Trip from Makanda, IL to Des Plaines, IL

Drive Time

6h 49m

Distance

357.3 mi

575 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$54

one way

EV Charging

station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 35 min

4 AM

6h 37m ★

6 AM

6h 49m

8 AM

7h 12m

10 AM

6h 57m

12 PM

6h 55m

3 PM

6h 58m

5 PM

7h 11m

8 PM

6h 42m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly

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Makanda, IL

Semih Başaran

Des Plaines, IL

Tom Fisk

Trip Overview

The drive from Makanda, IL to Des Plaines, IL covers 357.3 miles and takes about 6h 49m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on I 57, Ken Gray Expressway, Tri-State Tollway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 185.5 miles on I 57. At current regular gas prices, budget about $54.27 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.

Break Rhythm

1 planned break

Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.

Midpoint

178.6 miles from Makanda, IL

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 3h 25m into the drive .

Drive Character

This is a 6h 49m highway drive covering 357.3 miles, with most of the trip on I 57 and Ken Gray Expressway. The longest continuous stretch is about 185.5 miles on I 57.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.

There are about 23 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.

I 57 is the longest continuous segment at about 185.5 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 57 and Ken Gray Expressway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 134.1 miles in near I 57.

Route Complexity 9/10

High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day

This is a demanding drive. With 15 significant decision points across 357.3 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 134.1 miles (I 57): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 319.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 319.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 15 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

134.1 mi into trip | ~2h 37m in | I 57

Keep slight left at fork onto I 57 toward I 57 North: Chicago

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward I 57 North: Chicago

319.6 mi into trip | ~5h 58m in

Take the exit toward IL 83, I 294 Toll North: Sibley Boulevard, 147th Street, Wisconsin

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 349-350 Toward IL 83, I 294 Toll North: Sibley Boulevar...

319.9 mi into trip | ~5h 58m in

Keep slight right at fork toward I 294 Toll North: Wisconsin

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight left lanes. Exit 349 Toward I 294 Toll North: Wisconsin

354.3 mi into trip | ~6h 42m 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

355 mi into trip | ~6h 44m 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 Along This Route

On the drive from Makanda, IL to Des Plaines, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Wisconsin along the way.

Wisconsin

319.6 mi in | ~5h 58m

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
I 57	185.5 mi	3h 21m
Ken Gray Expressway	108.7 mi	1h 57m
Tri-State Tollway	32.5 mi	40m
East Main Street	9.7 mi	14m
US 51	8.1 mi	9m
West Deyoung Street	3.3 mi	4m
Makanda Road	1.8 mi	6m
South Des Plaines River Road	1.7 mi	3m

Longest stretch: I 57 — 185.5 mi, about 3h 21m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Makanda, IL and Des Plaines, IL.

Start on Baptist Hill Road

75 ft · 3 sec · Baptist Hill Road

Continue on Makanda Road

1.8 mi · 6 min · Makanda Road

Turn right onto US 51

8.1 mi · 9 min · US 51

Turn right onto IL 13

1.3 mi · 2 min · West Walnut Street

Continue on IL 13

9.7 mi · 14 min · East Main Street

Continue on IL 13

3.3 mi · 4 min · West Deyoung Street

Take the exit

1.2 mi · 2 min

Merge onto I 57

41 mi · 44 min · Ken Gray Expressway

Keep slight right at fork onto I 57

67 mi · 1 hr 12 min · Ken Gray Expressway

Toward I 57 North: Chicago

Keep slight left at fork onto I 57

185 mi · 3 hr 21 min · I 57

Toward I 57 North: Chicago Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 32 sec

Exit 349-350 Toward IL 83, I 294 Toll North: Sibley Boulevard, 147th Street, Wisconsin Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight right at fork

1.8 mi · 3 min

Exit 349 Toward I 294 Toll North: Wisconsin Use the straight / slight left lanes.

Merge onto I 294

21 mi · 25 min · Tri-State Tollway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight left at fork onto I 294

12 mi · 15 min · Tri-State Tollway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

0.1 mi · 15 sec

Exit 42 A-B Toward Touhy Avenue Use the slight right lane.

Keep slight left at fork

0.5 mi · 1 min

Exit 42 A-B Toward Touhy Avenue

Keep slight left at fork

0.1 mi · 16 sec

Toward Touhy Avenue West Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight right at fork

0.3 mi · 43 sec

Exit 42B Toward Touhy Avenue West Use the right lane.

Turn straight onto East Touhy Avenue

325 ft · 7 sec · East Touhy Avenue

Turn slight right

339 ft · 9 sec

Turn right onto South Des Plaines River Road

1.7 mi · 3 min · South Des Plaines River Road

Turn left onto Henry Avenue

0.1 mi · 24 sec · Henry Avenue

Arrive at destination

Henry Avenue

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.

Evening Departure

This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.

You can normally do this drive in one day.

Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.

The halfway point lands around 178.6 miles from Makanda, IL, or about 3h 25m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 185.5 miles.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

Departure

Before you leave

Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.

First stop

Around 80 miles or 1h 38m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 178.6 miles or 3h 25m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 5h 34m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Des Plaines, IL than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

Open the route before leaving Makanda, IL so your first major turns are already loaded.

Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.

Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Makanda, IL

This is one driving day of about 357.3 miles and 6h 49m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Makanda, IL.

This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.

Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.

The longest stretch is on I 57 for about 185.5 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 178.6 mi from Makanda, IL · 3h 25m into the drive

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Champaign, IL

179 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

Frankfort, IL

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Champaign, IL

Meal break

The midpoint is around 178.6 miles from Makanda, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before I 57 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 185.5 miles.

Arriving in Des Plaines, IL

The final approach into Des Plaines, IL usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.

Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Des Plaines, IL.

After long uninterrupted mileage, take five minutes before the last urban segment to reset and refocus on exits, merges, and city traffic.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$54.27 one way

$108.54 round trip

$3.86/gal 25.4 MPG avg 125 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.25	$59.83	$119.65
premium	$4.80	$67.45	$134.90
diesel	$5.64	$79.38	$158.76

Estimated Tolls: $1.95

Tri-state Tollway (32.5 mi) $1.95

Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$54

Tolls

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$81–$106

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 125 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $38 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	Stops	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	107.2	1	$37.52	$17.15
Efficient EV	89.3	1	$31.26	$14.29
EV Truck/SUV	142.9	1	$50.02	$22.87

Gas CO2

125 kg

EV CO2

42 kg (66% less)

Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.

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.

Forecast data refreshed 3 days ago

Origin

Makanda, IL

Morning in Makanda on Monday

Local time

7:19 AM

CDT

Current temp

79°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Des Plaines, IL

Morning in Des Plaines on Monday

Local time

7:19 AM

CDT

Current temp

46°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Seasonal Notes

Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.

Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.

Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.

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

33 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

6h 49m on the road

Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Makanda, IL to Des Plaines, IL covers 357.3 miles and takes about 6h 49m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are I 57, Ken Gray Expressway, Tri-State Tollway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 178.6 miles from Makanda, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $54.27 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.

Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour. This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.

Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.

On the drive from Makanda, IL to Des Plaines, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Wisconsin along the way.

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Trip from Makanda, IL to Des Plaines, IL

Best Time to Leave

Trip Overview

Drive Character

How Hard Is This Drive?

Critical Maneuvers

Towns Along This Route

Main Roads

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Trip Plan

Before You Leave

Where to Stop

Pacing Suggestions

Arriving in Des Plaines, IL

Fuel & Cost

Travel Intel

Makanda, IL

Des Plaines, IL

Same local time

33 degrees cooler at arrival

6h 49m on the road

Frequently Asked Questions

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