Origin
Round Lake Park, IL
Morning in Round Lake Park on Wednesday
Local time
7:01 AM
CDT
Current temp
67°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Round Lake Park, IL to Rockford, IL
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 29, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 36m
Distance
66.7 mi
107 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 29m
★
6 AM
1h 37m
8 AM
1h 51m
10 AM
1h 42m
12 PM
1h 40m
3 PM
1h 42m
5 PM
1h 50m
8 PM
1h 32m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Round Lake Park, IL
JINISH RAJAGOPAL
Rockford, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Round Lake Park, IL to Rockford, IL is 66.7 miles and takes about 1 hour 36 minutes via Kenosha Street and US 12, with a fuel budget near $10 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Illinois, traversing the Midwest region. Expect a drive that's mostly on surface roads, so plan for typical town-to-town travel. It's a straightforward trip, ideal for a quick excursion or if you need to get from point A to point B without a lot of fuss.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
33.3 miles from Round Lake Park, IL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 46m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Kenosha Street | 17.3 mi | 24m |
| US 12 | 12.4 mi | 14m |
| West Brink Street | 12.4 mi | 17m |
| North 2nd Street | 7.5 mi | 11m |
| State Route 173 | 5.6 mi | 7m |
| West Lane Road | 4.9 mi | 8m |
| West Big Hollow Road | 2.9 mi | 5m |
| East Washington Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Kenosha Street
— 17.3 mi, about 24m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Round Lake Park, IL and Rockford, IL.
1
Start on Fairlawn Drive
66 ft
·
5 sec
·
Fairlawn Drive
2
Turn left onto CR A22
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
East Washington Street
3
Turn left onto CR V63
0.4 mi
·
56 sec
·
North Cedar Lake Road
4
Turn sharp right onto IL 134
0.4 mi
·
44 sec
·
Railroad Avenue
5
Continue on IL 134
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Round Lake Road
6
Continue on IL 134
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
·
Long Lake Road
Use the left lane.
7
Continue on IL 134
2.9 mi
·
5 min
·
West Big Hollow Road
8
Turn right onto US 12; IL 59
10 mi
·
12 min
·
US 12; IL 59
Use the left lane.
9
Continue on US 12
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
US 12
10
Turn left onto IL 173
17 mi
·
24 min
·
Kenosha Street
Use the left lane.
11
Turn left onto US 14; IL 173
0.5 mi
·
49 sec
·
North Division Street
12
Turn right onto IL 173
12 mi
·
17 min
·
West Brink Street
13
Continue on IL 173
5.6 mi
·
7 min
·
State Route 173
14
Continue on IL 173
4.9 mi
·
8 min
·
West Lane Road
15
Turn left onto IL 251
7.5 mi
·
11 min
·
North 2nd Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Turn right onto US 20 Business
0.4 mi
·
45 sec
·
East Jefferson Street
17
Turn left onto North Wyman Street
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
North Wyman Street
18
Turn right onto West State Street
75 ft
·
2 sec
·
West State Street
19
Arrive at destination
West State Street
Trip Plan
Since this is a relatively short drive of about 1 hour 36 minutes, you have flexibility with your departure time. Leaving mid-morning is often a good bet to avoid the worst of rush hour traffic in either area. With only 66.7 miles, you likely won't need many stops, but keep an eye on your fuel, as the estimated cost is around $10. The longest stretch you'll encounter is 17.3 miles on Kenosha Street, so be prepared for that section to be more of a consistent pace rather than rapid progress.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 33.3 miles from Round Lake Park, IL, or about 46m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 17.3 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 15 miles or 21m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 33.3 miles or 46m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 20m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Rockford, IL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Round Lake Park, IL so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Round Lake Park, IL
This is one driving day of about 66.7 miles and 1h 36m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 15 miles from Round Lake Park, IL.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Kenosha Street for about 17.3 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
33 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 15 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 33.3 miles from Round Lake Park, 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 115 decision points cluster between mile 1.2 and 35.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
1.2 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
IL 134 / Railroad Avenue
Turn sharp right onto IL 134 / Railroad Avenue
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
6
5.4 mi into trip
|
~10m in
|
US 12; IL 59
Turn right onto US 12; IL 59
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
17.9 mi into trip
|
~24m in
|
IL 173 / Kenosha Street
Turn left onto IL 173 / Kenosha Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
4
35.2 mi into trip
|
~49m in
|
US 14; IL 173 / North Division Street
Turn left onto US 14; IL 173 / North Division Street
Navigation decision point
4
35.7 mi into trip
|
~50m in
|
IL 173 / West Brink Street
Turn right onto IL 173 / West Brink Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.42 one way
$20.85 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
23 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.37 | $11.47 | $22.95 |
| premium | $4.88 | $12.81 | $25.62 |
| diesel | $5.35 | $14.05 | $28.10 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$10
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$35–$60
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 23.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-27.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 20 | 0 | $7.00 | $3.20 |
| Efficient EV | 16.7 | 0 | $5.84 | $2.67 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 26.7 | 0 | $9.34 | $4.27 |
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.
Destination
Rockford, IL
Morning in Rockford on Wednesday
Local time
7:01 AM
CDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
67°F
Hartland, IL
33 mi in
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
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 36m 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 has a 27% highway share, meaning you'll spend most of your time on surface roads. The longest stretch on a single road is 17.3 miles along Kenosha Street. Expect to navigate through towns and intersections rather than sustained high-speed cruising. The transition from highway to surface roads will be noticeable as you encounter more local traffic and varied speed limits.
Only 27% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 17.3 mi on Kenosha Street.
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 1.2 miles in near IL 134 / Railroad Avenue.
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 36m drive. You will face about 11 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.2 miles (IL 134 / Railroad Avenue): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 5.4 miles (US 12; IL 59): Lane positioning matters here; at 17.9 miles (IL 173 / Kenosha Street): Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Round Lake Park, IL
Full guide →Chicagoland consists of the Chicago metropolitan area in northeastern Illinois, including Chicago and its surrounding suburbs including those in Northwest Indiana. Broader definitions also include parts of Southeast Wisconsin. It covers all of Cook, DuPage, Lake, Kane and Will Counties in Illinois, and portions of Kenosha County, Wisconsin; McHenry County, Illinois, and in Indiana, Lake, Porter, and portions of LaPorte Counties.
Arriving in Rockford, IL
Full guide →Founded 1852
Rockford is a city in the Rock River Valley in Northern Illinois. With a population of over 145,000 (2019), it is the third largest city in the state.
Top landmarks
- • Kenneth and Phyllis Laurent House — Usonian house
- • Herrick Cobblestone — house in Rockford, Illinois, USA
- • Haight Village Historic District — park in the United States of America
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 36m. Total distance: 66.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 36m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (27%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 17.3 miles on Kenosha Street. 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 1.2 miles (IL 134 / Railroad Avenue): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 5.4 miles (US 12; IL 59): Lane positioning matters here; at 17.9 miles (IL 173 / Kenosha Street): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Rockford, 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.
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