Origin
Lafayette, IN
Late night in Lafayette on Sunday
Local time
3:30 AM
EDT
Current temp
73°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Lafayette, IN to Monticello, IN
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
48m
Distance
29.7 mi
48 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 44m
★
6 AM
0h 48m
8 AM
0h 56m
10 AM
0h 51m
12 PM
0h 50m
3 PM
0h 51m
5 PM
0h 56m
8 PM
0h 46m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Lafayette, IN
Wikimedia Commons
Monticello, IN
Giuseppe Di Maria
Trip Overview
Lafayette to Monticello is 29.7 miles and takes about 48 minutes via South 300 East, North River Road, and West 3rd Street, with a fuel budget near $5 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short hop stays within Indiana, connecting two Midwest communities. It's a straightforward local drive, perfect for a quick excursion or a transition between points. You won't be spending hours on the road, making it easy to fit into a busy schedule or combine with other activities. Consider this a simple, direct path between these two locations.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| South 300 East | 9.8 mi | 13m |
| North River Road | 7.2 mi | 12m |
| West 3rd Street | 3 mi | 5m |
| US 24 | 2.7 mi | 4m |
| I 65 | 2.6 mi | 2m |
| Schuyler Avenue | 1.9 mi | 3m |
| North 18th Street | 1.6 mi | 3m |
| Hoosier Heartland Highway | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
South 300 East
— 9.8 mi, about 13m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Lafayette, IN and Monticello, IN.
1
Start on this road
184 ft
·
15 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right onto Douglas Street
165 ft
·
8 sec
·
Douglas Street
3
Turn left onto Grant Street
34 ft
·
6 sec
·
Grant Street
4
Turn left onto South Street
494 ft
·
16 sec
·
South Street
5
Turn right onto North 18th Street
1.6 mi
·
3 min
·
North 18th Street
6
Turn right onto Schuyler Avenue
1.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Schuyler Avenue
7
Continue on SR 25
0.1 mi
·
23 sec
·
Hoosier Heartland Highway
8
Turn left
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
Toward I 65 North
9
Merge onto I 65
2.6 mi
·
2 min
·
I 65
10
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
Exit 178
Toward SR 43: West Lafayette, Brookston
11
Keep slight right at fork
234 ft
·
5 sec
Toward SR 43: Battle Ground, Lake Shafer, Lake Freeman
12
Turn straight onto SR 43
7.2 mi
·
12 min
·
North River Road
13
Turn right onto SR 18
3.0 mi
·
5 min
·
West 3rd Street
14
Turn left onto South 300 East
9.8 mi
·
13 min
·
South 300 East
15
Turn right onto US 24; US 421
2.7 mi
·
4 min
·
US 24; US 421
16
Turn left onto US 24; SR 39
180 ft
·
11 sec
·
North Railroad Street East
17
Arrive at destination
US 24; SR 39
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 125 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 6.9 — 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
|
Douglas Street
Turn right onto Douglas Street
Navigation decision point
4
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Grant Street
Turn left onto Grant Street
Navigation decision point
6
3.8 mi into trip
|
~7m in
Turn left toward I 65 North
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
Toward I 65 North
6
6.6 mi into trip
|
~11m in
Take the exit toward SR 43: West Lafayette, Brookston
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 178
Toward SR 43: West Lafayette, Brookston
6
6.9 mi into trip
|
~12m in
Keep slight right at fork toward SR 43: Battle Ground, Lake Shafer, Lake Freeman
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward SR 43: Battle Ground, Lake Shafer, Lake...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.64 one way
$9.29 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
10 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $5.10 | $10.20 |
| premium | $4.89 | $5.72 | $11.43 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.56 | $13.11 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8.9 | 0 | $3.12 | $1.43 |
| Efficient EV | 7.4 | 0 | $2.60 | $1.19 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 11.9 | 0 | $4.16 | $1.90 |
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (70% 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
Monticello, IN
Late night in Monticello on Sunday
Local time
3:30 AM
EDT
Current temp
72°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
1 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
48m 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?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive for this 29.7-mile journey. With only an 18% highway share, you'll be navigating primarily on county roads like South 300 East, which offers the longest uninterrupted stretch at 9.8 miles. The route involves frequent turns, so staying attentive to navigation is key. This isn't a high-speed interstate cruise but rather a more intimate drive through local terrain. The road character shifts as you transition from one local road to another, demanding your focus.
Only 18% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 9.8 mi on South 300 East.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 12 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Douglas Street.
Driving Effort
5/10
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 29.7 miles you will encounter 12 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 (Douglas Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (Grant Street): Navigation decision point; at 3.8 miles: Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch.
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.
Between Lafayette, IN and Monticello, IN, road signs point toward Brookston, Lake Shafer and Lake Freeman.
Brookston
6.6 mi in
|
~11m
Lake Shafer
6.9 mi in
|
~12m
Lake Freeman
6.9 mi in
|
~12m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 48m. Total distance: 29.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
48m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (18%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 9.8 miles on South 300 East. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 (Douglas Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (Grant Street): Navigation decision point; at 3.8 miles: Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Monticello, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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