 80, with a fuel budget near $16 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within the Midwest, specifically Illinois, making it a straightforward trip between two points in the same region. Given its relatively short distance and mostly highway profile, this route is ideal for a single-day excursion. You'll spend most of your time on major interstates, so it’s a practical choice for getting from point A to point B efficiently. Plan for a quick commute rather than an extensive scenic tour.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
54 miles from El Paso, IL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 5m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 55
63.3 mi
1h 8m
I 80
27.6 mi
34m
East Main Street
7.5 mi
11m
East 3100 North Road
7 mi
9m
Kedzie Avenue
0.8 mi
1m
East 1st Street
0.3 mi
<1m
North Pine Street
0.2 mi
<1m
North Central Street
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 55
— 63.3 mi, about 1h 8m
Traffic on I-55
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 2 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~1,093 veh/hr typical
· worst 1,450
Quietest
2 AM
~146 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
7.5×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 43 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between El Paso, IL and Markham, IL.
1
Start on North Central Street
74 ft·5 sec·North Central Street
2
Turn right onto East 1st Street
0.3 mi·57 sec·East 1st Street
3
Turn right onto North Pine Street
0.2 mi·42 sec·North Pine Street
4
Turn left onto US 24
7.5 mi·11 min·East Main Street
5
Continue on US 24
7.0 mi·9 min·East 3100 North Road
6
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·43 sec
Toward I 55 North: Joliet
7
Merge onto I 55
63 mi·1 hr 8 min·I 55
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.7 mi·1 min
Exit 250AToward I 80 East: IndianaUse the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Merge onto I 80
28 mi·34 min·I 80
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.2 mi·32 sec
Exit 154Toward Kedzie AvenueUse the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Turn left onto Kedzie Avenue
0.8 mi·1 min·Kedzie Avenue
12
Turn left onto 163rd Street
64 ft·2 sec·163rd Street
13
Arrive at destination
163rd Street
Trip Plan
Since this is a short, 108-mile drive that can be completed in just over two hours, you have a lot of flexibility. Leaving anytime in the morning should get you to Markham with plenty of daylight to spare. There are no recommended overnight stops, and you can easily complete this trip in one go without significant fatigue. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, as the estimated cost is around $16, and plan for your last fill-up before you hit the denser traffic near the Chicago metropolitan area. The longest stretch without an exit is 63.3 miles on I 55, so ensure you're comfortable before entering that segment.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 54 miles from El Paso, IL, or about 1h 5m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 63.3 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 24 miles or 32m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 54 miles or 1h 5m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 44m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Markham, IL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving El Paso, 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 El Paso, IL
This is one driving day of about 108 miles and 2h 9m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 24 miles from El Paso, IL.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 55 for about 63.3 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 10
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 106.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip|~0m in|East 1st Street
Turn right onto East 1st Street
Navigation decision point
5
0.3 mi into trip|~1m in|North Pine Street
Turn right onto North Pine Street
Navigation decision point
5
15 mi into trip|~22m in
Take the ramp toward I 55 North: Joliet
Navigation decision point
Toward I 55 North: Joliet
7
78.6 mi into trip|~1h 31m in
Take the exit toward I 80 East: Indiana
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 250A
Toward I 80 East: Indiana
7
106.9 mi into trip|~2h 6m in
Take the exit toward Kedzie Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 154
Toward Kedzie Avenue
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$16.48 one way
$32.95 round trip
$3.88/gal25.4 MPG avg38 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.27
$18.15
$36.29
premium
$4.81
$20.43
$40.87
diesel
$5.40
$22.97
$45.95
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$16
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$41–$66
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 37.8 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-20.
Driving Electric?
About $11 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
32.4
0
$11.34
$5.18
Efficient EV
27
0
$9.45
$4.32
EV Truck/SUV
43.2
0
$15.12
$6.91
Gas CO2
38 kg
EV CO2
13 kg (66% 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.
Forecast as of Apr 26, 2026
Origin
El Paso, IL
Late night
in El Paso on Sunday
Local time
5:58 AM
CDT
Current temp
65°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Markham, IL
Late night
in Markham on Sunday
Local time
5:58 AM
CDT
Current temp
44°F
Mostly Cloudy then Patchy Fog
ENE 5 to 15 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 25 at 8:36PM CDT until April 26 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS Chicago IL
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 25 at 7:32PM CDT until April 30 at 3:00PM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL
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
21 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
2h 9m 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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Pullman National Historical Park
National Historical Park
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...
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, with 84% of the 108 miles on interstates. You'll experience a longest stretch of 63.3 miles on I 55 before transitioning to I 80. The highway portion will likely feature consistent cruising speeds and a moderate number of exits. Expect the shift to surface streets, like East Main Street, to occur closer to your destination in Markham, bringing with it more local traffic and potentially slower speeds.
84% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 63.3 mi on I 55.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 55 and I 80. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near East 1st Street.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 2h 9m drive. You will face about 10 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (East 1st Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (North Pine Street): Navigation decision point; at 15 miles: Navigation decision point.
El Paso, Illinois is a charming little town approximately two hours southwest of Chicago. It's in a perfect location for people in the Chicago metro area who want to take a day trip or for people across the state line to visit. It is a town that offers something many towns in the Midwest lack: unique character.
Top landmarks
•El Paso Public Library — public library in El Paso, Illinois
The longest stretch is about 63.3 miles on I 55. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (East 1st Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (North Pine Street): Navigation decision point; at 15 miles: Navigation decision point.
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 Markham, IL before heading back.
