Origin
Waukegan, IL
Morning in Waukegan on Tuesday
Local time
9:41 AM
CDT
Current temp
58°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Waukegan, IL to Tower Lake, 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
37m
Distance
21.8 mi
35 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 35m
★
6 AM
0h 38m
8 AM
0h 44m
10 AM
0h 40m
12 PM
0h 39m
3 PM
0h 40m
5 PM
0h 44m
8 PM
0h 36m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Tower Lake, IL
椰椰 圆
Trip Overview
This straightforward 21.8-mile drive from Waukegan, IL to Tower Lake, IL takes about 37 minutes, making it an ideal day trip within the Midwest region. The route is primarily local roads with a 29% highway share, so expect a more engaged driving experience. With an estimated fuel cost of just $3, this trip is very budget-friendly. Since there are no recommended overnight stops and the journey is short, you have plenty of flexibility to depart at your convenience. This quick excursion is perfect for a short getaway without needing extensive planning.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Belvidere Road | 6.3 mi | 9m |
| IL 176 | 5.4 mi | 8m |
| Ivanhoe Road | 3.7 mi | 6m |
| Belvidere Street | 1.6 mi | 3m |
| IL 59 | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| East Belvidere Road | 1 mi | 1m |
| Barrington Road | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| South Atkinson Road | 0.5 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Belvidere Road
— 6.3 mi, about 9m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Waukegan, IL and Tower Lake, IL.
1
Start on North Jackson Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
North Jackson Street
2
Turn right onto Glen Rock Avenue
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Glen Rock Avenue
3
Turn right onto Belvidere Street
1.6 mi
·
3 min
·
Belvidere Street
4
Continue on IL 120
6.3 mi
·
9 min
·
Belvidere Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
Continue on IL 120
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
East Belvidere Road
6
Turn left onto South Atkinson Road
0.5 mi
·
58 sec
·
South Atkinson Road
Use the left lane.
7
Continue on IL 83
3.7 mi
·
6 min
·
Ivanhoe Road
8
Continue on Schank Avenue
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
Schank Avenue
9
Turn right onto IL 176
5.4 mi
·
8 min
·
IL 176
Use the left lane.
10
Turn left onto Barrington Road
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Barrington Road
Use the left lane.
11
Continue on IL 59
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
IL 59
12
Turn right onto V45
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
·
Roberts Road
13
Turn left onto Devonshire Road
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Devonshire Road
14
Turn right onto East Tower Drive
39 ft
·
1 sec
·
East Tower Drive
15
Arrive at destination
East Tower Drive
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 85 decision points cluster between mile 9.9 and 21.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
9.9 mi into trip
|
~16m in
|
South Atkinson Road
Turn left onto South Atkinson Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
14.4 mi into trip
|
~24m in
|
IL 176
Turn right onto IL 176
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
19.7 mi into trip
|
~33m in
|
Barrington Road
Turn left onto Barrington Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
4
21.3 mi into trip
|
~36m in
|
V45 / Roberts Road
Turn right onto V45 / Roberts Road
Navigation decision point
4
21.8 mi into trip
|
~37m in
|
East Tower Drive
Turn right onto East Tower Drive
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.41 one way
$6.82 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $3.74 | $7.48 |
| premium | $4.89 | $4.20 | $8.39 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.81 | $9.63 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 7.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6.5 | 0 | $2.29 | $1.05 |
| Efficient EV | 5.5 | 0 | $1.91 | $0.87 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 8.7 | 0 | $3.05 | $1.40 |
Gas CO2
8 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (63% 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
Tower Lake, IL
Morning in Tower Lake on Tuesday
Local time
9:41 AM
CDT
Current temp
62°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
4 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
37m 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 characterized by its turn-heavy local nature, meaning you'll be navigating a series of local roads rather than long stretches of highway. With only 29% of the route on highways, you'll spend most of your time on surface streets and county roads. The longest continuous stretch you'll encounter is 6.3 miles on Belvidere Road. This profile suggests a driving experience that requires more attention to turns and speed changes, typical of getting around towns and through suburban areas, rather than a monotonous interstate cruise.
Only 29% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 6.3 mi on Belvidere Road.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 9.9 miles in near South Atkinson Road.
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 21.8 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 9.9 miles (South Atkinson Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 14.4 miles (IL 176): Lane positioning matters here; at 19.7 miles (Barrington Road): Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Waukegan, IL
Full guide →Waukegan is in the Far North Suburbs of the Chicagoland region of Illinois. It sits on Lake Michigan, has a large harbor, and is the county seat of Lake County, 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 37m. Total distance: 21.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
37m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (29%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 6.3 miles on Belvidere 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 9.9 miles (South Atkinson Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 14.4 miles (IL 176): Lane positioning matters here; at 19.7 miles (Barrington Road): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Tower Lake, 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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