Origin
Naperville, IL
Evening in Naperville on Thursday
Local time
7:07 PM
CDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Naperville, IL to Forest Lake, IL
Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026
Drive Time
53m
Distance
37.9 mi
61 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 49m
★
6 AM
0h 54m
8 AM
1h 3m
10 AM
0h 57m
12 PM
0h 56m
3 PM
0h 57m
5 PM
1h 2m
8 PM
0h 51m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Forest Lake, IL
DMN Atölye
Trip Overview
The drive from Naperville, IL to Forest Lake, IL covers 37.9 miles and takes about 53m 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 mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 10.6 miles on Veterans Memorial Tollway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $5.93 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 53m. Total distance: 37.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
53m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (38%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
The drive from Naperville, IL to Forest Lake, IL covers 37.9 miles and takes about 53m, using a mix of highways and local roads.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 16 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 10.6 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. 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 34 / East Ogden Avenue.
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 13 decision points packed into just 37.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 53m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 34 / East Ogden Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.6 miles (North Naperville Wheaton Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 6.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 13 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 34 / East Ogden Avenue
Turn left onto US 34 / East Ogden Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
1.6 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
North Naperville Wheaton Road
Turn left onto North Naperville Wheaton Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
7
6.8 mi into trip
|
~11m in
Take the exit toward I 355 Toll North: Northwest Suburbs
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 132
Toward I 355 Toll North: Northwest Suburbs
6
23.8 mi into trip
|
~32m 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.
6
37.8 mi into trip
|
~53m in
|
West Highland Drive
Turn right onto West Highland Drive
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Veterans Memorial Tollway | 10.6 mi | 13m |
| IL 53 | 8.9 mi | 11m |
| I 290 | 5.6 mi | 6m |
| Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway | 4.3 mi | 5m |
| Quentin Road | 2.9 mi | 5m |
| East Ogden Avenue | 1.6 mi | 3m |
| North Rand Road | 1.5 mi | 1m |
| Lake Cook Road | 0.7 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Veterans Memorial Tollway
— 10.6 mi, about 13m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Naperville, IL and Forest Lake, IL.
1
Start on North Washington Street
50 ft
·
9 sec
·
North Washington Street
2
Turn left onto US 34
1.6 mi
·
3 min
·
East Ogden Avenue
Use the left lane.
3
Turn left onto North Naperville Wheaton Road
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
·
North Naperville Wheaton Road
Use the left lane.
4
Turn left onto Naperville Road
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
·
Naperville Road
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
5
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
48 sec
Toward I 88 Toll East: Chicago
Use the right lane.
6
Merge onto I 88; IL 110
4.3 mi
·
5 min
·
Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
7
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Exit 132
Toward I 355 Toll North: Northwest Suburbs
Use the slight right lane.
8
Merge onto I 355
11 mi
·
13 min
·
Veterans Memorial Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Merge onto I 290
5.6 mi
·
6 min
·
I 290
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight left at fork onto IL 53
8.9 mi
·
11 min
·
IL 53
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Continue on Lake Cook Road
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Lake Cook Road
Use the left lane.
12
Continue on US 12
1.5 mi
·
1 min
·
North Rand Road
Use the right lane.
13
Turn right onto V62
2.9 mi
·
5 min
·
Quentin Road
Use the right lane.
14
Turn right onto West Highland Drive
0.1 mi
·
29 sec
·
West Highland Drive
Use the right lane.
15
Turn left onto North Field Road
281 ft
·
9 sec
·
North Field Road
16
Arrive at destination
North Field Road
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 19 mi from Naperville, IL · 26m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
19 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 37.9 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 19 miles from Naperville, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Forest Lake, IL
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Forest Lake, IL if you are unfamiliar with the area.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.93 one way
$11.85 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $6.51 | $13.01 |
| premium | $4.89 | $7.29 | $14.59 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.37 | $16.74 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.00
Veterans Memorial Tollway
(10.6 mi)
$0.74
Reagan Memorial Tollway
(4.3 mi)
$0.26
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Tolls
$1
Total
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 13.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11.4 | 0 | $3.98 | $1.82 |
| Efficient EV | 9.5 | 0 | $3.32 | $1.52 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 15.2 | 0 | $5.31 | $2.43 |
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (69% 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
Forest Lake, IL
Evening in Forest Lake on Thursday
Local time
7:07 PM
CDT
Current temp
70°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
71°F
Bloomingdale, IL
19 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
19 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
53m 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 Naperville, IL to Forest Lake, IL covers 37.9 miles and takes about 53m 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 19 miles from Naperville, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $5.93 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 13 decision points packed into just 37.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 53m.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 34 / East Ogden Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.6 miles (North Naperville Wheaton Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 6.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Naperville, IL to Forest Lake, 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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