Origin
Island Lake, IL
Morning in Island Lake on Tuesday
Local time
6:09 AM
CDT
Current temp
62°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Island Lake, IL to Elmhurst, 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
51m
Distance
35 mi
56 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 48m
★
6 AM
0h 52m
8 AM
1h 0m
10 AM
0h 55m
12 PM
0h 54m
3 PM
0h 55m
5 PM
1h 0m
8 PM
0h 49m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Island Lake, IL
Lorenzo Manera
Elmhurst, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 35-mile drive from Island Lake, IL, to Elmhurst, IL, is an easy day trip, taking about 51 minutes to complete. You'll navigate a mix of major roads, including IL 53 and South Rand Road, before merging onto I-290. With a highway share of 51%, expect a blend of faster-paced travel and local road driving. The estimated fuel cost is a modest $5, making it an economical option for a quick journey within the Midwest region. Given its short distance and duration, this route is perfect for a spontaneous outing or a brief commute.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| IL 53 | 11.3 mi | 14m |
| South Rand Road | 10.1 mi | 13m |
| I 290 | 6.6 mi | 8m |
| North Rand Road | 2.4 mi | 3m |
| East State Road | 1.7 mi | 2m |
| North York Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| West Liberty Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Greenleaf Avenue | 0.4 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
IL 53
— 11.3 mi, about 14m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Island Lake, IL and Elmhurst, IL.
1
Start on Rose Avenue
205 ft
·
10 sec
·
Rose Avenue
2
Turn right onto Greenleaf Avenue
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Greenleaf Avenue
3
Turn left onto IL 176
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
East State Road
4
Continue on IL 176
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
West Liberty Street
Use the right lane.
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
47 sec
Use the right lane.
6
Merge onto US 12; IL 59
10 mi
·
13 min
·
South Rand Road
Use the left lane.
7
Continue on US 12
2.4 mi
·
3 min
·
North Rand Road
8
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
Toward IL 53 South
Use the right lane.
9
Merge onto IL 53
4.4 mi
·
5 min
·
IL 53
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight left at fork onto IL 53
7.0 mi
·
9 min
·
IL 53
Toward I 290 East: Chicago, Biesterfield Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight right at fork onto I 290
6.6 mi
·
8 min
·
I 290
Toward I 290 East: Chicago
Use the slight right lane.
12
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
46 sec
Exit 12
Toward York Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Turn left onto North York Street
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
North York Street
Use the straight lane.
14
Turn right onto West 2nd Street
335 ft
·
9 sec
·
West 2nd Street
Use the right lane.
15
Keep slight left at fork onto West 2nd Street
127 ft
·
8 sec
·
West 2nd Street
16
At end of road, turn left onto North Addison Avenue
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
·
North Addison Avenue
17
Turn right onto Cottage Hill Avenue
230 ft
·
13 sec
·
Cottage Hill Avenue
18
Turn left onto West Park Avenue
0.1 mi
·
26 sec
·
West Park Avenue
19
Turn sharp left
65 ft
·
4 sec
20
Arrive at destination
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 35 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 17.5 miles from Island Lake, 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 165 decision points cluster between mile 15.3 and 33.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
15.3 mi into trip
|
~23m in
Take the ramp toward IL 53 South
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward IL 53 South
8
20 mi into trip
|
~30m in
|
IL 53
Keep slight left at fork onto IL 53 toward I 290 East: Chicago, Biesterfield Road
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 290 East: Chicago, Biesterfield Road
7
27 mi into trip
|
~39m in
|
I 290
Keep slight right at fork onto I 290 toward I 290 East: Chicago
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 290 East: Chicago
7
33.6 mi into trip
|
~47m in
Take the exit toward York Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 12
Toward York Road
6
33.9 mi into trip
|
~48m in
|
North York Street
Turn left onto North York Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.47 one way
$10.94 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
12 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $6.01 | $12.02 |
| premium | $4.89 | $6.74 | $13.47 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.73 | $15.46 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10.5 | 0 | $3.68 | $1.68 |
| Efficient EV | 8.8 | 0 | $3.06 | $1.40 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 14 | 0 | $4.90 | $2.24 |
Gas CO2
12 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (67% 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
Elmhurst, IL
Morning in Elmhurst on Tuesday
Local time
6:09 AM
CDT
Current temp
80°F
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
S 10 to 15 mph
57% chance
Live forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 13 at 9:43PM CDT until April 18 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS St Louis MO
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 13 at 9:43PM CDT until April 19 at 1:00AM CDT by NWS St Louis MO
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
51m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
The character of this drive is a mixed bag, offering a dynamic experience for the driver. With 51% of the journey on highways, you'll encounter periods of quicker travel, punctuated by stretches on local roads. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll experience is 11.3 miles on IL 53, providing a solid block of consistent driving. This blend means you can anticipate changes in speed and road type, keeping the drive engaging without being overly taxing. It's not a monotonous interstate grind, nor a purely scenic byway, but rather a practical route connecting two points in Illinois.
51% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 11.3 mi on IL 53.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
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 around 15.3 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
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 16 decision points packed into just 35 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 51m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 15.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 20 miles (IL 53): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 27 miles (I 290): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Arriving in Elmhurst, IL
Full guide →Elmhurst is in Chicagoland.
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 51m. Total distance: 35 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
51m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (51%). 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 11.3 miles on IL 53. 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 Elmhurst, 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: at 15.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 20 miles (IL 53): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 27 miles (I 290): 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 Elmhurst, 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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