Naperville to Makanda is 352.1 miles and takes about 6h 41m via I 57, with a fuel budget near $54 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays entirely within Illinois, moving from the Midwest's more suburban and urban fringes down into the southern part of the state. Expect a straightforward drive that's mostly on major highways, making it a good option for a single-day trip. The relatively short duration and predictable route mean you can easily accomplish this drive in one go without needing an overnight stop.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
176 miles from Naperville, IL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 3h 19m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 57
252.4 mi
4h 32m
Ken Gray Expressway
37.4 mi
40m
Veterans Memorial Tollway
19.2 mi
21m
IL-13
11.1 mi
17m
I 80
10.6 mi
12m
South Illinois Avenue
7.8 mi
9m
East Ogden Avenue
5 mi
10m
West Deyoung Street
3.4 mi
4m
Longest stretch:
I 57
— 252.4 mi, about 4h 32m
Traffic on I-57
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 32 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~1,073 veh/hr typical
· worst 1,461
Quietest
2 AM
~180 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
6×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 99 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Naperville, IL and Makanda, IL.
1
Start on North Washington Street
50 ft·9 sec·North Washington Street
2
Turn left onto US 34
5.0 mi·10 min·East Ogden Avenue
Use the left lane.
3
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·29 sec
Toward I 355 Toll South: JolietUse the right lane.
4
Merge onto I 355
19 mi·21 min·Veterans Memorial Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Keep slight left at fork
1.3 mi·2 min
Exit 0AToward I 80 East: Indiana
6
Merge onto I 80
11 mi·12 min·I 80
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.6 mi·1 min
Exit 151AToward I 57 South: Memphis
8
Merge onto I 57
187 mi·3 hr 21 min·I 57
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight left at fork onto I 57
66 mi·1 hr 10 min·I 57
Toward I 57 South: Memphis
10
Keep slight right at fork onto I 57
37 mi·40 min·Ken Gray Expressway
11
Take the exit
0.3 mi·42 sec
Toward IL 13: Harrisburg, Marion, Carbondale
12
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi·59 sec
Toward IL 13: Harrisburg, Marion, Carbondale
13
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi·22 sec
Toward IL 13: Harrisburg, Marion, Carbondale
14
Merge onto IL 13
3.4 mi·4 min·West Deyoung Street
15
Continue on IL 13
11 mi·17 min·IL-13
16
Turn left onto US 51
0.5 mi·35 sec·South University Avenue
17
Continue on US 51
7.8 mi·9 min·South Illinois Avenue
18
Turn left onto Makanda Road
1.0 mi·3 min·Makanda Road
19
Keep slight right at fork onto Makanda Road
0.8 mi·3 min·Makanda Road
20
Keep slight right at fork onto Baptist Hill Road
75 ft·3 sec·Baptist Hill Road
21
Arrive at destination
Baptist Hill Road
Trip Plan
Given the 6h 41m drive time, leaving Naperville in the morning is your best bet to arrive in Makanda with daylight to spare. The route is designed for a single day, so you won't need to plan for an overnight stay. You'll encounter a significant 252.4-mile stretch on I 57, so be sure to fuel up before entering that long segment, as services can be further apart. Plan for one convenient stop to break up the drive, perhaps around the halfway point or just before beginning the longest highway segment.
Morning Departure
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Evening Departure
This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 176 miles from Naperville, IL, or about 3h 19m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 252.4 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 77 miles or 1h 32m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 176 miles or 3h 19m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 5h 24m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Makanda, IL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Naperville, IL so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Naperville, IL
This is one driving day of about 352.1 miles and 6h 41m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 77 miles from Naperville, IL.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on I 57 for about 252.4 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 17
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 327.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0 mi into trip|~0m in|US 34 / East Ogden Avenue
Turn left onto US 34 / East Ogden Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
5 mi into trip|~10m in
Take the ramp toward I 355 Toll South: Joliet
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward I 355 Toll South: Joliet
6
24.4 mi into trip|~32m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 80 East: Indiana
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Exit 0A
Toward I 80 East: Indiana
6
327 mi into trip|~6h 2m in
Keep slight left at fork toward IL 13: Harrisburg, Marion, Carbondale
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward IL 13: Harrisburg, Marion, Carbondale
6
327.4 mi into trip|~6h 3m in
Keep slight right at fork toward IL 13: Harrisburg, Marion, Carbondale
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward IL 13: Harrisburg, Marion, Carbondale
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$65.00 one way
$130.00 round trip
$4.69/gal25.4 MPG avg123 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$5.33
$73.83
$147.66
premium
$5.87
$81.39
$162.77
diesel
$6.57
$91.06
$182.12
Estimated Tolls: $1.34
Veterans Memorial Tollway
(19.2 mi)$1.34
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$65
Tolls
$1
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$91–$116
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 123.2 kg one way.
Driving Electric?
About $37 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
105.6
1
$36.97
$16.90
Efficient EV
88
1
$30.81
$14.08
EV Truck/SUV
140.8
1
$49.29
$22.53
Gas CO2
123 kg
EV CO2
41 kg (67% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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 Oct 18, 2026
Origin
Naperville, IL
Evening
in Naperville on Sunday
Local time
8:53 PM
CDT
Current temp
36°F
Clear
SSW 10 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Makanda, IL
Evening
in Makanda on Sunday
Local time
8:53 PM
CDT
Current temp
36°F
Clear
E 1 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
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
6h 41m on the road
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Pullman National Historical Park
National Historical Park
In a growing Chicago neighborhood, diverse people and stories intertwined. All were seeking opportunity. Some succeeded. Others were limited—by race, gender, or economic status. Their stories came tog...
12 mi from route
~29 min detour
Free
near mile 36.4
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route is predominantly highway driving, with 88% of the 352.1 miles on major roads like I 57. You'll experience a long stretch of 252.4 miles on I 57, which means extended periods of consistent cruising. The transition to surface roads will occur later in the drive, closer to Makanda. Expect a lot of exits and potential for merging traffic as you navigate these highways.
88% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
21 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 252.4 mi on I 57.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 57 and Ken Gray Expressway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 34 / East Ogden Avenue.
Driving Effort8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 17 significant decision points across 352.1 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 34 / East Ogden Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 5 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 24.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
779 ft418 ft
Total Climb
274 ft
Total Descent
541 ft
Highest Point
779 ft
~125.7 mi in
Elevation Range
360 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Naperville, IL and Makanda, IL, road signs point toward Marion and Carbondale.
Naperville is a bedroom community in the Chicagoland area. In 2008, Money magazine ranked Naperville third on its list of the 100 best places to live in the United States.
Doable as a same-day drive at 6h 41m. Total distance: 352.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
6h 41m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 252.4 miles on I 57. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $1.34 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.
Yes — we found about 43 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 Makanda, IL before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. There are 43 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 34 / East Ogden Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 5 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 24.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Yes — Pullman National Historical Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 6.7 hours each way, a round trip means 13.4 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Makanda, IL before the return drive.
