Evanston, IL to Poplar Grove, IL is 73.8 miles and takes about 1h 35m via Jane Addams Memorial Tollway, with a fuel budget near $11 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Midwest region, specifically within Illinois. Since it's a relatively short drive primarily on surface roads, it offers a straightforward path for a quick excursion. You'll find this route is practical for a day trip, allowing for flexibility in your timing and potentially a leisurely pace.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
36.9 miles from Evanston, IL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 50m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
51.7 mi
55m
Poplar Grove Road
6.4 mi
9m
Oakton Street
4 mi
7m
West Touhy Avenue
3.3 mi
6m
Belvidere Road
1.6 mi
2m
Asbury Avenue
1 mi
1m
South Dee Road
1 mi
2m
Devon Avenue
0.9 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
— 51.7 mi, about 55m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Evanston, IL and Poplar Grove, 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·14 sec·Dempster Street
4
Turn left onto Asbury Avenue
1.0 mi·1 min·Asbury Avenue
Use the left lane.
5
Turn right onto Oakton Street
4.0 mi·7 min·Oakton Street
6
Turn slight left onto Gross Point Road
0.5 mi·52 sec·Gross Point Road
7
Turn straight onto New Gross Point Road
0.1 mi·14 sec·New Gross Point Road
8
Turn right onto Howard Street
0.2 mi·34 sec·Howard Street
9
Turn left onto North Lehigh Avenue
120 ft·2 sec·North Lehigh Avenue
10
Turn right onto West Gross Point Road
0.9 mi·1 min·West Gross Point Road
11
Turn slight right onto West Touhy Avenue
3.3 mi·6 min·West Touhy Avenue
Use the right lane.
12
Turn left onto South Dee Road
1.0 mi·2 min·South Dee Road
Use the left lane.
13
Turn right onto Devon Avenue
0.9 mi·1 min·Devon Avenue
Use the left lane.
14
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·32 sec
Toward I 90 West TollUse the right lane.
15
Merge onto I 90
52 mi·55 min·Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Take the exit
0.4 mi·53 sec
Exit 25Toward Belvidere
17
Keep slight left at fork
0.1 mi·18 sec
Toward Belvidere
18
Keep slight right at fork
287 ft·7 sec
19
Turn straight onto CR T40
0.3 mi·38 sec·Genoa Road
20
Continue on US 20 Business
1.6 mi·2 min·Belvidere Road
21
Turn left onto Lawrenceville Road
0.2 mi·24 sec·Lawrenceville Road
22
Turn right onto Poplar Grove Road
6.4 mi·9 min·Poplar Grove Road
23
Continue on South State Street
0.8 mi·1 min·South State Street
24
Arrive at destination
North State Street
Trip Plan
For this 1h 35m drive, consider leaving mid-morning to avoid any lingering rush hour congestion in the Evanston area. With only 73.8 miles, there are no mandatory stops needed, giving you the flexibility to depart whenever convenient. The estimated fuel cost is around $11, so plan accordingly. Keep an eye out for the transition from the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway to local roads, as this marks the point where you'll need to adjust your driving style for surface streets.
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 36.9 miles from Evanston, IL, or about 50m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 51.7 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 16 miles or 28m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 36.9 miles or 50m 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 18m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Poplar Grove, IL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Evanston, IL so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Evanston, IL
This is one driving day of about 73.8 miles and 1h 35m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 16 miles from Evanston, IL.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Jane Addams Memorial Tollway for about 51.7 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
First break
4 mi from route
~10 min detour
$10 to $20
Chicago, Illinois
Hours: 11 am–8 pm
+17736541470
PD Coffee Shop
Near the start, ~10 min detour
4 mi from route
~10 min detour
Chicago, Illinois
TA
0.1 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.2 mi from route
Speedway
0.3 mi from route
Road Ranger
0.4 mi from route
Service Plaza
0.6 mi from route
Belvidere Oasis
0.8 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
1.6 mi from route
Rest Area
1.8 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
2.3 mi from route
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 15
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 11.1 — 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
5
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|Dempster Street
At end of road, turn left onto Dempster Street
Navigation decision point
6
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|Asbury Avenue
Turn left onto Asbury Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
5.7 mi into trip|~11m in|Howard Street
Turn right onto Howard Street
Navigation decision point
6
11.1 mi into trip|~21m in|Devon Avenue
Turn right onto Devon Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$11.26 one way
$22.52 round trip
$3.88/gal25.4 MPG avg26 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.27
$12.40
$24.80
premium
$4.81
$13.96
$27.93
diesel
$5.40
$15.70
$31.40
Estimated Tolls: $3.62
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
(51.7 mi)$3.62
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
$11
Tolls
$4
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$40–$65
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 25.8 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-20.
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging
· 0 stops
· 65% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
22.1
0
$7.75
$3.54
Efficient EV
18.5
0
$6.46
$2.95
EV Truck/SUV
29.5
0
$10.33
$4.72
Gas CO2
26 kg
EV CO2
9 kg (65% 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 25, 2026
Origin
Evanston, IL
Night
in Evanston on Saturday
Local time
9:49 PM
CDT
Current temp
49°F
Partly Sunny
N 20 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 25 at 4:36PM CDT by NWS Milwaukee/Sullivan WI
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 25 at 4:36PM CDT by NWS Milwaukee/Sullivan WI
Destination
Poplar Grove, IL
Night
in Poplar Grove on Saturday
Local time
9:49 PM
CDT
Current temp
67°F
Sunny
E 15 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 25 at 4:36PM CDT by NWS Milwaukee/Sullivan WI
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 25 at 4:36PM CDT by NWS Milwaukee/Sullivan WI
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 warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 35m 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...
24 mi from route
~59 min detour
Free
near mile 2.5
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route is mostly surface roads, with only a 0% highway share. The longest continuous stretch on a single road is 51.7 miles on the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway. After that, expect to transition to surface roads like Poplar Grove Road and Oakton Street for the remainder of your drive. You'll notice the shift from tollway cruising to more typical local road driving as you approach your destination.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
24 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 51.7 mi on Jane Addams Memorial Tollway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive.
Driving Effort8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 73.8 miles you will encounter 15 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
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 (Dempster Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (Asbury Avenue): 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.
On the drive from Evanston, IL to Poplar Grove, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Belvidere along the way.
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
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 35m. Total distance: 73.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 35m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 51.7 miles on Jane Addams Memorial Tollway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $3.62 in tolls one way, starting with Jane Addams Memorial 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 9 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 Poplar Grove, 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 (Dempster Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (Asbury Avenue): 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 Poplar Grove, IL before heading back.
