Origin
Joliet, IL
Afternoon in Joliet on Thursday
Local time
3:50 PM
CDT
Current temp
69°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Joliet, IL to Gilmer, IL
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
1h 26m
Distance
56.6 mi
91 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 20m
★
6 AM
1h 26m
8 AM
1h 40m
10 AM
1h 31m
12 PM
1h 30m
3 PM
1h 32m
5 PM
1h 39m
8 PM
1h 22m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Joliet, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Gilmer, IL
Pho Tomass
Trip Overview
The drive from Joliet, IL to Gilmer, IL covers 56.6 miles and takes about 1h 26m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Veterans Memorial Tollway, IL 53, I 290 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 24.4 miles on Veterans Memorial Tollway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $8.85 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 26m. Total distance: 56.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 26m 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
Expect a 1h 26m drive with frequent turns across 56.6 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 23 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Veterans Memorial Tollway is the longest continuous segment at about 24.4 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 early in the drive near US 6; IL 53 / Ottawa Street.
Driving Effort
9/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 56.6 miles you will encounter 15 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 (US 6; IL 53 / Ottawa Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (US 30 / East Jefferson Street): Navigation decision point; at 9.3 miles: 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
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 6; IL 53 / Ottawa Street
Turn right onto US 6; IL 53 / Ottawa Street
Navigation decision point
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 30 / East Jefferson Street
Turn left onto US 30 / East Jefferson Street
Navigation decision point
6
9.3 mi into trip
|
~20m in
Turn left toward I 355 North: West Suburbs
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward I 355 North: West Suburbs
5
9.8 mi into trip
|
~21m in
|
I 355 / Veterans Memorial Tollway
Merge onto I 355 / Veterans Memorial Tollway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
39.7 mi into trip
|
~58m in
|
IL 53
Keep slight left at fork onto IL 53
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Veterans Memorial Tollway | 24.4 mi | 29m |
| IL 53 | 8.9 mi | 11m |
| I 290 | 5.6 mi | 6m |
| South State Street | 4.3 mi | 9m |
| Quentin Road | 3.7 mi | 6m |
| South Archer Avenue | 2.4 mi | 4m |
| Collins Street | 2 mi | 4m |
| North Rand Road | 1.5 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Veterans Memorial Tollway
— 24.4 mi, about 29m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Joliet, IL and Gilmer, IL.
1
Start on this road
111 ft
·
10 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right onto US 6; IL 53
175 ft
·
12 sec
·
Ottawa Street
3
Turn left onto US 30
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
East Jefferson Street
4
Keep slight right at fork onto US 6; US 30
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
East Jefferson Street
5
Continue on US 6; US 30
2.0 mi
·
4 min
·
Collins Street
6
Continue on IL 171
4.3 mi
·
9 min
·
South State Street
7
Continue on IL 171
2.4 mi
·
4 min
·
South Archer Avenue
Use the right lane.
8
Turn left
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 355 North: West Suburbs
Use the left lane.
9
Merge onto I 355
24 mi
·
29 min
·
Veterans Memorial Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Merge onto I 290
5.6 mi
·
6 min
·
I 290
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork onto IL 53
8.9 mi
·
11 min
·
IL 53
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Continue on Lake Cook Road
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Lake Cook Road
Use the left lane.
13
Continue on US 12
1.5 mi
·
1 min
·
North Rand Road
Use the right lane.
14
Turn right onto V62
3.7 mi
·
6 min
·
Quentin Road
Use the right lane.
15
Turn right onto V77
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
·
Old McHenry Road
16
Turn left onto Lagoon Drive
0.3 mi
·
51 sec
·
Lagoon Drive
17
Continue on Orchard Lane
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Orchard Lane
18
Continue on Rosewood Drive
0.3 mi
·
53 sec
·
Rosewood Drive
19
Turn left onto Ivy Lane
0.1 mi
·
21 sec
·
Ivy Lane
20
Turn right onto Dartmouth Lane
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
·
Dartmouth Lane
21
Turn left onto Cambridge Drive
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Cambridge Drive
22
At end of road, turn left onto V76
0.4 mi
·
54 sec
·
Gilmer Road
23
Arrive at destination
V76
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 28.3 mi from Joliet, IL · 44m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
28 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 28.3 miles from Joliet, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Gilmer, IL
The final approach into Gilmer, 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
$8.85 one way
$17.70 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
20 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $9.72 | $19.43 |
| premium | $4.89 | $10.89 | $21.78 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.50 | $24.99 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.71
Veterans Memorial Tollway
(24.4 mi)
$1.71
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Tolls
$2
Total
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 19.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 17 | 0 | $5.94 | $2.72 |
| Efficient EV | 14.2 | 0 | $4.95 | $2.26 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 22.6 | 0 | $7.92 | $3.62 |
Gas CO2
20 kg
EV CO2
7 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
Gilmer, IL
Afternoon in Gilmer on Thursday
Local time
3:50 PM
CDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
71°F
Bloomingdale, IL
28 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 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 26m 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 Joliet, IL to Gilmer, IL covers 56.6 miles and takes about 1h 26m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Veterans Memorial 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 28.3 miles from Joliet, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $8.85 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 56.6 miles you will encounter 15 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 (US 6; IL 53 / Ottawa Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (US 30 / East Jefferson Street): Navigation decision point; at 9.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Joliet, IL to Gilmer, 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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