Markham to Kildeer is 52.3 miles and takes about 1 hour 12 minutes via Tri-State Tollway, I 290, and IL 53, with a fuel budget near $8 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Illinois, moving from one part of the Midwest to another. Expect a fairly direct route that combines tollway driving with some surface road time. It's a manageable distance, making it suitable for a single day trip when you need to get from point A to point B without a significant time commitment.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Tri-State Tollway
22.9 mi
28m
I 290
13.4 mi
17m
IL 53
8.9 mi
11m
Kedzie Avenue
2.3 mi
4m
North Rand Road
1.1 mi
1m
Lake Cook Road
0.7 mi
1m
North Grove Drive
0.4 mi
1m
West 147th Street
0.4 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Tri-State Tollway
— 22.9 mi, about 28m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Markham, IL and Kildeer, IL.
1
Start on 163rd Street
64 ft·10 sec·163rd Street
2
Turn left onto Kedzie Avenue
2.3 mi·4 min·Kedzie Avenue
3
Turn right onto IL 83
0.4 mi·38 sec·West 147th Street
Use the straight lane.
4
Turn left
0.6 mi·1 min
Exit 8Toward I 294 North: WisconsinUse the left lane.
5
Merge onto I 294
21 mi·25 min·Tri-State Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight left at fork onto I 294
1.2 mi·1 min·Tri-State Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit onto I 294
321 ft·7 sec·Tri-State Tollway
Exit 31Toward I 290 West, I 294 North, I 290 East: Rockford, Milwaukee, ChicagoUse the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork onto I 294
0.8 mi·1 min·Tri-State Tollway
Exit 31Toward I 290 West, I 294 North: Rockford, Milwaukee
9
Keep slight left at fork
0.8 mi·1 min
Toward I 290 West: Rockford
10
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi·42 sec
Toward Saint Charles Road West
11
Merge onto I 290
13 mi·17 min·I 290
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight left at fork onto IL 53
8.9 mi·11 min·IL 53
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Continue on Lake Cook Road
0.7 mi·1 min·Lake Cook Road
Use the left lane.
14
Continue on US 12
1.1 mi·1 min·North Rand Road
Use the right lane.
15
Turn sharp right onto Long Grove Road
0.2 mi·34 sec·Long Grove Road
16
Turn left onto North Buffalo Run Street
0.3 mi·1 min·North Buffalo Run Street
17
Turn right onto North Grove Drive
0.4 mi·1 min·North Grove Drive
18
Arrive at destination
North Grove Drive
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
The midpoint is around 26.1 miles from Markham, 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 15
5 decision points cluster between mile 2.7 and 40.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
2.7 mi into trip|~4m in
Turn left toward I 294 North: Wisconsin
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Exit 8
Toward I 294 North: Wisconsin
6
24.1 mi into trip|~31m in|I 294 / Tri-State Tollway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 294 / Tri-State Tollway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
25.3 mi into trip|~33m in|I 294 / Tri-State Tollway
Take the exit onto I 294 / Tri-State Tollway toward I 290 West, I 294 North, I 290 East: Rockford, Milwaukee, Chicago
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 I 290 West, I 294 North, I 290 East: Roc...
7
25.3 mi into trip|~33m in|I 294 / Tri-State Tollway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 294 / Tri-State Tollway toward I 290 West, I 294 North: Rockford, Milwaukee
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 31
Toward I 290 West, I 294 North: Rockford, Milwa...
6
40.7 mi into trip|~54m 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.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.98 one way
$15.96 round trip
$3.88/gal25.4 MPG avg18 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.27
$8.79
$17.58
premium
$4.81
$9.90
$19.79
diesel
$5.40
$11.13
$22.25
Estimated Tolls: $1.37
Tri-state Tollway
(22.9 mi)$1.37
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
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 18.3 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-20.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
15.7
0
$5.49
$2.51
Efficient EV
13.1
0
$4.58
$2.09
EV Truck/SUV
20.9
0
$7.32
$3.35
Gas CO2
18 kg
EV CO2
6 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.
Forecast as of Apr 26, 2026
Origin
Markham, IL
Late night
in Markham on Sunday
Local time
1:28 AM
CDT
Current temp
42°F
Mostly Cloudy then Patchy Fog
ENE 5 to 10 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 25 at 9:27PM CDT by NWS Milwaukee/Sullivan WI
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 25 at 9:27PM CDT by NWS Milwaukee/Sullivan WI
Destination
Kildeer, IL
Late night
in Kildeer on Sunday
Local time
1:28 AM
CDT
Current temp
42°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
58°F
Elmhurst, IL
26 mi in
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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
1h 12m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
About 43% of this 52.3-mile drive is on highways. You'll encounter a longest stretch of 22.9 miles on the Tri-State Tollway. The profile is mixed highway and surface, meaning you'll transition between faster-paced toll roads and more typical surface streets. Be prepared for frequent exits and entrances as you navigate through populated areas.
43% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 22.9 mi on Tri-State Tollway.
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 2.7 miles in.
Driving Effort10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 52.3 miles you will encounter 15 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 2.7 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 24.1 miles (I 294 / Tri-State Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 25.3 miles (I 294 / Tri-State Tollway): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Markham, IL and Kildeer, IL, road signs point toward Milwaukee, Chicago and Saint Charles Road West.
Milwaukee
25.3 mi in|~33m|via I 294
Chicago
25.3 mi in|~33m|via I 294
Saint Charles Road West
27 mi in|~36m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 12m. Total distance: 52.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 12m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (43%). 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 22.9 miles on Tri-State Tollway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $1.37 in tolls one way, starting with Tri-state 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.
Yes — we found about 7 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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 Kildeer, 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 2.7 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 24.1 miles (I 294 / Tri-State Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 25.3 miles (I 294 / Tri-State Tollway): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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 Kildeer, IL before heading back.
