Origin
Gary, IN
Night in Gary on Sunday
Local time
9:57 PM
CDT
Current temp
84°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Gary, IN to Kouts, IN
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 7, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
50m
Distance
36.5 mi
59 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 46m
★
6 AM
0h 50m
8 AM
0h 59m
10 AM
0h 53m
12 PM
0h 52m
3 PM
0h 54m
5 PM
0h 58m
8 PM
0h 48m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Gary, IN
Wikimedia Commons
Kouts, IN
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Gary, IN to Kouts, IN is 36.5 miles and takes about 50m via SR 49 and Indiana Toll Road, with a fuel budget near $6 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within Indiana's Midwest region, offering a straightforward transition between two points in the state. It's a practical option for a quick drive, suitable for a same-day excursion without needing extensive planning. You'll find the route easy to navigate, making it a good choice if you're looking for a simple transit between locations.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| SR 49 | 18.4 mi | 26m |
| Indiana Toll Road | 15.5 mi | 18m |
| West 5th Avenue | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Harrison Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Broadway | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Harrison Boulevard | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| 10th Place | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| South Main Street | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
SR 49
— 18.4 mi, about 26m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Gary, IN and Kouts, IN.
1
Start on 10th Place
254 ft
·
15 sec
·
10th Place
2
Turn right onto Harrison Boulevard
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
·
Harrison Boulevard
3
Continue on Harrison Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Harrison Street
4
Turn right onto US 12; US 20
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
West 5th Avenue
5
Turn left onto SR 53
0.2 mi
·
36 sec
·
Broadway
6
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
51 sec
Toward I 90 East
7
Merge onto I 90
16 mi
·
18 min
·
Indiana Toll Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Exit 31
Toward SR 49: Chesterton, Valparaiso
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Turn right onto SR 49
18 mi
·
26 min
·
SR 49
10
Arrive at destination
SR 49
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
18 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 36.5 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 18.2 miles from Gary, IN, 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 65 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 17.3 — 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
|
Harrison Boulevard
Turn right onto Harrison Boulevard
Navigation decision point
4
0.7 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
US 12; US 20 / West 5th Avenue
Turn right onto US 12; US 20 / West 5th Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
1.4 mi into trip
|
~3m in
Take the ramp toward I 90 East
Navigation decision point
Toward I 90 East
5
1.8 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
I 90 / Indiana Toll Road
Merge onto I 90 / Indiana Toll Road
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
17.3 mi into trip
|
~22m in
Take the exit toward SR 49: Chesterton, Valparaiso
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 31
Toward SR 49: Chesterton, Valparaiso
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.66 one way
$11.32 round trip
$3.94/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.32 | $6.21 | $12.41 |
| premium | $4.93 | $7.08 | $14.16 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $8.05 | $16.09 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.09
Indiana Toll Road
(15.5 mi)
$1.09
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Tolls
$1
Total
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11 | 0 | $3.83 | $1.75 |
| Efficient EV | 9.1 | 0 | $3.19 | $1.46 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 14.6 | 0 | $5.11 | $2.34 |
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (69% 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
Kouts, IN
Night in Kouts on Sunday
Local time
9:57 PM
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
22 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
50m 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 drive features a mixed highway and surface road profile, with 51% of the route on highways. You'll encounter an 18.4-mile stretch on SR 49, which is the longest continuous section. Expect to transition from highway driving to surface roads as you approach your destination. The presence of multiple main roads, including the Indiana Toll Road and West 5th Avenue, indicates a varied driving experience with different types of road conditions.
51% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
10 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 18.4 mi on SR 49.
How Hard Is This Drive?
2/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Harrison Boulevard.
Driving Effort
2/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Gary, IN to Kouts, IN is easy. At 50m with 51% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Harrison Boulevard): Navigation decision point; at 0.7 miles (US 12; US 20 / West 5th Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1.4 miles: Navigation decision point.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
850 ft
600 ft
Total Climb
266 ft
Total Descent
183 ft
Highest Point
850 ft
~20.8 mi in
Elevation Range
250 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
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 Gary, IN to Kouts, IN, road signs begin pointing toward Valparaiso along the way.
Valparaiso
17.3 mi in
|
~22m
About the Cities
Starting in Gary, IN
Full guide →Founded 1906
Gary is a city in Lake County, Indiana. It is perhaps best known as the birthplace of the legendary pop star Michael Jackson. Founded in 1906 as a company town for U.S. Steel, it thrived in the 1950s and early 60s and earned the nickname "The Magic City". In 2007, it was described by writer Jessica Hopper as "the Pompeii of the Midwest, a city of ruins where life can seem to have just suddenly stopped".
Top landmarks
- • Van Buren Terrace Historic District — historic district in Indiana, United States
- • Gary City Center Historic District — historic district in Gary, Indiana
- • Union Station — former railroad station in Gary, Indiana, United States
Arriving in Kouts, IN
Full guide →Founded 1865
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 50m. Total distance: 36.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
50m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (51%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 18.4 miles on SR 49. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $1.09 in tolls one way, starting with Indiana Toll Road. 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. 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 (Harrison Boulevard): Navigation decision point; at 0.7 miles (US 12; US 20 / West 5th Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1.4 miles: Navigation decision point.
Yes — Indiana Dunes National 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 Kouts, IN 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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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