Origin
Chicago, IL
Evening in Chicago on Thursday
Local time
5:44 PM
CDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Chicago, IL to Forest Lake, IL
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
1h
Distance
37.3 mi
60 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 56m
★
6 AM
1h 1m
8 AM
1h 10m
10 AM
1h 4m
12 PM
1h 3m
3 PM
1h 4m
5 PM
1h 10m
8 PM
0h 58m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Chicago, IL
Otoniel Alvarado
Forest Lake, IL
DMN Atölye
Trip Overview
The drive from Chicago, IL to Forest Lake, IL covers 37.3 miles and takes about 1h behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Kennedy Expressway, East Rand Road, Milwaukee Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 8.2 miles on Kennedy Expressway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $5.83 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h. Total distance: 37.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (30%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
The drive from Chicago, IL to Forest Lake, IL covers 37.3 miles and takes about 1h, using a mix of highways and local roads.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 24 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Kennedy Expressway is the longest continuous segment at about 8.2 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near West Cermak Road.
Driving Effort
7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 37.3 miles you will encounter 17 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 0.2 miles (West Cermak Road): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (South Halsted Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.7 miles (South Ruble Street): Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 17 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0.2 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
West Cermak Road
At end of road, turn right onto West Cermak Road
Navigation decision point
6
0.4 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
South Halsted Street
Turn left onto South Halsted Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
0.7 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
South Ruble Street
Turn left onto South Ruble Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
7
12.4 mi into trip
|
~18m in
Take the exit toward US 14 West: Caldwell Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 41A
Toward US 14 West: Caldwell Avenue
6
37.1 mi into trip
|
~59m in
|
West Highland Drive
Turn right onto West Highland Drive
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Kennedy Expressway | 8.2 mi | 11m |
| East Rand Road | 5.9 mi | 9m |
| Milwaukee Avenue | 4.5 mi | 7m |
| Palatine Road | 3.8 mi | 6m |
| North Milwaukee Avenue | 3.7 mi | 6m |
| Quentin Road | 2.9 mi | 5m |
| North Caldwell Avenue | 2.5 mi | 3m |
| Edens Expressway | 2.2 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
Kennedy Expressway
— 8.2 mi, about 11m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Chicago, IL and Forest Lake, IL.
1
Start on this road
0.2 mi
·
1 min
·
this road
2
At end of road, turn right onto West Cermak Road
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
West Cermak Road
3
Turn left onto South Halsted Street
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
·
South Halsted Street
Use the left lane.
4
Turn right onto South Canalport Avenue
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
·
South Canalport Avenue
5
Turn left onto South Ruble Street
0.1 mi
·
22 sec
·
South Ruble Street
Use the left lane.
6
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
Toward I 90 West, I 94 West
7
Merge onto I 90; I 94
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Dan Ryan Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on I 90; I 94
8.2 mi
·
11 min
·
Kennedy Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on I 94
2.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Edens Expressway
Toward I 94 West: Milwaukee
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
Exit 41A
Toward US 14 West: Caldwell Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
11
Turn slight right onto US 14
2.5 mi
·
3 min
·
North Caldwell Avenue
12
Turn left onto West Touhy Avenue
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
West Touhy Avenue
Use the left lane.
13
Turn right onto North Milwaukee Avenue
465 ft
·
11 sec
·
North Milwaukee Avenue
Use the right lane.
14
Continue on North Milwaukee Avenue
3.6 mi
·
6 min
·
North Milwaukee Avenue
15
Continue on IL 21
4.5 mi
·
7 min
·
Milwaukee Avenue
Use the left lane.
16
Turn left onto Old Palatine Road
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Old Palatine Road
Use the left lane.
17
Continue on West Palatine Road
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
·
West Palatine Road
18
Take the ramp
359 ft
·
9 sec
Toward Palatine Road
19
Merge onto Palatine Road
3.8 mi
·
6 min
·
Palatine Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
20
Turn right onto US 12
5.9 mi
·
9 min
·
East Rand Road
Use the right lane.
21
Turn right onto V62
2.9 mi
·
5 min
·
Quentin Road
Use the right lane.
22
Turn right onto West Highland Drive
0.1 mi
·
29 sec
·
West Highland Drive
Use the right lane.
23
Turn left onto North Field Road
281 ft
·
9 sec
·
North Field Road
24
Arrive at destination
North Field Road
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 18.7 mi from Chicago, IL · 29m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
19 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 37 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 18.7 miles from Chicago, 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
$5.83 one way
$11.66 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $6.40 | $12.81 |
| premium | $4.89 | $7.18 | $14.36 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.24 | $16.47 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 13.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11.2 | 0 | $3.92 | $1.79 |
| Efficient EV | 9.3 | 0 | $3.26 | $1.49 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 14.9 | 0 | $5.22 | $2.39 |
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
4 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
Forest Lake, IL
Evening in Forest Lake on Thursday
Local time
5:44 PM
CDT
Current temp
70°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
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 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 Chicago, IL to Forest Lake, IL covers 37.3 miles and takes about 1h without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Kennedy Expressway, East Rand Road, Milwaukee Avenue. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 18.7 miles from Chicago, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $5.83 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 37.3 miles you will encounter 17 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 0.2 miles (West Cermak Road): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (South Halsted Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.7 miles (South Ruble Street): Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Chicago, IL to Forest Lake, 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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