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Trip from Blackhawk, IL to Arlington Heights, IL

Last recalculated Apr 15, 2026

Drive Time

2h 26m

Distance

136 mi

219 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$21

one way

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 30 min
4 AM
2h 17m ★
6 AM
2h 27m
8 AM
2h 47m
10 AM
2h 34m
12 PM
2h 32m
3 PM
2h 35m
5 PM
2h 46m
8 PM
2h 21m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Downtown Blackhawk, IL, IL

Blackhawk, IL

Derek Keats

village in Cook County, Illinois, United States; suburb of Chicago, Illinois

Arlington Heights, IL

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Blackhawk, IL to Arlington Heights, IL covers 136 miles and takes about 2h 26m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Army Depot Road, Washington Street, U for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $21.26 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Break Rhythm

0 planned breaks

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

68 miles from Blackhawk, IL

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 13m into the drive .

Drive Character

Expect a 2h 26m drive with frequent turns across 136 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 27 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Army Depot Road is one of the defining roads on this drive.

How Hard Is This Drive?

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive.

Route Complexity 1/10

Very easy - short and simple to drive

The drive from Blackhawk, IL to Arlington Heights, IL is easy. At 2h 26m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

Where does it get tricky?

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Blackhawk, IL to Arlington Heights, IL is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Army Depot Road
Washington Street
U
Madison Street
West Diagonal Street
North Main Street
East Woodbine Street
West North Avenue

Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.

Longest stretch: Army Depot Road — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Blackhawk, IL and Arlington Heights, IL.

1

Start on Blackhawk Trail

335 ft · 16 sec · Blackhawk Trail
2

At the end of the road, turn right onto Army Depot Road

0.5 mi · 1 min · Army Depot Road
3

Turn sharp left

6.6 mi · 9 min
4

At the end of the road, turn right onto Washington Street

4.9 mi · 7 min · Washington Street
5

At the end of the road, turn right onto U.S. Grant Memorial Highway

1.7 mi · 2 min · U.S. Grant Memorial Highway
6

Continue on Madison Street

0.7 mi · 1 min · Madison Street
7

Continue on West Diagonal Street

0.1 mi · 21 sec · West Diagonal Street
8

Continue on North Main Street

0.4 mi · 1 min · North Main Street
9

Continue on U.S. Grant Memorial Highway

4.6 mi · 6 min · U.S. Grant Memorial Highway
10

Continue on East Woodbine Street

0.5 mi · 1 min · East Woodbine Street
11

Continue on U.S. Grant Memorial Highway

6.4 mi · 8 min · U.S. Grant Memorial Highway
12

Continue on West North Avenue

2.1 mi · 3 min · West North Avenue
13

Continue on U.S. Grant Memorial Highway

33 mi · 41 min · U.S. Grant Memorial Highway
14

Continue on West State Road

9.8 mi · 11 min · West State Road
15

Continue on U.S. Grant Memorial Highway

14 mi · 16 min · U.S. Grant Memorial Highway
16

Continue straight

0.6 mi · 41 sec
17

Take the exit slight right toward I 90 East: Chicago

0.5 mi · 1 min · I 90 East: Chicago
18

Merge slight left onto Jane Addams Memorial Tollway

20 mi · 21 min · Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
19

Keep slight left to continue on Jane Addams Memorial Tollway

30 mi · 31 min · Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
20

Take the exit slight right toward I 290, IL 53: Chicago, West Suburbs

0.5 mi · 1 min · I 290, IL 53: Chicago, West Suburbs
21

Keep slight left to continue on IL 53 North: Northwest Suburbs

0.3 mi · 19 sec · IL 53 North: Northwest Suburbs
22

Continue on IL 53 North: Northwest Suburbs

0.2 mi · 18 sec · IL 53 North: Northwest Suburbs
23

Keep slight right to continue on IL 53 North: Northwest Suburbs

0.3 mi · 51 sec · IL 53 North: Northwest Suburbs
24

Merge slight left

1.9 mi · 2 min
25

Take the exit slight right toward East Euclid Avenue, Third District, Circuit Court

0.4 mi · 45 sec · East Euclid Avenue, Third District, Circuit Court
26

Turn slight right onto Euclid Avenue

2.5 mi · 5 min · Euclid Avenue
27

Arrive at your destination

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.

Evening Departure

Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 68 miles from Blackhawk, IL, or about 1h 13m into the drive.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

Departure

Before you leave

Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.

First stop

Around 30 miles or 32m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 68 miles or 1h 13m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 2h

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Arlington Heights, IL than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Blackhawk, IL so your first major turns are already loaded.

+

Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.

+

Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Blackhawk, IL

This is one driving day of about 136 miles and 2h 26m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 30 miles from Blackhawk, IL.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 68 mi from Blackhawk, IL · 1h 13m into the drive

city and county seat and largest city of Stephenson County, Illinois, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Freeport, IL

68 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.

Popular next leg

Freeport, IL to Arlington Heights, IL

93.4 mi · 1h 51m

Pacing Suggestions

Elizabeth, IL

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 30 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Freeport, IL

Meal break

The midpoint is around 68 miles from Blackhawk, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Arlington Heights, IL

The final approach into Arlington Heights, IL usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.

Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Arlington Heights, IL.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$21.26 one way

$42.52 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 48 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $23.34 $46.69
premium $4.89 $26.17 $52.34
diesel $5.61 $30.03 $60.05

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$21

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$46–$71

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 47.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $14 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 40.8 0 $14.28 $6.53
Efficient EV 34 0 $11.90 $5.44
EV Truck/SUV 54.4 0 $19.04 $8.70

Gas CO2

48 kg

EV CO2

16 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.

Forecast as of Apr 9, 2026

Origin

Blackhawk, IL

Afternoon in Blackhawk on Wednesday

Local time

4:53 PM

CDT

Current temp

66°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Arlington Heights, IL

Afternoon in Arlington Heights on Wednesday

Local time

4:53 PM

CDT

Current temp

51°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

49°F

Freeport, IL

68 mi in

Seasonal Notes

Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.

Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.

Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.

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

15 degrees cooler at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

2h 26m 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 Blackhawk, IL to Arlington Heights, IL covers 136 miles and takes about 2h 26m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Army Depot Road, Washington Street, U. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 68 miles from Blackhawk, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $21.26 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.
The drive from Blackhawk, IL to Arlington Heights, IL is easy. At 2h 26m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Blackhawk, IL to Arlington Heights, IL is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Blackhawk, IL to Arlington Heights, IL does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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