Origin
Hickory Hills, IL
Morning in Hickory Hills on Saturday
Local time
9:18 AM
CDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Hickory Hills, IL to Des Plaines, IL
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
40m
Distance
28.6 mi
46 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 37m
★
6 AM
0h 41m
8 AM
0h 48m
10 AM
0h 43m
12 PM
0h 43m
3 PM
0h 44m
5 PM
0h 47m
8 PM
0h 39m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Hickory Hills, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Des Plaines, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Hickory Hills, IL to Des Plaines, IL is 28.6 miles and takes about 40 minutes via Tri-State Tollway, with a fuel budget near $4 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a straightforward trip connecting two points within Illinois, making it ideal for a single-day excursion. Expect a local drive with a good number of turns, rather than a high-speed highway journey. This route is best suited for those who prefer navigating local roads and are comfortable with frequent directional changes. It's a practical option for getting from one suburban area to another without extensive travel time.
About the Cities
Arriving in Des Plaines, IL
Full guide →Des Plaines is in Chicagoland. It is an inner-ring, northwest suburb of Chicago with two distinct portions: a suburban northern portion reminiscient of other, nearby northwest suburbs (including Niles, Park Ridge, and Mount Prospect), as well as a built-up southern portion with the businesses, hotels, and other amenities of the O'Hare Airport corridor (much like Rosemont, Chicago's O'Hare neighborhood, and Elk Grove Village).
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 40m. Total distance: 28.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
40m 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
This drive is characterized as a 'turn-heavy local drive,' meaning you'll encounter numerous intersections and changes in direction. With 0% highway share, you'll be on surface streets for the entire 28.6 miles. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll experience is 23.8 miles on the Tri-State Tollway, which will likely be a significant portion of your travel time. The route's personality is less about steady cruising and more about active navigation through local communities. Be prepared for a dynamic driving experience with frequent adjustments.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 15 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?
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 13.8 miles in near I 294 / Tri-State Tollway.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 10 decision points packed into just 28.6 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 40m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 13.8 miles (I 294 / Tri-State Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 25.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 25.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 10 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
13.8 mi into trip
|
~19m in
|
I 294 / Tri-State Tollway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 294 / Tri-State Tollway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
25.6 mi into trip
|
~34m in
Take the exit toward Touhy Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 42 A-B
Toward Touhy Avenue
6
25.7 mi into trip
|
~34m in
Keep slight left at fork toward Touhy Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Exit 42 A-B
Toward Touhy Avenue
7
26.2 mi into trip
|
~35m in
Keep slight left at fork toward Touhy Avenue West
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward Touhy Avenue West
8
26.3 mi into trip
|
~36m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Touhy Avenue West
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Exit 42B
Toward Touhy Avenue West
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 Hickory Hills, IL to Des Plaines, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Touhy Avenue West along the way.
Touhy Avenue West
26.2 mi in
|
~35m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Tri-State Tollway | 23.8 mi | 29m |
| South Des Plaines River Road | 1.7 mi | 3m |
| West 95th Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| South Roberts Road | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| 91st Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Henry Avenue | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| East Touhy Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Tri-State Tollway
— 23.8 mi, about 29m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Hickory Hills, IL and Des Plaines, IL.
1
Start on 91st Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
91st Street
2
Turn right onto South Roberts Road
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
South Roberts Road
3
Turn left onto US 12; US 20
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
West 95th Street
4
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
Toward I 294 Toll North: Wisconsin
5
Merge onto I 294
12 mi
·
14 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight left at fork onto I 294
12 mi
·
15 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
Exit 42 A-B
Toward Touhy Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
8
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Exit 42 A-B
Toward Touhy Avenue
9
Keep slight left at fork
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
Toward Touhy Avenue West
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
Exit 42B
Toward Touhy Avenue West
Use the right lane.
11
Turn straight onto East Touhy Avenue
325 ft
·
7 sec
·
East Touhy Avenue
12
Turn slight right
339 ft
·
9 sec
13
Turn right onto South Des Plaines River Road
1.7 mi
·
3 min
·
South Des Plaines River Road
14
Turn left onto Henry Avenue
0.1 mi
·
24 sec
·
Henry Avenue
15
Arrive at destination
Henry Avenue
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.47 one way
$8.94 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
10 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $4.91 | $9.82 |
| premium | $4.89 | $5.50 | $11.01 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.31 | $12.63 |
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
$4
Tolls
$1
Total
$6
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 | 8.6 | 0 | $3.00 | $1.37 |
| Efficient EV | 7.2 | 0 | $2.50 | $1.14 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 11.4 | 0 | $4.00 | $1.83 |
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
Des Plaines, IL
Morning in Des Plaines on Saturday
Local time
9:18 AM
CDT
Current temp
51°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
20 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
40m 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 Hickory Hills, IL to Des Plaines, IL covers 28.6 miles and takes about 40m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Tri-State Tollway, South Des Plaines River Road, West 95th Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 14.3 miles from Hickory Hills, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $4.47 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 10 decision points packed into just 28.6 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 40m.
The main spots that need attention: at 13.8 miles (I 294 / Tri-State Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 25.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 25.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
On the drive from Hickory Hills, IL to Des Plaines, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Touhy Avenue West along the way.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Pullman National Historical Park.
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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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