Origin
Forest Lake, IL
Evening in Forest Lake on Thursday
Local time
8:10 PM
CDT
Current temp
70°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Forest Lake, IL to Markham, IL
Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026
Drive Time
1h 15m
Distance
54.6 mi
88 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 10m
★
6 AM
1h 16m
8 AM
1h 28m
10 AM
1h 20m
12 PM
1h 19m
3 PM
1h 21m
5 PM
1h 27m
8 PM
1h 12m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Forest Lake, IL
DMN Atölye
Markham, IL
Stéphane Tendon
Trip Overview
The drive from Forest Lake, IL to Markham, IL covers 54.6 miles and takes about 1h 15m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Tri-State Tollway, IL 53, I 290 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 23.8 miles on Tri-State Tollway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $8.54 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 15m. Total distance: 54.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 15m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (38%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
The drive from Forest Lake, IL to Markham, IL covers 54.6 miles and takes about 1h 15m, 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 23 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Tri-State Tollway is the longest continuous segment at about 23.8 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 6.9 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 54.6 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: at 6.9 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 11.6 miles (IL 53): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 18.6 miles (I 290): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 16 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
7
6.9 mi into trip
|
~11m in
Take the ramp toward IL 53 South
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward IL 53 South
8
11.6 mi into trip
|
~18m in
|
IL 53
Keep slight left at fork onto IL 53 toward I 290 East: Chicago, Biesterfield Road
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 290 East: Chicago, Biesterfield Road
7
18.6 mi into trip
|
~27m in
|
I 290
Keep slight right at fork onto I 290 toward I 290 East: Chicago
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 290 East: Chicago
8
27.9 mi into trip
|
~39m in
Take the exit toward I 88 West, I 294 South: Aurora, Indiana
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 15A
Toward I 88 West, I 294 South: Aurora, Indiana
7
52.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 12m in
Take the exit toward US 6: 159th Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 6B-A
Toward US 6: 159th Street
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Forest Lake, IL to Markham, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Indiana along the way.
Indiana
27.9 mi in
|
~39m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Tri-State Tollway | 23.8 mi | 30m |
| IL 53 | 11.3 mi | 14m |
| I 290 | 9.3 mi | 12m |
| Quentin Road | 2.9 mi | 5m |
| North Rand Road | 2.4 mi | 3m |
| Rand Road | 1.5 mi | 1m |
| Mile-Long Bridge | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Kedzie Avenue | 0.5 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Tri-State Tollway
— 23.8 mi, about 30m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Forest Lake, IL and Markham, IL.
1
Start on North Field Road
281 ft
·
13 sec
·
North Field Road
2
Turn right onto West Highland Drive
0.1 mi
·
31 sec
·
West Highland Drive
3
Turn left onto V62
2.9 mi
·
5 min
·
Quentin Road
4
Turn left onto US 12
1.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Rand Road
Use the left lane.
5
Continue on US 12
2.4 mi
·
3 min
·
North Rand Road
6
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
Toward IL 53 South
Use the right lane.
7
Merge onto IL 53
4.4 mi
·
5 min
·
IL 53
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork onto IL 53
7.0 mi
·
9 min
·
IL 53
Toward I 290 East: Chicago, Biesterfield Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight right at fork onto I 290
9.3 mi
·
12 min
·
I 290
Toward I 290 East: Chicago
Use the slight right lane.
10
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
Exit 15A
Toward I 88 West, I 294 South: Aurora, Indiana
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Continue on I 294
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
·
Tri-State Tollway
Exit 15A
Toward I 88 West, I 294 South: Aurora, Indiana
12
Keep slight left at fork onto I 294
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
Toward I 88 West, I 294 South: Aurora, Indiana
13
Merge onto I 294
137 ft
·
1 sec
·
Tri-State Tollway
14
Keep slight left at fork onto I 294
4.8 mi
·
5 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
15
Keep slight right at fork onto I 294
3.5 mi
·
4 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Continue on I 294
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Mile-Long Bridge
17
Continue on I 294
14 mi
·
17 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
Exit 6B-A
Toward US 6: 159th Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi
·
54 sec
Exit 6B
Toward US 6 West: 159th Street
20
Turn straight onto US 6
0.4 mi
·
56 sec
·
West 159th Street
21
Turn left onto Kedzie Avenue
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Kedzie Avenue
22
Turn right onto 163rd Street
64 ft
·
2 sec
·
163rd Street
23
Arrive at destination
163rd Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 27.3 mi from Forest Lake, IL · 39m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
27 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 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 27.3 miles from Forest Lake, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Markham, IL
The final approach into Markham, 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
$8.54 one way
$17.07 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $9.37 | $18.74 |
| premium | $4.89 | $10.51 | $21.01 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.05 | $24.11 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.43
Tri-state Tollway
(23.8 mi)
$1.43
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Tolls
$1
Total
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 19.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16.4 | 0 | $5.73 | $2.62 |
| Efficient EV | 13.7 | 0 | $4.78 | $2.18 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 21.8 | 0 | $7.64 | $3.49 |
Gas CO2
19 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (68% 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
Markham, IL
Evening in Markham on Thursday
Local time
8:10 PM
CDT
Current temp
69°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
1h 15m 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 Forest Lake, IL to Markham, IL covers 54.6 miles and takes about 1h 15m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Tri-State Tollway, IL 53, I 290. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 27.3 miles from Forest Lake, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $8.54 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 54.6 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: at 6.9 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 11.6 miles (IL 53): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 18.6 miles (I 290): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Forest Lake, IL to Markham, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Indiana along the way.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Pullman National Historical Park.
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