Origin
Crystal Lake, IL
Afternoon in Crystal Lake on Tuesday
Local time
4:39 PM
CDT
Current temp
43°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Crystal Lake, IL to Northbrook, IL
Data updated 2 hours ago
Drive Time
49m
Distance
30.7 mi
49 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Excellent
25 DC fast
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 46m
★
6 AM
0h 50m
8 AM
0h 58m
10 AM
0h 53m
12 PM
0h 52m
3 PM
0h 53m
5 PM
0h 58m
8 PM
0h 47m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Crystal Lake, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Northbrook, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Crystal Lake, IL to Northbrook, IL covers 30.7 miles and takes about 49m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Northwest Highway, State Route 22, Palatine Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 6.2 miles on Northwest Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $4.80 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
15.4 miles from Crystal Lake, IL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 25m into the drive .
Loading map...
Drive Character
Expect a 49m drive with frequent turns across 30.7 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 14 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Northwest Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 6.2 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 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near South Main Street.
Route Complexity
5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 30.7 miles you will encounter 8 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: near the start (South Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 12.6 miles (US 12 / Rand Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 21.5 miles (Palatine Road): Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 8 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
South Main Street
Turn right onto South Main Street
Navigation decision point
5
12.6 mi into trip
|
~21m in
|
US 12 / Rand Road
Turn right onto US 12 / Rand Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
21.5 mi into trip
|
~34m in
|
Palatine Road
Turn left onto Palatine Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4
29.1 mi into trip
|
~46m in
|
Shermer Road
Turn left onto Shermer Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
4
30.6 mi into trip
|
~49m in
|
Walters Avenue
Turn left onto Walters Avenue
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Northwest Highway | 6.2 mi | 10m |
| State Route 22 | 4.9 mi | 7m |
| Palatine Road | 4.8 mi | 7m |
| North Rand Road | 4.5 mi | 7m |
| Rand Road | 4.4 mi | 5m |
| Willow Road | 2.8 mi | 4m |
| Shermer Road | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| South Main Street | 1 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
Northwest Highway
— 6.2 mi, about 10m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Crystal Lake, IL and Northbrook, IL.
1
Start on East Crystal Lake Avenue
25 ft
·
4 sec
·
East Crystal Lake Avenue
2
Turn right onto South Main Street
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
South Main Street
3
Turn left onto US 14
6.2 mi
·
10 min
·
Northwest Highway
4
Turn left onto IL 22
4.9 mi
·
7 min
·
State Route 22
5
Continue on IL 22
0.4 mi
·
48 sec
·
West Main Street
6
Turn right onto US 12
4.4 mi
·
5 min
·
Rand Road
Use the left lane.
7
Continue on US 12
4.5 mi
·
7 min
·
North Rand Road
8
Turn left onto Palatine Road
4.8 mi
·
7 min
·
Palatine Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on Willow Road
2.8 mi
·
4 min
·
Willow Road
Use the straight lane.
10
Turn left onto Shermer Road
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Shermer Road
Use the left lane.
11
Turn left onto Walters Avenue
121 ft
·
3 sec
·
Walters Avenue
12
Turn right onto 1st Street
294 ft
·
14 sec
·
1st Street
13
Turn right
298 ft
·
21 sec
14
Arrive at 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 15.4 miles from Crystal Lake, IL, or about 25m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 6.2 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 30.7 miles or 49m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 15.4 miles or 25m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 41m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Northbrook, IL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Crystal Lake, 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 Crystal Lake, IL
This is one driving day of about 30.7 miles and 49m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Crystal Lake, IL.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.
The longest stretch is on Northwest Highway for about 6.2 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 15.4 mi from Crystal Lake, IL · 25m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
15 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 30.7 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 15.4 miles from Crystal Lake, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Northbrook, IL
The final approach into Northbrook, 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 Northbrook, 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
$4.80 one way
$9.60 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $5.27 | $10.54 |
| premium | $4.89 | $5.91 | $11.82 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.78 | $13.56 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$5
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$30–$55
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
EV Charging Along Route
25 DC fast chargers · Coverage: excellent
Meijer - Tesla Supercharger
Rolling Meadows, IL
Tesla
22 DCFC
Meijer - Tesla Supercharger
Algonquin, IL
Tesla
12 DCFC
Woodman's - Tesla Supercharger
Buffalo Grove, IL
Tesla
12 DCFC
Abt Electronics - Tesla Supercharger
Glenview, IL
Tesla
10 DCFC
RPT Realty Deer Grove Centre (Palatine, IL)
Palatine, IL
Electrify America
8 DCFC
Thorntons, W Algonquin Rd, Lake in the Hills, IL
Lake in the Hills, IL
BP_PULSE
6 DCFC
Meijer Algonquin #206 (Algonquin, IL)
Algonquin, IL
Electrify America
6 DCFC
Hampton Inn McHenry
Mchenry, IL
UNIVERSAL
4 DCFC
ChargePoint Network: 6
Tesla: 5
Electrify America: 3
BP_PULSE: 2
Non-Networked: 2
Blink Network: 2
UNIVERSAL: 1
POWERPUMP: 1
EV Connect: 1
NOODOE: 1
eVgo Network: 1
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.2 | 0 | $3.22 | $1.47 |
| Efficient EV | 7.7 | 0 | $2.69 | $1.23 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.3 | 0 | $4.30 | $1.96 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (64% 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
Northbrook, IL
Afternoon in Northbrook on Tuesday
Local time
4:39 PM
CDT
Current temp
40°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
3 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
49m 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 Crystal Lake, IL to Northbrook, IL covers 30.7 miles and takes about 49m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Northwest Highway, State Route 22, Palatine Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 15.4 miles from Crystal Lake, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $4.80 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 30.7 miles you will encounter 8 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: near the start (South Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 12.6 miles (US 12 / Rand Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 21.5 miles (Palatine Road): Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Crystal Lake, IL to Northbrook, IL does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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