Skip to main content
Trip.ovh Logo
Trip.ovh

Trip from Bolingbrook, IL to Zion, IL

Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026

Drive Time

1h 30m

Distance

65.6 mi

106 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$10

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 20 min
4 AM
1h 24m ★
6 AM
1h 31m
8 AM
1h 44m
10 AM
1h 35m
12 PM
1h 34m
3 PM
1h 36m
5 PM
1h 44m
8 PM
1h 26m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly
Google Maps Waze Apple Maps
Download GPX
city in Lake County, Illinois, United States

Zion, IL

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Bolingbrook, IL to Zion, IL covers 65.6 miles and takes about 1h 30m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Tri-State Tollway, Adlai Stevenson Expressway, North Sheridan Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 39.2 miles on Tri-State Tollway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $10.26 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.

Midpoint

32.8 miles from Bolingbrook, IL

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 44m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 30m. Total distance: 65.6 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 30m drive, comfortable solo distance.

Scenic Drive

Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.

Drive Character

Expect a 1h 30m drive with frequent turns across 65.6 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 16 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Tri-State Tollway is the longest continuous segment at about 39.2 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 1 miles in.

Driving Effort 8/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 65.6 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 1 miles: Navigation decision point; at 10.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 17.5 miles (I 294 / Tri-State Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 12 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

5
1 mi into trip | ~2m in

Turn left toward I 55 North: Chicago

Navigation decision point

Toward I 55 North: Chicago
7
10.8 mi into trip | ~15m in

Take the exit toward I 294 Tollway North: Wisconsin

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane. Exit 277A Toward I 294 Tollway North: Wisconsin
6
17.5 mi into trip | ~25m in | I 294 / Tri-State Tollway

Keep slight left at fork onto I 294 / Tri-State Tollway

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
51.9 mi into trip | ~1h 7m in

Take the exit toward IL 137: Buckley Road

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 13 Toward IL 137: Buckley Road
6
55.1 mi into trip | ~1h 12m in | IL 137 / Bobby E. Thompson Expressway

Turn left onto IL 137 / Bobby E. Thompson Expressway

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left / straight lanes.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Tri-State Tollway 39.2 mi 47m
Adlai Stevenson Expressway 9.6 mi 12m
North Sheridan Road 4.3 mi 9m
Buckley Road 2.9 mi 4m
Sheridan Road 2.4 mi 2m
Melvin Amstutz Highway 2.3 mi 3m
North Bolingbrook Drive 1 mi 2m
Bobby E. Thompson Expressway 0.8 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Tri-State Tollway — 39.2 mi, about 47m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Bolingbrook, IL and Zion, IL.

1

Start on IL 53

1.0 mi · 2 min · North Bolingbrook Drive
2

Turn left

0.3 mi · 32 sec
Toward I 55 North: Chicago
3

Merge onto I 55

9.6 mi · 12 min · Adlai Stevenson Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4

Take the exit

1.6 mi · 3 min
Exit 277A Toward I 294 Tollway North: Wisconsin Use the right lane.
5

Keep slight left at fork

0.3 mi · 41 sec
Toward I 294 North: Wisconsin
6

Merge onto I 294

4.8 mi · 5 min · Tri-State Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7

Keep slight left at fork onto I 294

34 mi · 42 min · Tri-State Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 39 sec
Exit 13 Toward IL 137: Buckley Road Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Turn straight onto IL 137

2.9 mi · 4 min · Buckley Road
Use the left lane.
10

Turn left onto IL 137

0.8 mi · 59 sec · Bobby E. Thompson Expressway
Use the left / straight lanes.
11

Continue on IL 137

2.4 mi · 2 min · Sheridan Road
12

Continue on IL 137

2.3 mi · 3 min · Melvin Amstutz Highway
Use the left / right lanes.
13

Turn left onto IL 137

0.3 mi · 32 sec · West Greenwood Avenue
Use the left lane.
14

Turn right onto IL 137

4.3 mi · 9 min · North Sheridan Road
Use the right lane.
15

Turn left onto 27th Street

0.4 mi · 54 sec · 27th Street
16

Arrive at destination

27th Street

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 32.8 miles from Bolingbrook, IL, or about 44m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 39.2 miles.

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 14 miles or 21m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 32.8 miles or 44m in

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

Final approach

Final hour starts around 1h 13m

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

Before You Leave

+

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

Day 1

Settle into the route from Bolingbrook, IL

This is one driving day of about 65.6 miles and 1h 30m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 14 miles from Bolingbrook, IL.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Tri-State Tollway for about 39.2 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 32.8 mi from Bolingbrook, IL · 44m into the drive

village in Cook and Lake counties, Illinois, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Buffalo Grove, IL

33 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

Elmhurst, IL

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 14 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Des Plaines, IL

Meal break

The midpoint is around 32.8 miles from Bolingbrook, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Zion, IL

The final approach into Zion, 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.

National Parks Near This Route

Worth a detour if your schedule allows.

Pullman National Historical Park

Pullman National Historical Park

National Historical Park

In a growing Chicago neighborhood, diverse people and stories intertwined. All were seeking opportunity. Some succeeded. Others were limited—by race, gender, or economic status. Their stories came tog...

16 mi from route ~40 min detour Free near mile 11.3
View on nps.gov

Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$10.26 one way

$20.51 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 23 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $11.26 $22.52
premium $4.89 $12.62 $25.25
diesel $5.61 $14.48 $28.97

Estimated Tolls: $2.35

Tri-state Tollway (39.2 mi) $2.35

Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$10

Tolls

$2

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$38–$63

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 23 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 19.7 0 $6.89 $3.15
Efficient EV 16.4 0 $5.74 $2.62
EV Truck/SUV 26.2 0 $9.18 $4.20

Gas CO2

23 kg

EV CO2

8 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.

Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Bolingbrook, IL

Afternoon in Bolingbrook on Thursday

Local time

3:54 PM

CDT

Current temp

68°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Zion, IL

Afternoon in Zion on Thursday

Local time

3:54 PM

CDT

Current temp

61°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

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

7 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

1h 30m 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 Bolingbrook, IL to Zion, IL covers 65.6 miles and takes about 1h 30m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Tri-State Tollway, Adlai Stevenson Expressway, North Sheridan Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 32.8 miles from Bolingbrook, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $10.26 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.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 65.6 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 1 miles: Navigation decision point; at 10.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 17.5 miles (I 294 / Tri-State Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Bolingbrook, IL to Zion, IL does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Pullman National Historical Park.

Was this helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!

/500

Explore More

Continue From Zion, IL

Joliet, IL 80.8 mi · 1h 50m Chicago, IL 48.6 mi · 1h 8m Green Oaks, IL 14.9 mi · 26m Waukegan, IL 6.8 mi · 14m

More from Bolingbrook, IL

Marion, IL 320.6 mi · 5h 53m Campton, IL 315.3 mi · 6h 5m Columbia, IL 279.4 mi · 5h 9m Crest Hill, IL 270.7 mi · 5h 1m Summit, IL 267.1 mi · 4h 59m Swansea, IL 266.6 mi · 4h 57m

More trips to Zion, IL

Park Ridge, IL 36.9 mi Waukegan, IL 6.8 mi
Weekend drives from Bolingbrook, IL Scenic drives in IL

Explore more options from Bolingbrook, IL or browse trips ending in Zion, IL.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse IL road trips.

Explore maps for Bolingbrook, IL or Zion, IL on MapSof.net.