The drive from Markham, IL to Dale, IL covers 293 miles and takes about 5h 29m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 57, IL 142, I 64 for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is highway-focused drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 252.8 miles on I 57.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $45.81 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
146.5 miles from Markham, IL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 40m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 57
252.8 mi
4h 32m
IL 142
11.5 mi
17m
I 64
10.7 mi
11m
County Road 1165 East
6.8 mi
10m
County Road 6
3.8 mi
5m
I 80
2.3 mi
3m
Brehm Lane
2.2 mi
3m
Kedzie Avenue
0.6 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
I 57
— 252.8 mi, about 4h 32m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Markham, IL and Dale, IL.
1
Start on 163rd Street
64 ft·6 sec·163rd Street
2
Turn right onto Kedzie Avenue
0.6 mi·1 min·Kedzie Avenue
3
Take the ramp
0.5 mi·1 min
Toward I 80 West
4
Merge onto I 80
2.3 mi·3 min·I 80
5
Take the exit
0.3 mi·31 sec
Exit 151AToward I 57 South: MemphisUse the straight / slight left lanes.
6
Merge onto I 57
187 mi·3 hr 22 min·I 57
Use the straight / right lanes.
7
Keep slight left at fork onto I 57
66 mi·1 hr 10 min·I 57
Toward I 57 South: Memphis
8
Keep slight left at fork onto I 64
11 mi·11 min·I 64
Toward I 64 East: Louisville
9
Take the exit
0.4 mi·35 sec
Exit 89Toward Belle Rive, Bluford
10
Turn right onto County Highway 17
0.1 mi·15 sec·County Highway 17
11
Continue on Brehm Lane
2.2 mi·3 min·Brehm Lane
12
Continue on North Main Street
0.4 mi·45 sec·North Main Street
13
Turn left onto IL 142
12 mi·17 min·IL 142
14
Continue on IL 142
3.8 mi·5 min·County Road 6
15
Turn right onto IL 142
0.3 mi·33 sec·South Washington Street
16
Turn left onto IL 14
446 ft·9 sec·East Randolph Street
17
Turn right onto IL 142
0.3 mi·25 sec·South Jackson Street
18
Continue on IL 142
6.8 mi·10 min·County Road 1165 East
19
Arrive at destination
IL 142
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 146.5 miles from Markham, IL, or about 2h 40m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 252.8 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 64 miles or 1h 11m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 146.5 miles or 2h 40m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 21m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Dale, IL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Markham, 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 Markham, IL
This is one driving day of about 293 miles and 5h 29m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 64 miles from Markham, 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 252.8 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 12
5 decision points cluster between mile 3.3 and 267.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
3.3 mi into trip|~5m in
Take the exit toward I 57 South: Memphis
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
Exit 151A
Toward I 57 South: Memphis
5
3.6 mi into trip|~5m in|I 57
Merge onto I 57
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
190.7 mi into trip|~3h 27m in|I 57
Keep slight left at fork onto I 57 toward I 57 South: Memphis
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I 57 South: Memphis
5
256.4 mi into trip|~4h 38m in|I 64
Keep slight left at fork onto I 64 toward I 64 East: Louisville
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I 64 East: Louisville
6
267.1 mi into trip|~4h 50m in
Take the exit toward Belle Rive, Bluford
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 89
Toward Belle Rive, Bluford
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$45.81 one way
$91.61 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg103 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$50.29
$100.59
premium
$4.89
$56.39
$112.77
diesel
$5.61
$64.69
$129.38
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$46
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$71–$96
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 102.5 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
EV Charging Along Route
3 DC fast chargers
· Coverage: fair
Tesla Supercharger
Effingham, Illinois
Tesla
1 DCFC
Tesla Supercharger
Effingham, Illinois
Tesla
1 DCFC
Electrify America Charging Station
Effingham, Illinois
Electrify America
1 DCFC
Tesla: 2
Electrify America: 1
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $31 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
87.9
1
$30.76
$14.06
Efficient EV
73.3
0
$25.64
$11.72
EV Truck/SUV
117.2
1
$41.02
$18.75
Gas CO2
103 kg
EV CO2
34 kg (67% 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 as of Apr 16, 2026
Origin
Markham, IL
Afternoon
in Markham on Saturday
Local time
3:11 PM
CDT
Current temp
69°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Dale, IL
Afternoon
in Dale on Saturday
Local time
3:11 PM
CDT
Current temp
56°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
74°F
Charleston, IL
147 mi in
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
13 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
5h 29m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Pullman National Historical Park
National Historical Park
In a growing Chicago neighborhood, diverse people and stories intertwined. All were seeking opportunity. Some succeeded. Others were limited—by race, gender, or economic status. Their stories came tog...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This is a 5h 29m highway drive covering 293 miles, with most of the trip on I 57 and IL 142. The longest continuous stretch is about 252.8 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 19 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 252.8 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 57 and IL 142. You will hit about 12 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 3.3 miles in.
Driving Effort5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 293 miles you will encounter 12 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 3.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 3.6 miles (I 57): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 190.7 miles (I 57): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Markham, IL and Dale, IL, road signs point toward Belle Rive and Bluford.
Belle Rive
267.1 mi in|~4h 50m
Bluford
267.1 mi in|~4h 50m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 29m. Total distance: 293 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 29m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (95%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Markham, IL to Dale, IL covers 293 miles and takes about 5h 29m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 57, IL 142, I 64. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 146.5 miles from Markham, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $45.81 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
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.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 293 miles you will encounter 12 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 3.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 3.6 miles (I 57): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 190.7 miles (I 57): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Between Markham, IL and Dale, IL, road signs point toward Belle Rive and Bluford.
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, NREL for EV charging, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
