Rockford to Lake in the Hills is 46.9 miles and takes about 1h 5m via Jane Addams Memorial Tollway and Algonquin Road, with a fuel budget near $7 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This Midwest route stays within Illinois, offering a straightforward trip. Expect a mix of highway and surface roads, making it a practical choice for a quick excursion. With minimal stops recommended and a short duration, this drive is ideal for a same-day trip without much planning.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
28.3 mi
30m
Algonquin Road
4.7 mi
8m
IL 47
3.9 mi
7m
West State Street
3.4 mi
6m
Charles Street
2.8 mi
5m
South Alpine Road
1 mi
2m
Harrison Avenue
0.6 mi
1m
North Randall Road
0.4 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
— 28.3 mi, about 30m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Rockford, IL and Lake in the Hills, IL.
1
Start on West State Street
3.4 mi·6 min·West State Street
2
Turn right onto South Alpine Road
0.9 mi·1 min·South Alpine Road
3
Continue on South Alpine Road
359 ft·14 sec·South Alpine Road
4
Turn right
87 ft·3 sec
5
Turn right onto Charles Street
2.8 mi·5 min·Charles Street
6
Turn right onto South Mall Drive
388 ft·19 sec·South Mall Drive
7
Turn left onto Harrison Avenue
0.6 mi·1 min·Harrison Avenue
8
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·29 sec
9
Merge onto I 39; US 51
0.2 mi·11 sec·I 39; US 51
10
Take the exit
0.5 mi·1 min
Toward I 90 East: Chicago
11
Merge onto I 90
20 mi·21 min·Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight left at fork onto I 90
8.5 mi·9 min·Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.5 mi·1 min
Exit 47Toward IL 47: Huntley, WoodstockUse the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Turn left onto IL 47
3.9 mi·7 min·IL 47
15
Turn right onto A48
4.7 mi·8 min·Algonquin Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
16
Turn left onto V29
0.4 mi·53 sec·North Randall Road
Use the left lane.
17
Turn right onto West Acorn Lane
0.3 mi·1 min·West Acorn Lane
Use the right lane.
18
Arrive at destination
West Acorn Lane
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
The midpoint is around 23.4 miles from Rockford, 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 11
5 decision points cluster between mile 8.8 and 46.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
8.8 mi into trip|~16m 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.
6
28.6 mi into trip|~38m in|I 90 / Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 90 / Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
37.1 mi into trip|~47m in
Take the exit toward IL 47: Huntley, Woodstock
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 47
Toward IL 47: Huntley, Woodstock
6
41.5 mi into trip|~55m in|A48 / Algonquin Road
Turn right onto A48 / Algonquin Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
46.6 mi into trip|~1h 4m in|West Acorn Lane
Turn right onto West Acorn Lane
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.33 one way
$14.66 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg16 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$8.05
$16.10
premium
$4.89
$9.03
$18.05
diesel
$5.61
$10.35
$20.71
Estimated Tolls: $1.98
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
(28.3 mi)$1.98
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Tolls
$2
Total
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 16.4 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging
· 0 stops
· 69% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
14.1
0
$4.92
$2.25
Efficient EV
11.7
0
$4.10
$1.88
EV Truck/SUV
18.8
0
$6.57
$3.00
Gas CO2
16 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (69% 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 18, 2026
Origin
Rockford, IL
Morning
in Rockford on Sunday
Local time
8:29 AM
CDT
Current temp
48°F
Partly Sunny
WNW 20 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 18 at 2:20PM CDT until April 25 at 1:00PM CDT by NWS Chicago IL
Freeze Watch
Freeze Watch issued April 18 at 1:48PM CDT until April 20 at 8:00AM CDT by NWS Lincoln IL
Destination
Lake in the Hills, IL
Morning
in Lake in the Hills on Sunday
Local time
8:29 AM
CDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
49°F
Cherry Valley, IL
23 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
1 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 5m 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?
You'll spend about 9% of this 46.9-mile drive on highways, with the longest stretch of 28.3 miles on the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway. After leaving the tollway, you'll transition to surface roads for the remainder of the trip. The abundance of exits on the tollway section means you'll encounter frequent merging and lane changes as you navigate the highway.
Only 9% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 28.3 mi on Jane Addams Memorial Tollway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
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 8.8 miles in near I 90 / Jane Addams Memorial Tollway.
Driving Effort8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 46.9 miles you will encounter 11 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 8.8 miles (I 90 / Jane Addams Memorial Tollway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 28.6 miles (I 90 / Jane Addams Memorial Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 37.1 miles: 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.
On the drive from Rockford, IL to Lake in the Hills, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Woodstock along the way.
Woodstock
37.1 mi in|~47m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 5m. Total distance: 46.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 5m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 28.3 miles on Jane Addams Memorial Tollway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $1.98 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.
Yes — we found about 6 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 Lake in the Hills, 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 8.8 miles (I 90 / Jane Addams Memorial Tollway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 28.6 miles (I 90 / Jane Addams Memorial Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 37.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Lake in the Hills, IL before heading back.
