Origin
Rockford, IL
Late night in Rockford on Tuesday
Local time
5:41 AM
CDT
Current temp
63°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Rockford, IL to Malta, IL
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
49m
Distance
37.8 mi
61 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 46m
★
6 AM
0h 50m
8 AM
0h 58m
10 AM
0h 53m
12 PM
0h 52m
3 PM
0h 53m
5 PM
0h 58m
8 PM
0h 47m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Rockford, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Malta, IL
Pho Tomass
Trip Overview
Rockford, IL to Malta, IL is 37.8 miles and takes about 49 minutes via I-39 and IL-38, with a fuel budget near $6 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within Illinois, moving you from one Midwest town to another. Given the quick travel time and minimal distance, this route is ideal for a spontaneous day trip or as a brief leg of a larger journey. You'll spend most of your time on high-speed roads, making for an efficient transit between these two points.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 39 | 19 mi | 20m |
| IL 38 | 8 mi | 12m |
| U.S. Grant Memorial Highway | 4.3 mi | 4m |
| South Main Street | 3.6 mi | 6m |
| IL-38 | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| North 2nd Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| South Church Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Adams Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 39
— 19 mi, about 20m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Rockford, IL and Malta, IL.
1
Start on West State Street
0.1 mi
·
23 sec
·
West State Street
2
Turn left onto IL 2
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
·
South Church Street
3
Turn left onto IL 2
275 ft
·
4 sec
·
Cedar Street
4
Turn right onto IL 2
3.6 mi
·
6 min
·
South Main Street
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
6
Merge onto US 20
4.3 mi
·
4 min
·
U.S. Grant Memorial Highway
7
Take the exit
0.8 mi
·
1 min
8
Merge onto I 39; US 51
19 mi
·
20 min
·
I 39; US 51
9
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
48 sec
Exit 99
Toward IL 38: DeKalb, Rochelle
10
Turn left onto IL 38
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
·
IL 38
11
Continue on IL-38
0.4 mi
·
39 sec
·
IL-38
12
Continue on IL 38
7.6 mi
·
11 min
·
IL 38
13
Turn right onto CH 6
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
North 2nd Street
14
Turn left onto Adams Street
0.1 mi
·
31 sec
·
Adams Street
15
Arrive at destination
Adams Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
19 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 37.8 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 18.9 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 85 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 37.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
IL 2 / South Church Street
Turn left onto IL 2 / South Church Street
Navigation decision point
4
0.4 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
IL 2 / Cedar Street
Turn left onto IL 2 / Cedar Street
Navigation decision point
3
4.3 mi into trip
|
~7m in
|
US 20 / U.S. Grant Memorial Highway
Merge onto US 20 / U.S. Grant Memorial Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining
6
28.4 mi into trip
|
~34m in
Take the exit toward IL 38: DeKalb, Rochelle
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 99
Toward IL 38: DeKalb, Rochelle
4
37.2 mi into trip
|
~48m in
|
CH 6 / North 2nd Street
Turn right onto CH 6 / North 2nd Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.91 one way
$11.82 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $6.49 | $12.98 |
| premium | $4.89 | $7.27 | $14.55 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.35 | $16.69 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 13.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11.3 | 0 | $3.97 | $1.81 |
| Efficient EV | 9.5 | 0 | $3.31 | $1.51 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 15.1 | 0 | $5.29 | $2.42 |
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
4 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.
Destination
Malta, IL
Late night in Malta on Tuesday
Local time
5:41 AM
CDT
Current temp
63°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
63°F
Cherry Valley, IL
19 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
49m 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 drive is primarily on highways, with 73% of the route utilizing them. You'll experience a stretch of 19 miles on I-39, offering continuous high-speed cruising. The transition to surface roads occurs later in the trip, with IL-38 marking the beginning of this change. Expect a focused driving experience with fewer interruptions until you reach your destination.
73% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 19 mi on I 39.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 39 and IL 38. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near IL 2 / South Church Street.
Driving Effort
5/10
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 37.8 miles you will encounter 8 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 0.1 miles (IL 2 / South Church Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (IL 2 / Cedar Street): Navigation decision point; at 4.3 miles (US 20 / U.S. Grant Memorial Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
913 ft
717 ft
Total Climb
316 ft
Total Descent
120 ft
Highest Point
913 ft
~37.8 mi in
Elevation Range
197 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
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 Malta, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Rochelle along the way.
Rochelle
28.4 mi in
|
~34m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 49m. Total distance: 37.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
49m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (73%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 19 miles on I 39. 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 0.1 miles (IL 2 / South Church Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (IL 2 / Cedar Street): Navigation decision point; at 4.3 miles (US 20 / U.S. Grant Memorial Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Malta, 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 USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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