Origin
Aurora, IL
Late night in Aurora on Friday
Local time
1:15 AM
CDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Aurora, IL to Forest Lake, IL
Compiled by the Trip.ovh editorial team · Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026 · Methodology
Drive Time
1h 7m
Distance
49.3 mi
79 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 2m
★
6 AM
1h 7m
8 AM
1h 18m
10 AM
1h 11m
12 PM
1h 10m
3 PM
1h 12m
5 PM
1h 18m
8 PM
1h 4m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Aurora, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Forest Lake, IL
DMN Atölye
Trip Overview
The drive from Aurora, IL to Forest Lake, IL covers 49.3 miles and takes about 1h 7m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway, Veterans Memorial Tollway, IL 53 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 15.2 miles on Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $7.71 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 7m. Total distance: 49.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 7m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a 1h 7m drive with frequent turns across 49.3 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 17 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway is the longest continuous segment at about 15.2 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2.6 miles in.
Driving Effort
9/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 49.3 miles you will encounter 12 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 2.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 18.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 12 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
7
2.6 mi into trip
|
~4m in
Take the ramp toward I 88 West Toll, IL 56 West Toll: Chicago, Dekalb-Iowa
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the left lane.
Toward I 88 West Toll, IL 56 West Toll: Chicago...
8
2.7 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 88 East: Chicago
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 88 East: Chicago
7
18.2 mi into trip
|
~24m in
Take the exit toward I 355 Toll North: Northwest Suburbs
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 132
Toward I 355 Toll North: Northwest Suburbs
6
35.2 mi into trip
|
~46m in
|
IL 53
Keep slight left at fork onto IL 53
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
49.1 mi into trip
|
~1h 6m in
|
West Highland Drive
Turn right onto West Highland Drive
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
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 Aurora, IL to Forest Lake, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Dekalb-Iowa along the way.
Dekalb-Iowa
2.6 mi in
|
~4m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway | 15.2 mi | 19m |
| Veterans Memorial Tollway | 10.6 mi | 13m |
| IL 53 | 8.9 mi | 11m |
| I 290 | 5.6 mi | 6m |
| Quentin Road | 2.9 mi | 5m |
| North Lake Street | 2.2 mi | 4m |
| North Rand Road | 1.5 mi | 1m |
| Lake Cook Road | 0.7 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
— 15.2 mi, about 19m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Aurora, IL and Forest Lake, IL.
1
Start on West Galena Boulevard
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
·
West Galena Boulevard
2
Turn left onto IL 31
2.2 mi
·
4 min
·
North Lake Street
Use the left lane.
3
Continue on South Lincolnway Street
0.4 mi
·
39 sec
·
South Lincolnway Street
4
Take the ramp
387 ft
·
9 sec
Toward I 88 West Toll, IL 56 West Toll: Chicago, Dekalb-Iowa
Use the left lane.
5
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
Toward I 88 East: Chicago
Use the slight right lane.
6
Continue on this road
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
·
this road
Toward I 88 East: Chicago
7
Merge onto I 88; IL 110
15 mi
·
19 min
·
Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Exit 132
Toward I 355 Toll North: Northwest Suburbs
Use the slight right lane.
9
Merge onto I 355
11 mi
·
13 min
·
Veterans Memorial Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Merge onto I 290
5.6 mi
·
6 min
·
I 290
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork onto IL 53
8.9 mi
·
11 min
·
IL 53
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Continue on Lake Cook Road
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Lake Cook Road
Use the left lane.
13
Continue on US 12
1.5 mi
·
1 min
·
North Rand Road
Use the right lane.
14
Turn right onto V62
2.9 mi
·
5 min
·
Quentin Road
Use the right lane.
15
Turn right onto West Highland Drive
0.1 mi
·
29 sec
·
West Highland Drive
Use the right lane.
16
Turn left onto North Field Road
281 ft
·
9 sec
·
North Field Road
17
Arrive at destination
North Field Road
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 24.7 mi from Aurora, IL · 33m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
25 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 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 24.7 miles from Aurora, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Forest Lake, IL
The final approach into Forest Lake, IL usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.71 one way
$15.41 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
17 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $8.46 | $16.93 |
| premium | $4.89 | $9.49 | $18.97 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.88 | $21.77 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.65
Reagan Memorial Tollway
(15.2 mi)
$0.91
Veterans Memorial Tollway
(10.6 mi)
$0.74
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Tolls
$2
Total
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 17.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.8 | 0 | $5.18 | $2.37 |
| Efficient EV | 12.3 | 0 | $4.31 | $1.97 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 19.7 | 0 | $6.90 | $3.16 |
Gas CO2
17 kg
EV CO2
6 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
Forest Lake, IL
Late night in Forest Lake on Friday
Local time
1:15 AM
CDT
Current temp
70°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
71°F
Bloomingdale, IL
25 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
19 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 7m 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 Aurora, IL to Forest Lake, IL covers 49.3 miles and takes about 1h 7m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway, Veterans Memorial Tollway, IL 53. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 24.7 miles from Aurora, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $7.71 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 49.3 miles you will encounter 12 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: at 2.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 18.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Aurora, IL to Forest Lake, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Dekalb-Iowa along the way.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Pullman National Historical Park.
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