Origin
Elgin, IL
Afternoon in Elgin on Saturday
Local time
3:13 PM
CDT
Current temp
50°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Elgin, IL to Prairie Grove, IL
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
36m
Distance
18.3 mi
30 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 33m
★
6 AM
0h 36m
8 AM
0h 42m
10 AM
0h 38m
12 PM
0h 38m
3 PM
0h 38m
5 PM
0h 42m
8 PM
0h 34m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Elgin, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Prairie Grove, IL
Andrew Patrick Photo
Trip Overview
The drive from Elgin, IL to Prairie Grove, IL covers 18.3 miles and takes about 36m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Center Street, East Highland Avenue, North State Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly surface roads. At current regular gas prices, budget about $2.86 one way before food or hotel costs.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Center Street | — | — |
| East Highland Avenue | — | — |
| North State Street | — | — |
| South 8th Street | — | — |
| North 8th Street | — | — |
| South Western Avenue | — | — |
| North Western Avenue | — | — |
| West State Road | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
Center Street
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Elgin, IL and Prairie Grove, IL.
1
Start on East Chicago Street
33 ft
·
8 sec
·
East Chicago Street
2
Turn left onto Center Street
328 ft
·
13 sec
·
Center Street
3
Turn left onto East Highland Avenue
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
·
East Highland Avenue
4
Turn right onto North State Street
2.7 mi
·
5 min
·
North State Street
5
Continue on South 8th Street
1.7 mi
·
3 min
·
South 8th Street
6
Continue on North 8th Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
North 8th Street
7
Continue on South Western Avenue
0.3 mi
·
48 sec
·
South Western Avenue
8
Continue on North Western Avenue
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
North Western Avenue
9
Continue straight
8.8 mi
·
14 min
10
Turn right onto West State Road
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
West State Road
11
Turn left onto Barreville Road
1.5 mi
·
4 min
·
Barreville Road
12
Arrive at your destination
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.86 one way
$5.72 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $3.14 | $6.28 |
| premium | $4.89 | $3.52 | $7.04 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.04 | $8.08 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.5 | 0 | $1.92 | $0.88 |
| Efficient EV | 4.6 | 0 | $1.60 | $0.73 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 7.3 | 0 | $2.56 | $1.17 |
Gas CO2
6 kg
EV CO2
2 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
Prairie Grove, IL
Afternoon in Prairie Grove on Saturday
Local time
3:13 PM
CDT
Current temp
68°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
18 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
36m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
18.3 mi in 36m across surface roads — expect steady turns and local traffic rather than long highway runs.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Main road: Center Street.
How Hard Is This Drive?
1/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive.
Driving Effort
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Elgin, IL to Prairie Grove, IL is easy. At 36m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Elgin, IL to Prairie Grove, IL is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
About the Cities
Starting in Elgin, IL
Full guide →Founded 1854
Elgin is a city in Chicagoland known for its Victorian architecture and the Elgin Symphony Orchestra.
Top landmarks
- • Elgin Tower Building — building in Illinois, United States
- • Elgin Downtown Commercial District
Arriving in Prairie Grove, IL
Full guide →City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 36m. Total distance: 18.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
36m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Elgin, IL to Prairie Grove, IL is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Prairie Grove, IL before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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