Origin
Arlington Heights, IL
Evening in Arlington Heights on Thursday
Local time
6:18 PM
CDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Arlington Heights, IL to Northfield, IL
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
21m
Distance
12.1 mi
19 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 20m
★
6 AM
0h 22m
8 AM
0h 26m
10 AM
0h 23m
12 PM
0h 23m
3 PM
0h 23m
5 PM
0h 25m
8 PM
0h 21m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Arlington Heights, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Northfield, IL
Stéphane Tendon
Trip Overview
The drive from Arlington Heights, IL to Northfield, IL covers 12.1 miles and takes about 21m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Willow Road, Palatine Road, North Arlington Heights Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 5.4 miles on Willow Road. At current regular gas prices, budget about $1.89 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 21m. Total distance: 12.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
21m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a 21m drive with frequent turns across 12.1 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 7 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Willow Road is the longest continuous segment at about 5.4 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
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 early in the drive near North Arlington Heights Road.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 21m drive. You will face about 4 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (North Arlington Heights Road): Navigation decision point; at 1.5 miles (Palatine Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 11.9 miles (Wagner Road): Navigation decision point.
Critical Maneuvers
4 of 4 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
North Arlington Heights Road
Turn left onto North Arlington Heights Road
Navigation decision point
4
1.5 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
Palatine Road
Turn right onto Palatine Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
4
11.9 mi into trip
|
~21m in
|
Wagner Road
Turn right onto Wagner Road
Navigation decision point
5
12 mi into trip
|
~21m in
|
Bosworth Lane
Turn right onto Bosworth Lane
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Willow Road | 5.4 mi | 9m |
| Palatine Road | 5.1 mi | 7m |
| North Arlington Heights Road | 1.5 mi | 3m |
| Wagner Road | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Bosworth Lane | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| East Euclid Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Willow Road
— 5.4 mi, about 9m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Arlington Heights, IL and Northfield, IL.
1
Start on East Euclid Avenue
48 ft
·
9 sec
·
East Euclid Avenue
2
Turn left onto North Arlington Heights Road
1.5 mi
·
3 min
·
North Arlington Heights Road
3
Turn right onto Palatine Road
5.1 mi
·
7 min
·
Palatine Road
Use the right lane.
4
Continue on Willow Road
5.4 mi
·
9 min
·
Willow Road
Use the straight lane.
5
Turn right onto Wagner Road
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
·
Wagner Road
6
Turn right onto Bosworth Lane
79 ft
·
3 sec
·
Bosworth Lane
7
Arrive at destination
Bosworth Lane
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.89 one way
$3.78 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
4 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $2.08 | $4.15 |
| premium | $4.89 | $2.33 | $4.66 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.67 | $5.34 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 4.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 75% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3.6 | 0 | $1.27 | $0.58 |
| Efficient EV | 3 | 0 | $1.06 | $0.48 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 4.8 | 0 | $1.69 | $0.77 |
Gas CO2
4 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (75% 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
Northfield, IL
Evening in Northfield on Thursday
Local time
6:18 PM
CDT
Current temp
64°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
13 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
21m 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Arlington Heights, IL to Northfield, IL covers 12.1 miles and takes about 21m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Willow Road, Palatine Road, North Arlington Heights Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 6 miles from Arlington Heights, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $1.89 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
This is a straightforward 21m drive. You will face about 4 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (North Arlington Heights Road): Navigation decision point; at 1.5 miles (Palatine Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 11.9 miles (Wagner Road): Navigation decision point.
The route from Arlington Heights, IL to Northfield, IL does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Pullman National Historical Park.
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