Origin
Evanston, IL
Morning in Evanston on Tuesday
Local time
9:38 AM
CDT
Current temp
50°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Evanston, IL to Tower Lake, 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
53m
Distance
31.5 mi
51 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 50m
★
6 AM
0h 54m
8 AM
1h 3m
10 AM
0h 57m
12 PM
0h 56m
3 PM
0h 58m
5 PM
1h 2m
8 PM
0h 51m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Evanston, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Tower Lake, IL
椰椰 圆
Trip Overview
This short 31.5-mile drive from Evanston, IL to Tower Lake, IL is easily manageable as a day trip, taking approximately 53 minutes. You'll navigate primarily local roads, with only about 14% of the journey on highways. Expect a fuel cost around $5 for this quick excursion. The route is characterized by frequent turns, making it a more engaging local drive rather than a straightforward highway cruise. Since both your origin and destination are within the Midwest region and the same state (IL), you won't experience significant regional changes. This makes it a convenient option for a quick local getaway.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| East Rand Road | 8.9 mi | 12m |
| Golf Road | 6.7 mi | 12m |
| Milwaukee Avenue | 4.5 mi | 7m |
| Palatine Road | 3.8 mi | 6m |
| IL 59 | 3.3 mi | 5m |
| State Route 22 | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| Emerson Street | 1 mi | 2m |
| Asbury Avenue | 0.8 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
East Rand Road
— 8.9 mi, about 12m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Evanston, IL and Tower Lake, 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 Emerson Street
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Emerson Street
6
Continue on Golf Road
6.7 mi
·
12 min
·
Golf Road
Use the left lane.
7
Turn right onto IL 21
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
·
North Milwaukee Avenue
8
Continue on IL 21
4.5 mi
·
7 min
·
Milwaukee Avenue
Use the left lane.
9
Turn left onto Old Palatine Road
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Old Palatine Road
Use the left lane.
10
Continue on West Palatine Road
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
·
West Palatine Road
11
Take the ramp
359 ft
·
9 sec
Toward Palatine Road
12
Merge onto Palatine Road
3.8 mi
·
6 min
·
Palatine Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Turn right onto US 12
8.9 mi
·
12 min
·
East Rand Road
Use the right lane.
14
Turn left onto IL 22
0.4 mi
·
53 sec
·
West Main Street
Use the left lane.
15
Continue on IL 22
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
State Route 22
16
Turn right onto IL 59
3.3 mi
·
5 min
·
IL 59
17
Turn left onto Essex Drive
75 ft
·
8 sec
·
Essex Drive
Use the left lane.
18
Turn left onto North Gateway Drive
305 ft
·
13 sec
·
North Gateway Drive
19
Turn slight right onto East Tower Drive
0.2 mi
·
57 sec
·
East Tower Drive
20
Arrive at destination
East Tower Drive
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
16 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 31.5 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 15.8 miles from Evanston, 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
5 of 135 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 13.8 — 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 right onto Asbury Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
5
13.2 mi into trip
|
~24m in
|
Old Palatine Road
Turn left onto Old Palatine Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
13.8 mi into trip
|
~26m in
|
Palatine Road
Merge onto Palatine Road
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.92 one way
$9.85 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $5.41 | $10.81 |
| premium | $4.89 | $6.06 | $12.12 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.95 | $13.91 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 11 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.5 | 0 | $3.31 | $1.51 |
| Efficient EV | 7.9 | 0 | $2.76 | $1.26 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.6 | 0 | $4.41 | $2.02 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (64% 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
Tower Lake, IL
Morning in Tower Lake on Tuesday
Local time
9:38 AM
CDT
Current temp
62°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
12 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
53m 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?
Prepare for a turn-heavy local drive on this route. While only 14% of the trip involves highway driving, the bulk of your journey will be on surface streets, following roads like East Rand Road, Golf Road, and Milwaukee Avenue. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 8.9 miles on East Rand Road. This means you'll be actively steering and navigating, with frequent changes in direction, rather than cruising on a consistent interstate. The road's personality is one of constant engagement, requiring your attention to municipal traffic patterns and intersections.
Only 14% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 8.9 mi on East Rand Road.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 13 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive.
Driving Effort
6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 31.5 miles you will encounter 13 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.
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
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 53m. Total distance: 31.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
53m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 8.9 miles on East Rand Road. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 Tower Lake, 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 Tower Lake, 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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