Origin
McCullom Lake, IL
Evening in McCullom Lake on Thursday
Local time
8:51 PM
CDT
Current temp
67°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from McCullom Lake, IL to Rockford, IL
Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026
Drive Time
1h 22m
Distance
50.3 mi
81 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 17m
★
6 AM
1h 23m
8 AM
1h 36m
10 AM
1h 27m
12 PM
1h 26m
3 PM
1h 28m
5 PM
1h 35m
8 PM
1h 19m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
McCullom Lake, IL
Sean Ewing
Rockford, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from McCullom Lake, IL to Rockford, IL covers 50.3 miles and takes about 1h 22m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on U.S. Grant Memorial Highway, Kishwaukee Valley Road, West Grant Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 13.6 miles on U.S. Grant Memorial Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $7.86 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 22m. Total distance: 50.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 22m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (14%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 1h 22m drive with frequent turns across 50.3 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 29 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
U.S. Grant Memorial Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 13.6 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 19 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Eastwood Drive.
Driving Effort
5/10
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 50.3 miles you will encounter 19 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 (Eastwood Drive): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (West Orchard Drive): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (Spring Road): Navigation decision point.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 19 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
|
Eastwood Drive
Turn left onto Eastwood Drive
Navigation decision point
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
West Orchard Drive
At end of road, turn right onto West Orchard Drive
Navigation decision point
4
0.3 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
Spring Road
Turn left onto Spring Road
Navigation decision point
5
10.6 mi into trip
|
~19m in
|
IL 120 / West Washington Street
Turn right onto IL 120 / West Washington Street
Navigation decision point
5
10.8 mi into trip
|
~19m in
|
North Throop Street
Turn left onto North Throop Street
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| U.S. Grant Memorial Highway | 13.6 mi | 20m |
| Kishwaukee Valley Road | 7.4 mi | 10m |
| West Grant Highway | 5 mi | 7m |
| State Route 23 | 4.5 mi | 7m |
| Greenwood Road | 3 mi | 4m |
| East State Street | 2.7 mi | 4m |
| Charles Street | 2.7 mi | 4m |
| State Route 120 | 2.6 mi | 3m |
Longest stretch:
U.S. Grant Memorial Highway
— 13.6 mi, about 20m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between McCullom Lake, IL and Rockford, IL.
1
Start on Parkview Drive
11 ft
·
7 sec
·
Parkview Drive
2
Turn left onto Eastwood Drive
0.1 mi
·
33 sec
·
Eastwood Drive
3
At end of road, turn right onto West Orchard Drive
0.2 mi
·
42 sec
·
West Orchard Drive
4
Turn left onto Spring Road
0.2 mi
·
49 sec
·
Spring Road
5
Turn right onto West Flanders Road
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
West Flanders Road
6
Turn left onto Ringwood Road
0.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Ringwood Road
7
Turn right onto IL 120
2.1 mi
·
3 min
·
West Elm Street
8
Continue on IL 120
2.6 mi
·
3 min
·
State Route 120
9
Turn left onto IL 120
3.0 mi
·
4 min
·
Greenwood Road
10
Continue on IL 120
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
McHenry Avenue
11
Continue on IL 120
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
·
North Madison Street
12
Turn right onto IL 120
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
·
West Washington Street
13
Turn left onto North Throop Street
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
·
North Throop Street
14
Turn right onto West Jackson Street
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
West Jackson Street
15
Continue on Kishwaukee Valley Road
4.1 mi
·
6 min
·
Kishwaukee Valley Road
16
Keep slight right at fork onto A33
3.3 mi
·
4 min
·
Kishwaukee Valley Road
17
Turn left onto IL 23
4.5 mi
·
7 min
·
State Route 23
18
Turn right onto US 20
5.0 mi
·
7 min
·
West Grant Highway
19
Continue on US 20
13 mi
·
20 min
·
U.S. Grant Memorial Highway
20
Continue on US 20
0.1 mi
·
9 sec
·
U.S. Grant Memorial Highway
21
Continue on Harrison Avenue
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Harrison Avenue
22
Turn right onto South Perryville Road
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
·
South Perryville Road
23
Turn left onto Charles Street
2.7 mi
·
4 min
·
Charles Street
24
Turn right onto South Alpine Road
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
South Alpine Road
25
Turn left onto US 20 Business
2.7 mi
·
4 min
·
East State Street
26
Turn right onto US 20 Business
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
East Jefferson Street
27
Turn left onto North Wyman Street
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
North Wyman Street
28
Turn right onto West State Street
75 ft
·
2 sec
·
West State Street
29
Arrive at destination
West State Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 25.1 mi from McCullom Lake, IL · 42m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
25 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 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 25.1 miles from McCullom Lake, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Rockford, IL
The final approach into Rockford, 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
$7.86 one way
$15.73 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
18 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $8.63 | $17.27 |
| premium | $4.89 | $9.68 | $19.36 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.11 | $22.21 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 17.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 15.1 | 0 | $5.28 | $2.41 |
| Efficient EV | 12.6 | 0 | $4.40 | $2.01 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 20.1 | 0 | $7.04 | $3.22 |
Gas CO2
18 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (67% 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
Rockford, IL
Evening in Rockford on Thursday
Local time
8:51 PM
CDT
Current temp
49°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 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 22m 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 McCullom Lake, IL to Rockford, IL covers 50.3 miles and takes about 1h 22m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are U.S. Grant Memorial Highway, Kishwaukee Valley Road, West Grant Highway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 25.1 miles from McCullom Lake, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $7.86 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 50.3 miles you will encounter 19 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 (Eastwood Drive): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (West Orchard Drive): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (Spring Road): Navigation decision point.
The route from McCullom Lake, IL to Rockford, IL does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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