Origin
Gilmer, IL
Evening in Gilmer on Thursday
Local time
7:49 PM
CDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Gilmer, IL to Evanston, IL
Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026
Drive Time
45m
Distance
28.5 mi
46 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 42m
★
6 AM
0h 46m
8 AM
0h 53m
10 AM
0h 48m
12 PM
0h 48m
3 PM
0h 49m
5 PM
0h 53m
8 PM
0h 43m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Gilmer, IL
Pho Tomass
Evanston, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Gilmer, IL to Evanston, IL covers 28.5 miles and takes about 45m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Edens Expressway, Edens Spur, US 45 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 5.6 miles on Edens Expressway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $4.46 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 45m. Total distance: 28.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
45m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (36%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
The drive from Gilmer, IL to Evanston, IL covers 28.5 miles and takes about 45m, 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 20 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Edens Expressway is the longest continuous segment at about 5.6 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 2.2 miles in near North Diamond Lake Road.
Driving Effort
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 15 decision points packed into just 28.5 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 45m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2.2 miles (North Diamond Lake Road): Navigation decision point; at 12.9 miles (I 94 / Edens Spur): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 23.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 15 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
2.2 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
North Diamond Lake Road
At end of road, turn left onto North Diamond Lake Road
Navigation decision point
7
12.9 mi into trip
|
~22m in
|
I 94 / Edens Spur
Keep slight left at fork onto I 94 / Edens Spur toward I 94 East Toll: Chicago
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward I 94 East Toll: Chicago
7
23.2 mi into trip
|
~34m in
Take the exit toward Old Orchard Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 35
Toward Old Orchard Road
6
28.4 mi into trip
|
~45m in
|
Dempster Street
Turn left onto Dempster Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
7
28.4 mi into trip
|
~45m in
Turn uturn
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Edens Expressway | 5.6 mi | 7m |
| Edens Spur | 4.8 mi | 5m |
| US 45 | 3.9 mi | 6m |
| Tri-State Tollway | 2.9 mi | 3m |
| Indian Creek Road | 2 mi | 5m |
| West Half Day Road | 1.8 mi | 2m |
| Central Street | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| Old Orchard Road | 1.4 mi | 3m |
Longest stretch:
Edens Expressway
— 5.6 mi, about 7m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Gilmer, IL and Evanston, IL.
1
Start on V76
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
Gilmer Road
2
Turn left onto Indian Creek Road
2.0 mi
·
5 min
·
Indian Creek Road
3
At end of road, turn left onto North Diamond Lake Road
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
North Diamond Lake Road
4
Turn right onto IL 60; IL 83
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
IL 60; IL 83
5
Continue on US 45
3.9 mi
·
6 min
·
US 45
Use the left lane.
6
Continue on Olde Half Day Road
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
·
Olde Half Day Road
Use the left lane.
7
At end of road, turn left onto IL 22
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
West Half Day Road
Use the left lane.
8
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
53 sec
Toward I 94 East Toll: Indiana
9
Merge onto I 94
2.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
10
Keep slight left at fork onto I 94
4.8 mi
·
5 min
·
Edens Spur
Toward I 94 East Toll: Chicago
Use the slight left lane.
11
Continue on I 94; US 41
5.6 mi
·
7 min
·
Edens Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
46 sec
Exit 35
Toward Old Orchard Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Turn left onto Old Orchard Road
1.4 mi
·
3 min
·
Old Orchard Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
14
Turn left onto Gross Point Road
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
·
Gross Point Road
Use the left lane.
15
Turn right onto Central Street
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Central Street
Use the right lane.
16
Turn right onto Green Bay Road
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Green Bay Road
17
Turn right onto Asbury Avenue
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Asbury Avenue
18
Turn left onto Dempster Street
213 ft
·
9 sec
·
Dempster Street
Use the left lane.
19
Turn uturn
213 ft
·
17 sec
20
Arrive at destination
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.46 one way
$8.91 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
10 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $4.89 | $9.78 |
| premium | $4.89 | $5.48 | $10.97 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.29 | $12.58 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.18
Tri-state Tollway
(2.9 mi)
$0.18
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Tolls
$0
Total
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 10 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8.5 | 0 | $2.99 | $1.37 |
| Efficient EV | 7.1 | 0 | $2.49 | $1.14 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 11.4 | 0 | $3.99 | $1.82 |
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (70% 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
Evanston, IL
Evening in Evanston on Thursday
Local time
7:49 PM
CDT
Current temp
67°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
45m 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 Gilmer, IL to Evanston, IL covers 28.5 miles and takes about 45m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Edens Expressway, Edens Spur, US 45. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 14.2 miles from Gilmer, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $4.46 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 15 decision points packed into just 28.5 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 45m.
The main spots that need attention: at 2.2 miles (North Diamond Lake Road): Navigation decision point; at 12.9 miles (I 94 / Edens Spur): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 23.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Gilmer, IL to Evanston, IL does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Pullman National Historical Park.
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