Origin
Prairie Grove, IL
Night in Prairie Grove on Saturday
Local time
11:49 PM
CDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Prairie Grove, IL to Aurora, IL
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 11m
Distance
40.3 mi
65 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 6m
★
6 AM
1h 11m
8 AM
1h 23m
10 AM
1h 15m
12 PM
1h 14m
3 PM
1h 16m
5 PM
1h 22m
8 PM
1h 8m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Prairie Grove, IL
Andrew Patrick Photo
Aurora, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Prairie Grove, IL to Aurora, IL is 40.3 miles and takes about 1 hour 11 minutes via Randall Road, with a fuel budget near $6 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Illinois, traversing the Midwest region. Expect a local drive with frequent turns rather than a high-speed transit. It's a short enough journey to be completed comfortably within a single day, making it ideal for a quick excursion or a practical commute.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| South Randall Road | 17.9 mi | 28m |
| North Randall Road | 6.6 mi | 10m |
| Randall Road | 6.4 mi | 12m |
| IL 31 | 2.6 mi | 4m |
| James R Rakow Road | 2.4 mi | 3m |
| Barreville Road | 1.5 mi | 4m |
| West Galena Boulevard | 1.5 mi | 3m |
| West State Road | 1 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
South Randall Road
— 17.9 mi, about 28m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Prairie Grove, IL and Aurora, IL.
1
Start on Barreville Road
1.5 mi
·
4 min
·
Barreville Road
2
At end of road, turn right onto IL 176
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
West State Road
3
Turn left onto IL 31
2.6 mi
·
4 min
·
IL 31
4
Continue on this road
0.2 mi
·
44 sec
·
this road
5
Turn straight onto A45
2.4 mi
·
3 min
·
James R Rakow Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
Continue on V29
2.2 mi
·
3 min
·
North Randall Road
Use the straight lane.
7
Continue on V29
18 mi
·
28 min
·
South Randall Road
Use the straight lane.
8
Keep slight left at fork onto CR 34
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
North Randall Road
9
Continue on CR 34
2.6 mi
·
4 min
·
Randall Road
Use the left lane.
10
Continue on CR 34
3.3 mi
·
5 min
·
North Randall Road
11
Continue on Randall Road
3.8 mi
·
8 min
·
Randall Road
Use the left lane.
12
Turn left onto West Galena Boulevard
1.5 mi
·
3 min
·
West Galena Boulevard
13
Arrive at destination
West Galena Boulevard
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
20 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 40 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 20.1 miles from Prairie Grove, 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
4 of 44 decision points cluster between mile 1.5 and 38.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
1.5 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
IL 176 / West State Road
At end of road, turn right onto IL 176 / West State Road
Navigation decision point
3
5.3 mi into trip
|
~11m in
|
A45 / James R Rakow Road
Turn straight onto A45 / James R Rakow Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
4
27.9 mi into trip
|
~47m in
|
CR 34 / North Randall Road
Keep slight left at fork onto CR 34 / North Randall Road
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
3
38.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 7m in
|
West Galena Boulevard
Turn left onto West Galena Boulevard
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.30 one way
$12.60 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
14 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $6.92 | $13.84 |
| premium | $4.89 | $7.76 | $15.51 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.90 | $17.80 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.1 | 0 | $4.23 | $1.93 |
| Efficient EV | 10.1 | 0 | $3.53 | $1.61 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 16.1 | 0 | $5.64 | $2.58 |
Gas CO2
14 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (64% 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
Aurora, IL
Night in Aurora on Saturday
Local time
11:49 PM
CDT
Current temp
51°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
17 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 11m 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?
This route is characterized as a 'Turn-heavy local drive,' with only 6% of the journey on highways. The longest continuous stretch you'll encounter is 17.9 miles on South Randall Road, offering a bit of uninterrupted travel. As you navigate from Prairie Grove to Aurora, you'll primarily be on local roads like South Randall Road and North Randall Road. Be prepared for frequent changes in direction and speed as you make your way through towns and residential areas.
Only 6% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 17.9 mi on South Randall Road.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 1.5 miles in near IL 176 / West State Road.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 11m drive. You will face about 4 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.5 miles (IL 176 / West State Road): Navigation decision point; at 5.3 miles (A45 / James R Rakow Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 27.9 miles (CR 34 / North Randall Road): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
About the Cities
Starting in Prairie Grove, IL
Full guide →Arriving in Aurora, IL
Full guide →Founded 1835
Aurora is the second-largest city in the U.S. state of Illinois, located about 35 miles west of Chicago. It's at the very edge of Chicagoland and, situated on the Fox River, has many opportunities for urban, suburban, and rural recreation. Often overlooked, Aurora in fact has many surprisingly interesting attractions and a downtown unlike that of a typical suburb. It is probably best known for being the setting of the "Wayne's World" movies.
Top landmarks
- • Aurora University — private university in Aurora, Illinois, U.S
- • Hotel Arthur — United States historic place
- • Graham Building — historic building in Aurora, 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 11m. Total distance: 40.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 11m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (6%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 17.9 miles on South Randall Road. 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: at 1.5 miles (IL 176 / West State Road): Navigation decision point; at 5.3 miles (A45 / James R Rakow Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 27.9 miles (CR 34 / North Randall Road): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Aurora, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Aurora, IL
More from Prairie Grove, IL
More trips to Aurora, IL
Explore more options from Prairie Grove, IL or browse trips ending in Aurora, IL.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse IL road trips.