Origin
Elgin, IL
Night in Elgin on Thursday
Local time
9:45 PM
CDT
Current temp
50°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Elgin, IL to Aux Sable, IL
Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026
Drive Time
1h 27m
Distance
49.5 mi
80 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 21m
★
6 AM
1h 28m
8 AM
1h 41m
10 AM
1h 33m
12 PM
1h 31m
3 PM
1h 33m
5 PM
1h 41m
8 PM
1h 24m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Elgin, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Aux Sable, IL
Rafał Nagrodzki
Trip Overview
This 49.5-mile drive from Elgin to Aux Sable, Illinois, is a manageable 1-hour and 27-minute journey, making it an ideal day trip. You'll navigate primarily local roads, with only a small portion on highways, so expect a leisurely pace. With an estimated fuel cost of around $8, this trip is quite economical. The route winds through the Midwest, staying within Illinois, and offers a straightforward transit between two points without requiring an overnight stay. It's a practical option for a short, focused excursion.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 27m. Total distance: 49.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 27m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
The character of this drive is best described as turn-heavy and local. With only 5% of the route on highways, you'll spend most of your time on roads like Ridge Road, North Kirk Road, and North Farnsworth Avenue. The longest continuous stretch you'll encounter is 16.2 miles on Ridge Road. This means you should anticipate frequent turns and a more intimate experience with the local landscape, rather than long, open highway stretches. It's a driving experience that keeps you engaged with your surroundings.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 28 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Ridge Road is the longest continuous segment at about 16.2 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 16 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Villa Street.
Driving Effort
6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 49.5 miles you will encounter 16 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 (Villa Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.7 miles (IL 25 / Bluff City Boulevard): Navigation decision point; at 1.7 miles (IL 25 / Saint Charles Street): Navigation decision point.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 16 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
|
Villa Street
Turn right onto Villa Street
Navigation decision point
4
1.7 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
IL 25 / Bluff City Boulevard
Turn right onto IL 25 / Bluff City Boulevard
Navigation decision point
4
1.7 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
IL 25 / Saint Charles Street
Turn left onto IL 25 / Saint Charles Street
Navigation decision point
6
24.3 mi into trip
|
~45m in
|
Treasure Drive
Turn right onto Treasure Drive
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
6
24.7 mi into trip
|
~46m in
|
Harvey Road
Turn left onto Harvey Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Ridge Road | 16.2 mi | 26m |
| North Kirk Road | 5.5 mi | 9m |
| North Farnsworth Avenue | 3.9 mi | 8m |
| South Kirk Road | 3.6 mi | 6m |
| Saint Charles Street | 2.9 mi | 5m |
| US 6 | 2.6 mi | 3m |
| Hill Avenue | 2.5 mi | 4m |
| Dunham Road | 2.5 mi | 4m |
Longest stretch:
Ridge Road
— 16.2 mi, about 26m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Elgin, IL and Aux Sable, IL.
1
Start on East Chicago Street
34 ft
·
5 sec
·
East Chicago Street
2
Turn right onto Villa Street
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Villa Street
3
Turn right onto IL 25
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
South Liberty Street
4
Turn right onto IL 25
328 ft
·
14 sec
·
Bluff City Boulevard
5
Turn left onto IL 25
2.9 mi
·
5 min
·
Saint Charles Street
6
Continue on CR 19
2.5 mi
·
4 min
·
Dunham Road
Use the left lane.
7
Continue on CR 77
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
North Kirk Road
8
Continue on CR 77
3.6 mi
·
6 min
·
South Kirk Road
Use the left lane.
9
Continue on CR 77
3.9 mi
·
6 min
·
North Kirk Road
Use the left lane.
10
Continue on North Farnsworth Avenue
3.9 mi
·
8 min
·
North Farnsworth Avenue
Use the left lane.
11
Turn slight right
147 ft
·
5 sec
Use the right lane.
12
Turn slight right onto East New York Street
0.5 mi
·
50 sec
·
East New York Street
Use the right lane.
13
Turn left onto North Ohio Street
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
·
North Ohio Street
14
Turn left onto East Galena Boulevard
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
·
East Galena Boulevard
15
Continue on Hill Avenue
2.5 mi
·
4 min
·
Hill Avenue
Use the left lane.
16
Turn straight onto US 30
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Lincoln Highway
17
Turn right onto Treasure Drive
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Treasure Drive
Use the right lane.
18
Turn left onto Harvey Road
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Harvey Road
Use the left lane.
19
Enter roundabout onto Harvey Road
178 ft
·
3 sec
·
Harvey Road
20
Continue on Harvey Road
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Harvey Road
21
Continue on Rance Road
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
·
Rance Road
22
Turn right onto Stewart Road
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Stewart Road
23
Continue on Ridge Road
16 mi
·
26 min
·
Ridge Road
24
Turn right onto US 6
2.6 mi
·
3 min
·
US 6
25
Turn left onto South Tabler Road
1.8 mi
·
4 min
·
South Tabler Road
26
At end of road, turn right onto Cemetery Road
295 ft
·
11 sec
·
Cemetery Road
27
Turn left
471 ft
·
20 sec
28
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 24.7 mi from Elgin, IL · 46m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
25 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 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 24.7 miles from Elgin, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Aux Sable, IL
The final approach into Aux Sable, 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
$7.74 one way
$15.48 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
17 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $8.50 | $16.99 |
| premium | $4.89 | $9.53 | $19.05 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.93 | $21.86 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 17.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.9 | 0 | $5.20 | $2.38 |
| Efficient EV | 12.4 | 0 | $4.33 | $1.98 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 19.8 | 0 | $6.93 | $3.17 |
Gas CO2
17 kg
EV CO2
6 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.
Destination
Aux Sable, IL
Night in Aux Sable on Thursday
Local time
9:45 PM
CDT
Current temp
70°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
51°F
Aurora, IL
25 mi in
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
20 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 27m 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 Elgin, IL to Aux Sable, IL covers 49.5 miles and takes about 1h 27m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Ridge Road, North Kirk Road, North Farnsworth Avenue. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 24.7 miles from Elgin, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $7.74 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 49.5 miles you will encounter 16 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 (Villa Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.7 miles (IL 25 / Bluff City Boulevard): Navigation decision point; at 1.7 miles (IL 25 / Saint Charles Street): Navigation decision point.
The route from Elgin, IL to Aux Sable, IL does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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