Origin
Evanston, IL
Late night in Evanston on Tuesday
Local time
5:48 AM
CDT
Current temp
60°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Evanston, IL to Gilmer, IL
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
46m
Distance
28 mi
45 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 42m
★
6 AM
0h 46m
8 AM
0h 54m
10 AM
0h 49m
12 PM
0h 48m
3 PM
0h 49m
5 PM
0h 53m
8 PM
0h 44m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Evanston, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Gilmer, IL
Pho Tomass
Trip Overview
Evanston, IL to Gilmer, IL is 28 miles and takes about 46m via Edens Spur/Edens Expressway/East US Highway 45, with a fuel budget near $4 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a short, straightforward trip that keeps you within the Midwest region and the state of Illinois. You'll mostly be on well-traveled expressways, making it a convenient option if you're looking for a quick transit between these two points. Given its brevity, it's ideal for a same-day excursion without much fuss.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Edens Spur | 5.3 mi | 6m |
| Edens Expressway | 4 mi | 5m |
| East US Highway 45 | 3.9 mi | 6m |
| Tri-State Tollway | 2.6 mi | 2m |
| Indian Creek Road | 2 mi | 5m |
| Half Day Road | 2 mi | 3m |
| Central Street | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| Skokie Boulevard | 1.2 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
Edens Spur
— 5.3 mi, about 6m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Evanston, IL and Gilmer, IL.
1
Start on this road
197 ft
·
21 sec
·
this road
2
At end of road, turn left
139 ft
·
15 sec
3
At end of road, turn left onto Dempster Street
213 ft
·
11 sec
·
Dempster Street
4
Turn right onto Asbury Avenue
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Asbury Avenue
Use the straight / left lanes.
5
Turn left onto Green Bay Road
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Green Bay Road
6
Turn left onto Central Street
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Central Street
Use the left lane.
7
Turn right onto Crawford Avenue
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Crawford Avenue
8
Turn left onto Wilmette Avenue
90 ft
·
1 sec
·
Wilmette Avenue
9
Keep slight left at fork onto Glenview Road
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Glenview Road
10
Turn right onto US 41
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Skokie Boulevard
11
Take the ramp onto US 41
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
·
US 41
Toward I 94 West
12
Merge onto I 94; US 41
4.0 mi
·
5 min
·
Edens Expressway
Use the straight / right lanes.
13
Keep slight right at fork onto I 94
5.3 mi
·
6 min
·
Edens Spur
Toward I 94 West: Milwaukee
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Merge onto I 94
2.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
15
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
Exit 21
Toward IL 22: Half Day Road
Use the slight right lane.
16
Turn left onto IL 22
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
Half Day Road
Use the left lane.
17
Turn right onto Olde Half Day Road
0.4 mi
·
48 sec
·
Olde Half Day Road
Use the right lane.
18
Continue on US 45
3.9 mi
·
6 min
·
East US Highway 45
Use the left lane.
19
Continue on IL 83
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
IL 83
20
Turn left onto Diamond Lake Road
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Diamond Lake Road
21
Turn right onto Indian Creek Road
2.0 mi
·
5 min
·
Indian Creek Road
22
Turn right onto V76
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
·
Gilmer Road
23
Arrive at destination
V76
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 195 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 20.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
At end of road, turn left
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
6
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Asbury Avenue
Turn right onto Asbury Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
7
10.1 mi into trip
|
~17m in
|
I 94 / Edens Spur
Keep slight right at fork onto I 94 / Edens Spur toward I 94 West: Milwaukee
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 94 West: Milwaukee
7
18 mi into trip
|
~26m in
Take the exit toward IL 22: Half Day Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 21
Toward IL 22: Half Day Road
6
20.3 mi into trip
|
~30m in
|
Olde Half Day Road
Turn right onto Olde Half Day Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.38 one way
$8.75 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
10 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $4.81 | $9.61 |
| premium | $4.89 | $5.39 | $10.78 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.18 | $12.36 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.15
Tri-state Tollway
(2.6 mi)
$0.15
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Tolls
$0
Total
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 9.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8.4 | 0 | $2.94 | $1.34 |
| Efficient EV | 7 | 0 | $2.45 | $1.12 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 11.2 | 0 | $3.92 | $1.79 |
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (70% 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
Gilmer, IL
Late night in Gilmer on Tuesday
Local time
5:48 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
16 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
46m 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 route offers a mixed drive experience, with 31% of it being on highways. You'll encounter stretches of expressway, including a continuous segment of 5.3 miles on Edens Spur. The drive will likely feel like a mix of urban-to-suburban transit, with periods of faster travel on the expressways punctuated by transitions onto US Highway 45. Expect a practical, functional journey rather than a particularly scenic one.
31% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
23 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 5.3 mi on Edens Spur.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive.
Driving Effort
9/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 19 decision points packed into just 28 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 46m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start: Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.1 miles (Asbury Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 10.1 miles (I 94 / Edens Spur): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Evanston, IL
Full guide →Founded 1836
Evanston is a city in the North Shore region of Illinois along the shores of Lake Michigan. Evanston has many identities: college town, dining destination, cultural center and gateway to the wealthy North Shore, although the city itself is anything but homogeneous in regards to economic status, culture and race. Evanston is named after John Evans, one of the founders of Northwestern University, which ranks among the most prestigious universities in the United States.
Top landmarks
- • Grosse Point Light — lighthouse in Illinois, United States
- • Shakespeare Garden — garden on the campus of Northwestern University
- • Frederick B. Carter, Jr. House — historic house in Illinois, United States
Arriving in Gilmer, 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 46m. Total distance: 28 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
46m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (31%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 5.3 miles on Edens Spur. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.15 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.
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 Gilmer, 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: near the start: Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.1 miles (Asbury Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 10.1 miles (I 94 / Edens Spur): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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 Gilmer, 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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