Origin
Des Plaines, IL
Morning in Des Plaines on Friday
Local time
6:31 AM
CDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Des Plaines, IL to Sugar Grove, IL
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
59m
Distance
44 mi
71 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 54m
★
6 AM
0h 59m
8 AM
1h 9m
10 AM
1h 3m
12 PM
1h 2m
3 PM
1h 3m
5 PM
1h 8m
8 PM
0h 56m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Des Plaines, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Sugar Grove, IL
Skyler Ewing
Trip Overview
The drive from Des Plaines, IL to Sugar Grove, IL covers 44 miles and takes about 59m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway, Tri-State Tollway, IL 56 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 25.8 miles on Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $6.88 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 59m. Total distance: 44 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
59m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a 59m drive with frequent turns across 44 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 19 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway is the longest continuous segment at about 25.8 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 12.2 miles in near I 294 / Tri-State Tollway.
Driving Effort
10/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 17 decision points packed into just 44 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 59m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 12.2 miles (I 294 / Tri-State Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 12.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 14.1 miles (I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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.
8
12.2 mi into trip
|
~18m in
|
I 294 / Tri-State Tollway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 294 / Tri-State Tollway toward I 88 West, I 294 South: Aurora, Indiana
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 88 West, I 294 South: Aurora, Indiana
8
12.8 mi into trip
|
~19m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 88 West Toll: Aurora
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 31A
Toward I 88 West Toll: Aurora
8
14.1 mi into trip
|
~21m in
|
I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway toward 22nd Street (Cermak Road)
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 138
Toward 22nd Street (Cermak Road)
8
39.1 mi into trip
|
~51m in
|
IL 56
Keep slight right at fork onto IL 56 toward IL 56 West: Sugar Grove
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 113
Toward IL 56 West: Sugar Grove
9
43.5 mi into trip
|
~58m in
Keep slight right at fork toward IL 47 South, US 30 East: Sugar Grove
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward IL 47 South, US 30 East: Sugar Grove
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Des Plaines, IL and Sugar Grove, IL, road signs point toward Indiana and 22Nd Street (Cermak Road).
Indiana
11.2 mi in
|
~16m
|
via I 294
22Nd Street (Cermak Road)
14.1 mi in
|
~21m
|
via I 88; IL 110
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway | 25.8 mi | 31m |
| Tri-State Tollway | 10.5 mi | 14m |
| IL 56 | 4.2 mi | 5m |
| South Des Plaines River Road | 1.8 mi | 3m |
| Illinois Route 47 | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Henry Avenue | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| United States Route 30 | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Cross Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
— 25.8 mi, about 31m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Des Plaines, IL and Sugar Grove, IL.
1
Start on Henry Avenue
0.1 mi
·
25 sec
·
Henry Avenue
2
Turn right onto South Des Plaines River Road
1.8 mi
·
3 min
·
South Des Plaines River Road
Use the left lane.
3
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
55 sec
Toward I 294 South: Indiana
4
Merge onto I 294
8.9 mi
·
11 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Take the exit onto I 294
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
Toward I 88 West, I 294 South: Aurora, Indiana
Use the slight right lane.
6
Keep slight right at fork onto I 294
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
·
Tri-State Tollway
Toward I 88 West, I 294 South: Aurora, Indiana
Use the slight right lane.
7
Continue on I 294
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
·
Tri-State Tollway
Exit 15A
Toward I 88 West, I 294 South: Aurora, Indiana
8
Keep slight right at fork
0.5 mi
·
49 sec
Exit 31A
Toward I 88 West Toll: Aurora
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Merge onto I 88; IL 110
0.8 mi
·
59 sec
·
Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
10
Keep slight right at fork onto I 88; IL 110
25 mi
·
30 min
·
Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
Exit 138
Toward 22nd Street (Cermak Road)
Use the slight right lane.
11
Keep slight right at fork onto IL 56
4.2 mi
·
5 min
·
IL 56
Exit 113
Toward IL 56 West: Sugar Grove
Use the slight right lane.
12
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
Toward US 30 East, IL 47: Sugar Grove, Elburn
Use the right lane.
13
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
Toward IL 47 South, US 30 East: Sugar Grove
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Merge onto IL 47
0.2 mi
·
18 sec
·
Illinois Route 47
15
Continue on US 30; IL 47
347 ft
·
8 sec
·
United States Route 30
Use the right lane.
16
Turn right onto Cross Street
270 ft
·
17 sec
·
Cross Street
Use the right lane.
17
Turn left
69 ft
·
7 sec
Use the left lane.
18
Turn right
76 ft
·
5 sec
19
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 22 mi from Des Plaines, IL · 30m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
22 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 22 miles from Des Plaines, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Sugar Grove, IL
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Sugar Grove, IL if you are unfamiliar with the area.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.88 one way
$13.76 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $7.55 | $15.11 |
| premium | $4.89 | $8.47 | $16.93 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.71 | $19.43 |
Estimated Tolls: $2.18
Reagan Memorial Tollway
(25.8 mi)
$1.55
Tri-state Tollway
(10.5 mi)
$0.63
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Tolls
$2
Total
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 15.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 13.2 | 0 | $4.62 | $2.11 |
| Efficient EV | 11 | 0 | $3.85 | $1.76 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 17.6 | 0 | $6.16 | $2.82 |
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 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.
Destination
Sugar Grove, IL
Morning in Sugar Grove on Friday
Local time
6:31 AM
CDT
Current temp
50°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
1 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
59m 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 Des Plaines, IL to Sugar Grove, IL covers 44 miles and takes about 59m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway, Tri-State Tollway, IL 56. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 22 miles from Des Plaines, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $6.88 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 is a short but busy drive. With 17 decision points packed into just 44 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 59m.
The main spots that need attention: at 12.2 miles (I 294 / Tri-State Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 12.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 14.1 miles (I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Between Des Plaines, IL and Sugar Grove, IL, road signs point toward Indiana and 22Nd Street (Cermak Road).
Yes. Nearby national parks include Pullman National Historical Park.
How this page is built
Compiled and maintained by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy (Helsinki). Each route is built from authoritative open government and mapping datasets rather than crowdsourced reviews. Distances and geometry come from OSRM over OpenStreetMap. Fuel cost uses EIA weekly regional averages. National park proximity is from the NPS API. Pages are published only after passing our data-quality checks; our methodology page documents refresh cadence, editorial standards, and known limitations.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Sugar Grove, IL
More trips to Sugar Grove, IL
Explore more options from Des Plaines, IL or browse trips ending in Sugar Grove, IL.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse IL road trips.