Skip to main content
US Trip Planner Logo
US Trip Planner

Trip from Niles, IL to Poplar Grove, IL

Pin this trip

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 26, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 22m

Distance

67 mi

108 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$10

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 19 min
4 AM
1h 16m ★
6 AM
1h 22m
8 AM
1h 35m
10 AM
1h 27m
12 PM
1h 25m
3 PM
1h 27m
5 PM
1h 34m
8 PM
1h 18m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
Google Maps Waze Apple Maps
Download GPX
village in Cook County, Illinois, United States

Niles, IL

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Poplar Grove, IL, IL

Poplar Grove, IL

Sergej

Trip Overview

Niles, IL to Poplar Grove, IL is 67 miles and takes about 1h 22m via Jane Addams Memorial Tollway and surface roads, with a fuel budget near $10 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Illinois, connecting two points in the Midwest region. It's a straightforward drive, mostly on surface streets, making it a practical option for a quick trip. Given its short duration, this route is well-suited for a same-day excursion, allowing for flexibility in your schedule.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway 51.7 mi 55m
Poplar Grove Road 6.4 mi 9m
West Touhy Avenue 2.8 mi 5m
Belvidere Road 1.6 mi 2m
South Dee Road 1 mi 2m
Devon Avenue 0.9 mi 1m
South State Street 0.8 mi 1m
North Waukegan Road 0.4 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Jane Addams Memorial Tollway — 51.7 mi, about 55m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Niles, IL and Poplar Grove, IL.

1

Start on North Waukegan Road

0.4 mi · 44 sec · North Waukegan Road
2

Continue on North Milwaukee Avenue

507 ft · 17 sec · North Milwaukee Avenue
3

Turn right onto West Touhy Avenue

2.8 mi · 5 min · West Touhy Avenue
Use the right lane.
4

Turn left onto South Dee Road

1.0 mi · 2 min · South Dee Road
Use the left lane.
5

Turn right onto Devon Avenue

0.9 mi · 1 min · Devon Avenue
Use the left lane.
6

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 32 sec
Toward I 90 West Toll Use the right lane.
7

Merge onto I 90

52 mi · 55 min · Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 53 sec
Exit 25 Toward Belvidere
9

Keep slight left at fork

0.1 mi · 18 sec
Toward Belvidere
10

Keep slight right at fork

287 ft · 7 sec
11

Turn straight onto CR T40

0.3 mi · 38 sec · Genoa Road
12

Continue on US 20 Business

1.6 mi · 2 min · Belvidere Road
13

Turn left onto Lawrenceville Road

0.2 mi · 24 sec · Lawrenceville Road
14

Turn right onto Poplar Grove Road

6.4 mi · 9 min · Poplar Grove Road
15

Continue on South State Street

0.8 mi · 1 min · South State Street
16

Arrive at destination

North State Street

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

northwestern suburb of Chicago in Illinois, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Hoffman Estates, IL

34 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

Elk Grove, IL

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 15 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Elgin, IL

Meal break

The midpoint is around 33.5 miles from Niles, 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 9

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.5 and 5.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

6
0.5 mi into trip | ~1m in | West Touhy Avenue

Turn right onto West Touhy Avenue

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.
5
3.3 mi into trip | ~6m in | South Dee Road

Turn left onto South Dee Road

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
6
4.3 mi into trip | ~8m in | Devon Avenue

Turn right onto Devon Avenue

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
5
5.2 mi into trip | ~10m in

Take the ramp toward I 90 West Toll

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane. Toward I 90 West Toll
5
5.4 mi into trip | ~10m in | I 90 / Jane Addams Memorial Tollway

Merge onto I 90 / Jane Addams Memorial Tollway

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$10.22 one way

$20.44 round trip

$3.88/gal 25.4 MPG avg 23 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.27 $11.26 $22.52
premium $4.81 $12.68 $25.35
diesel $5.40 $14.25 $28.50

Estimated Tolls: $3.62

Jane Addams Memorial Tollway (51.7 mi) $3.62

Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$10

Tolls

$4

Total

$14

Estimated CO2 emission: 23.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-20.

Driving Electric?

About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 20.1 0 $7.03 $3.22
Efficient EV 16.8 0 $5.86 $2.68
EV Truck/SUV 26.8 0 $9.38 $4.29

Gas CO2

23 kg

EV CO2

8 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.

Forecast as of Apr 25, 2026

Origin

Niles, IL

Evening in Niles on Saturday

Local time

8:20 PM

CDT

Current temp

53°F

Mostly Sunny

NNE 15 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 25 at 4:36PM CDT by NWS Milwaukee/Sullivan WI

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 25 at 4:36PM CDT by NWS Milwaukee/Sullivan WI

Destination

Poplar Grove, IL

Evening in Poplar Grove on Saturday

Local time

8:20 PM

CDT

Current temp

67°F

Sunny

E 15 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 25 at 4:36PM CDT by NWS Milwaukee/Sullivan WI

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 25 at 4:36PM CDT by NWS Milwaukee/Sullivan WI

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

14 degrees warmer at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

1h 22m 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 route is primarily surface roads, with only a 0% highway share. You'll spend most of your time on local streets. The longest continuous stretch on a main road is 51.7 miles on the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway. Expect to navigate through areas with frequent intersections and local traffic as you transition from the tollway to surface roads.

Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 51.7 mi on Jane Addams Memorial Tollway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

6/10

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.5 miles in near West Touhy Avenue.

Driving Effort 6/10

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 67 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 0.5 miles (West Touhy Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.3 miles (South Dee Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.3 miles (Devon Avenue): Lane positioning matters here.

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 Niles, IL to Poplar Grove, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Belvidere along the way.

Belvidere

57.1 mi in | ~1h 6m

About the Cities

Starting in Niles, IL

Full guide →

Niles is a city of 30,912 (2020) in Illinois.

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 22m. Total distance: 67 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 22m 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 51.7 miles on Jane Addams Memorial Tollway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Expect about $3.62 in tolls one way, starting with Jane Addams 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 Poplar Grove, 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 0.5 miles (West Touhy Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.3 miles (South Dee Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.3 miles (Devon Avenue): 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 Poplar Grove, 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, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

Was this helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!

/500

Explore More

More from Niles, IL

Saint Rose, IL 300.7 mi · 5h 45m Hamel, IL 270.5 mi · 5h 5m Saint Elmo, IL 243.4 mi · 4h 36m Calumet City, IL 36.9 mi · 52m Lemont, IL 32.6 mi · 48m Worth, IL 31.3 mi · 45m

More trips to Poplar Grove, IL

Evanston, IL 73.8 mi
Escape planner: Niles, IL Scenic drives in IL

Explore more options from Niles, IL or browse trips ending in Poplar Grove, IL.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse IL road trips.