Origin
Sycamore, IL
Late night in Sycamore on Tuesday
Local time
3:52 AM
CDT
Current temp
63°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Sycamore, IL to Rockford, 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
55m
Distance
41.7 mi
67 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 51m
★
6 AM
0h 55m
8 AM
1h 5m
10 AM
0h 59m
12 PM
0h 58m
3 PM
0h 59m
5 PM
1h 4m
8 PM
0h 53m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Sycamore, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Rockford, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking for a quick Midwestern excursion, the 41.7-mile journey from Sycamore to Rockford is an ideal day trip. You can expect the drive to take roughly 55 minutes, making it highly efficient for a morning departure or an afternoon outing. With a fuel cost of only about $6, it is an incredibly budget-friendly way to move between these two Illinois cities. Because of the manageable distance, there is no need to plan for an overnight stay, allowing you to complete the trip with ease. The route transitions smoothly through the Illinois landscape, offering a straightforward connection that keeps travel time to a minimum.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| West State Street | 17.5 mi | 24m |
| I 39 | 14.1 mi | 15m |
| U.S. Grant Memorial Highway | 4.7 mi | 5m |
| South Main Street | 3.7 mi | 6m |
Longest stretch:
West State Street
— 17.5 mi, about 24m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Sycamore, IL and Rockford, IL.
1
Start on IL 64
17 mi
·
24 min
·
West State Street
2
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
53 sec
3
Merge onto I 39; US 51
14 mi
·
15 min
·
I 39; US 51
4
Take the exit
1.1 mi
·
2 min
Toward US 20 West: Freeport, Rockford
5
Merge onto US 20
4.7 mi
·
5 min
·
U.S. Grant Memorial Highway
6
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
Toward IL 2: Rockford, Dixon
7
Keep slight right at fork
281 ft
·
6 sec
8
Turn straight onto IL 2
3.7 mi
·
6 min
·
South Main Street
9
Turn right onto West State Street
148 ft
·
4 sec
·
West State Street
10
Arrive at destination
West State Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
21 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 41.7 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 20.8 miles from Sycamore, 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 75 decision points cluster between mile 17.4 and 38 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
17.4 mi into trip
|
~24m in
Take the ramp
Navigation decision point
3
17.8 mi into trip
|
~25m in
|
I 39; US 51
Merge onto I 39; US 51
Merge point - match speed before joining
5
31.9 mi into trip
|
~40m in
Take the exit toward US 20 West: Freeport, Rockford
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 20 West: Freeport, Rockford
5
37.6 mi into trip
|
~48m in
Take the exit toward IL 2: Rockford, Dixon
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward IL 2: Rockford, Dixon
4
38 mi into trip
|
~48m in
Keep slight right at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.52 one way
$13.04 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $7.16 | $14.32 |
| premium | $4.89 | $8.02 | $16.05 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.21 | $18.41 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.5 | 0 | $4.38 | $2.00 |
| Efficient EV | 10.4 | 0 | $3.65 | $1.67 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 16.7 | 0 | $5.84 | $2.67 |
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (67% 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
Late night in Rockford on Tuesday
Local time
3:52 AM
CDT
Current temp
64°F
Isolated Showers And Thunderstorms
SSW 15 mph
49% chance
Live forecast
63°F
Cherry Valley, IL
21 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
55m 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 41.7-mile route offers a mixed driving experience, balancing local roads with faster highway sections. You will spend roughly 34% of your time on highways, utilizing I-39 and the U.S. Grant Memorial Highway to make steady progress. Be prepared for a variety of conditions, as the drive features a longest uninterrupted stretch of 17.5 miles on West State Street. The character of the road shifts as you move between these thoroughfares, transitioning from the pace of local thoroughfares to the faster, more consistent flow of the interstate. It is a functional drive that requires your attention as you navigate the different road types.
34% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
10 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 17.5 mi on West State Street.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 17.4 miles in.
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 55m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 17.4 miles: Navigation decision point; at 17.8 miles (I 39; US 51): Merge point - match speed before joining; at 31.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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.
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 Sycamore, IL to Rockford, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Dixon along the way.
Dixon
37.6 mi in
|
~48m
About the Cities
Starting in Sycamore, IL
Full guide →Founded 1835
Sycamore is a city in the Kishwaukee Valley, located in Northern Illinois with a population of about 17,188.
Top landmarks
- • DeKalb County Courthouse — local government building in the United States
- • Sycamore Historic District — historic district in Sycamore, Illinois
- • Chicago and Northwestern Depot — railway station in Sycamore, 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 55m. Total distance: 41.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
55m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (34%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 17.5 miles on West State 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 17.4 miles: Navigation decision point; at 17.8 miles (I 39; US 51): Merge point - match speed before joining; at 31.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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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