Origin
Aurora, IL
Late night in Aurora on Friday
Local time
1:47 AM
CDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Aurora, IL to McCullom Lake, IL
Compiled by the Trip.ovh editorial team · Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026 · Methodology
Drive Time
1h 21m
Distance
47 mi
76 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
1h 15m
★
6 AM
1h 22m
8 AM
1h 34m
10 AM
1h 26m
12 PM
1h 25m
3 PM
1h 27m
5 PM
1h 34m
8 PM
1h 18m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Aurora, IL
Wikimedia Commons
McCullom Lake, IL
Sean Ewing
Trip Overview
The drive from Aurora, IL to McCullom Lake, IL covers 47 miles and takes about 1h 21m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on South Randall Road, IL 31, James R Rakow Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 24.9 miles on South Randall Road. At current regular gas prices, budget about $7.35 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 21m. Total distance: 47 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 21m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 1h 21m drive with frequent turns across 47 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 15 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
South Randall Road is the longest continuous segment at about 24.9 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near IL 31 / North Lake Street.
Driving Effort
6/10
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 47 miles you will encounter 9 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 0.1 miles (IL 31 / North Lake Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.4 miles (CR 71 / Mooseheart Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 5.3 miles (CR 34 / South Randall Road): Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 9 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
IL 31 / North Lake Street
Turn left onto IL 31 / North Lake Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
4.4 mi into trip
|
~8m in
|
CR 71 / Mooseheart Road
Turn left onto CR 71 / Mooseheart Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
5.3 mi into trip
|
~10m in
|
CR 34 / South Randall Road
Turn right onto CR 34 / South Randall Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
45.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 17m in
|
McCullom Lake Road
Turn left onto McCullom Lake Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
47 mi into trip
|
~1h 21m in
|
Parkview Drive
Turn left onto Parkview Drive
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| South Randall Road | 24.9 mi | 41m |
| IL 31 | 9.3 mi | 15m |
| James R Rakow Road | 2.6 mi | 4m |
| North Randall Road | 2.2 mi | 3m |
| North Lake Street | 2.2 mi | 4m |
| South Lincolnway Street | 2.1 mi | 4m |
| McCullom Lake Road | 1.7 mi | 4m |
| Mooseheart Road | 1 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
South Randall Road
— 24.9 mi, about 41m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Aurora, IL and McCullom 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
2.1 mi
·
4 min
·
South Lincolnway Street
4
Turn left onto CR 71
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Mooseheart Road
Use the left lane.
5
Turn right
113 ft
·
7 sec
6
Turn right onto CR 34
25 mi
·
41 min
·
South Randall Road
Use the right lane.
7
Continue on V29
2.2 mi
·
3 min
·
North Randall Road
Use the left lane.
8
Continue on A45
2.6 mi
·
4 min
·
James R Rakow Road
Use the straight lane.
9
Turn left onto IL 31
9.3 mi
·
15 min
·
IL 31
Use the left lane.
10
Turn right onto IL 31; IL 120
0.3 mi
·
50 sec
·
West Elm Street
11
Turn left onto IL 31
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Richmond Road
12
Turn left onto McCullom Lake Road
1.7 mi
·
4 min
·
McCullom Lake Road
Use the left lane.
13
Turn left onto Eastwood Drive
332 ft
·
20 sec
·
Eastwood Drive
14
Turn left onto Parkview Drive
11 ft
·
0 sec
·
Parkview Drive
15
Arrive at destination
Parkview Drive
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 23.5 mi from Aurora, IL · 40m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
24 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 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 23.5 miles from Aurora, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in McCullom Lake, IL
The final approach into McCullom 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
$7.35 one way
$14.70 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
16 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $8.07 | $16.14 |
| premium | $4.89 | $9.04 | $18.09 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.38 | $20.75 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 16.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.1 | 0 | $4.94 | $2.26 |
| Efficient EV | 11.8 | 0 | $4.11 | $1.88 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 18.8 | 0 | $6.58 | $3.01 |
Gas CO2
16 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (69% 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
McCullom Lake, IL
Late night in McCullom Lake on Friday
Local time
1:47 AM
CDT
Current temp
67°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
16 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 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 Aurora, IL to McCullom Lake, IL covers 47 miles and takes about 1h 21m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are South Randall Road, IL 31, James R Rakow Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 23.5 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 $7.35 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 47 miles you will encounter 9 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 0.1 miles (IL 31 / North Lake Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.4 miles (CR 71 / Mooseheart Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 5.3 miles (CR 34 / South Randall Road): Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Aurora, IL to McCullom Lake, IL does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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