Origin
Lockport, IL
Evening in Lockport on Wednesday
Local time
6:35 PM
CDT
Current temp
87°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Lockport, IL to Gages Lake, IL
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 2, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 25m
Distance
60.2 mi
97 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 19m
★
6 AM
1h 26m
8 AM
1h 39m
10 AM
1h 31m
12 PM
1h 29m
3 PM
1h 31m
5 PM
1h 39m
8 PM
1h 22m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Lockport, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Gages Lake, IL
PIE
Trip Overview
The drive from Lockport, IL to Gages Lake, IL covers 60.2 miles and takes about 1h 25m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Veterans Memorial Tollway, South Lake Street, IL 53 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly surface roads. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 27 miles on Veterans Memorial Tollway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $9.33 one way before food or hotel costs.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Veterans Memorial Tollway | 27 mi | 32m |
| South Lake Street | 7.3 mi | 12m |
| IL 53 | 7.2 mi | 9m |
| I 290 | 5.6 mi | 6m |
| North Arlington Heights Road | 2.4 mi | 4m |
| State Highway 83 | 2.3 mi | 3m |
| West 9th Street | 1.9 mi | 3m |
| Belvidere Road | 1 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Veterans Memorial Tollway
— 27 mi, about 32m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Lockport, IL and Gages Lake, IL.
1
Start on IL 7
1.9 mi
·
3 min
·
West 9th Street
2
Continue on IL 7
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
West 159th Street
3
Turn left
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 355 North: West Suburbs
Use the left lane.
4
Merge onto I 355
27 mi
·
32 min
·
Veterans Memorial Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Merge onto I 290
5.6 mi
·
6 min
·
I 290
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight left at fork onto IL 53
6.9 mi
·
9 min
·
IL 53
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit onto IL 53
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
·
IL 53
Toward IL 53, IL 68: Dundee Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Turn right onto IL 68
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
West Dundee Road
9
Turn left onto North Arlington Heights Road
2.4 mi
·
4 min
·
North Arlington Heights Road
Use the left lane.
10
Turn left onto IL 83
0.3 mi
·
31 sec
·
McHenry Road
11
Continue on IL 83
2.3 mi
·
3 min
·
State Highway 83
Use the left lane.
12
Continue on IL 83
0.5 mi
·
47 sec
·
Mundelein Road
13
Continue on IL 83
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
IL RT 83
14
Continue on IL 83
0.4 mi
·
32 sec
·
IL Rt 83
15
Continue on IL 83
0.4 mi
·
33 sec
·
Mundelein Road
16
Continue on US 45
7.3 mi
·
12 min
·
South Lake Street
Use the left lane.
17
Turn right onto IL 120
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Belvidere Road
18
Turn left onto North Mill Road
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
North Mill Road
19
Turn left onto West Kewaunee Drive
0.1 mi
·
24 sec
·
West Kewaunee Drive
20
Arrive at destination
West Kewaunee Drive
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
30 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 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 30.1 miles from Lockport, 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 95 decision points cluster between mile 2.8 and 42.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
2.8 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Turn left toward I 355 North: West Suburbs
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward I 355 North: West Suburbs
5
3.3 mi into trip
|
~6m in
|
I 355 / Veterans Memorial Tollway
Merge onto I 355 / Veterans Memorial Tollway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
30.3 mi into trip
|
~38m in
|
I 290
Merge onto I 290
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
35.9 mi into trip
|
~45m in
|
IL 53
Keep slight left at fork onto IL 53
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
42.7 mi into trip
|
~55m in
|
IL 53
Take the exit onto IL 53 toward IL 53, IL 68: Dundee Road
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.
Toward IL 53, IL 68: Dundee Road
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.33 one way
$18.67 round trip
$3.94/gal
25.4 MPG avg
21 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.32 | $10.23 | $20.47 |
| premium | $4.93 | $11.68 | $23.36 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $13.27 | $26.54 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.89
Veterans Memorial Tollway
(27 mi)
$1.89
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Tolls
$2
Total
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 21.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 18.1 | 0 | $6.32 | $2.89 |
| Efficient EV | 15.1 | 0 | $5.27 | $2.41 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 24.1 | 0 | $8.43 | $3.85 |
Gas CO2
21 kg
EV CO2
7 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
Gages Lake, IL
Evening in Gages Lake on Wednesday
Local time
6:35 PM
CDT
Current temp
67°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
20 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 25m 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?
60.2 mi in 1h 25m across surface roads — expect steady turns and local traffic rather than long highway runs.
Only 27% 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: 27 mi on Veterans Memorial Tollway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2.8 miles in.
Driving Effort
7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 60.2 miles you will encounter 9 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 2.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 3.3 miles (I 355 / Veterans Memorial Tollway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 30.3 miles (I 290): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
773 ft
591 ft
Total Climb
419 ft
Total Descent
243 ft
Highest Point
773 ft
~55.9 mi in
Elevation Range
181 ft
About the Cities
Starting in Lockport, IL
Full guide →Founded 1853
Top landmarks
- • Lockport Historic District — historic district in Illinois, United States
Arriving in Gages Lake, IL
Full guide →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 1h 25m. Total distance: 60.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 25m 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 27 miles on Veterans Memorial Tollway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $1.89 in tolls one way, starting with Veterans Memorial Tollway. 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 Gages 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: at 2.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 3.3 miles (I 355 / Veterans Memorial Tollway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 30.3 miles (I 290): Merge point - match speed before joining. 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 Gages 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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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