Origin
Kingsford Heights, IN
Morning in Kingsford Heights on Sunday
Local time
9:52 AM
CDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Kingsford Heights, IN to Hammond, IN
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 11m
Distance
49.5 mi
80 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 6m
★
6 AM
1h 12m
8 AM
1h 23m
10 AM
1h 16m
12 PM
1h 15m
3 PM
1h 16m
5 PM
1h 23m
8 PM
1h 8m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Kingsford Heights, IN
天玑 不器
Trip Overview
This 49.5-mile drive from Kingsford Heights, IN to Hammond, IN is a straightforward trip that can easily be completed in about 1 hour and 11 minutes. Designed as a single-day excursion, it's perfect for a quick journey within the Midwest region. You'll primarily navigate on US 6 and I-80, with a significant portion on the Indiana Toll Road. Expect a fuel cost of approximately $8 for this route. Its direct nature makes it ideal for a day trip without the need for an overnight stay.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 6 | 21.6 mi | 30m |
| I 80 | 13.6 mi | 19m |
| Indiana Toll Road | 9.5 mi | 11m |
| SR 49 | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| 173rd Street | 1 mi | 2m |
| Meadowbrook Boulevard | 0.6 mi | 2m |
| Indianapolis Boulevard | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Columbia Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
US 6
— 21.6 mi, about 30m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Kingsford Heights, IN and Hammond, IN.
1
Start on Meadowbrook Boulevard
0.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Meadowbrook Boulevard
2
At end of road, turn left onto US 6; US 35
13 mi
·
17 min
·
US 6; US 35
3
Turn slight right onto US 6; US 421
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
US 6; US 421
4
Turn left onto US 6
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
US 6
5
Enter roundabout onto US 6
148 ft
·
2 sec
·
US 6
6
Continue on US 6
7.0 mi
·
9 min
·
US 6
7
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
58 sec
Toward SR 49 North: Chesterton, Dunes State Park
8
Merge onto SR 49
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
SR 49
9
Turn left
394 ft
·
9 sec
Toward I 80, I 90: Toll Road
10
Continue on this road
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
·
this road
11
Continue on this road
411 ft
·
10 sec
·
this road
Toward I 80, I 90: Toll Road
12
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
Toward I 80 West, I 90 West: Chicago
Use the straight lane.
13
Merge onto I 80; I 90
9.5 mi
·
11 min
·
Indiana Toll Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit onto I 80
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
I 80
Exit 21
Toward I 80 West, I 94, US 6: Des Moines
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Keep slight right at fork onto I 80
0.1 mi
·
13 sec
·
I 80
Toward I 94 West, I 80 West, SR 51, US 6 East
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Keep slight left at fork onto I 80
13 mi
·
17 min
·
I 80
Toward I 94 West, I 80 West
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
Exit 2
Toward SR 152 North, US 41 South: Indianapolis Boulevard
Use the slight right lane.
18
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
Toward SR 152 North: Indianapolis Boulevard
Use the slight left lane.
19
Turn straight onto SR 152
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
·
Indianapolis Boulevard
20
Turn left onto 173rd Street
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
173rd Street
Use the left lane.
21
Turn right onto Columbia Avenue
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
·
Columbia Avenue
22
Arrive at destination
Columbia Avenue
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
25 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 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 24.7 miles from Kingsford Heights, 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 165 decision points cluster between mile 24.3 and 47.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
9
24.3 mi into trip
|
~36m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 80 West, I 90 West: Chicago
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight lane.
Toward I 80 West, I 90 West: Chicago
8
34.1 mi into trip
|
~48m in
|
I 80
Take the exit onto I 80 toward I 80 West, I 94, US 6: Des Moines
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 21
Toward I 80 West, I 94, US 6: Des Moines
8
34.7 mi into trip
|
~49m in
|
I 80
Keep slight right at fork onto I 80 toward I 94 West, I 80 West, SR 51, US 6 East
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 94 West, I 80 West, SR 51, US 6 East
8
34.8 mi into trip
|
~49m in
|
I 80
Keep slight left at fork onto I 80 toward I 94 West, I 80 West
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 94 West, I 80 West
8
47.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 7m in
Take the exit toward SR 152 North, US 41 South: Indianapolis Boulevard
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 2
Toward SR 152 North, US 41 South: Indianapolis...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.74 one way
$15.48 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
17 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $8.50 | $16.99 |
| premium | $4.89 | $9.53 | $19.05 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.93 | $21.86 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.67
Indiana Toll Road
(9.5 mi)
$0.67
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Tolls
$1
Total
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 17.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.9 | 0 | $5.20 | $2.38 |
| Efficient EV | 12.4 | 0 | $4.33 | $1.98 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 19.8 | 0 | $6.93 | $3.17 |
Gas CO2
17 kg
EV CO2
6 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.
Destination
Hammond, IN
Morning in Hammond on Sunday
Local time
9:52 AM
CDT
Current temp
62°F
Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
SW 15 to 20 mph
29% chance
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
6 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
1h 11m 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?
This drive is predominantly highway-focused, with 74% of the route utilizing faster roads. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 21.6 miles on US 6, offering a consistent pace. While much of the journey sticks to major arteries like US 6 and the Indiana Toll Road, you'll experience a practical, efficient drive rather than a winding scenic tour. The character remains largely consistent, prioritizing direct travel between your Indiana starting and ending points.
74% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 21.6 mi on US 6.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 6 and I 80. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 24.3 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 49.5 miles you will encounter 16 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: at 24.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 34.1 miles (I 80): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 34.7 miles (I 80): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
822 ft
597 ft
Total Climb
117 ft
Total Descent
242 ft
Highest Point
822 ft
~17.7 mi in
Elevation Range
226 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 Kingsford Heights, IN to Hammond, IN, road signs begin pointing toward Dunes State Park along the way.
Dunes State Park
22.1 mi in
|
~32m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 11m. Total distance: 49.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 11m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (74%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 21.6 miles on US 6. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.67 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.
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 Hammond, IN 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 24.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 34.1 miles (I 80): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 34.7 miles (I 80): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Hammond, 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, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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