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Trip from North Peoria, IL to Hillcrest, IL

Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026

Drive Time

2h 16m

Distance

115.9 mi

187 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$18

one way

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 29 min
4 AM
2h 7m ★
6 AM
2h 17m
8 AM
2h 36m
10 AM
2h 23m
12 PM
2h 22m
3 PM
2h 24m
5 PM
2h 35m
8 PM
2h 11m

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

Downtown North Peoria, IL, IL

North Peoria, IL

Tom Fisk

Downtown Hillcrest, IL, IL

Hillcrest, IL

Mike Tyurin

Trip Overview

This 115.9-mile drive from North Peoria, IL, to Hillcrest, IL, will take approximately 2 hours and 16 minutes. Designed as a single-day trip, it's a straightforward journey through the Midwest. The estimated fuel cost is around $18, making it an economical option for a quick getaway. The route primarily utilizes interstate highways, offering a direct path with minimal fuss. You'll spend most of your time on I-39 and I-80, so expect a highway-focused experience that gets you to your destination efficiently.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Break Rhythm

0 planned breaks

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

58 miles from North Peoria, IL

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 11m into the drive .

Drive Character

This drive is predominantly highway-focused, with 65% of the journey on interstates like I-39 and I-80. You'll experience a significant stretch of 40.1 miles on I-39, offering a consistent pace. While primarily interstate, there are also segments on County Road 1400 East, introducing some variation. The character of the road is largely about covering distance efficiently, with the majority of the drive being a smooth, high-speed experience.

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 39 is the longest continuous segment at about 40.1 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 39 and County Road 1400 East. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2.6 miles in.

Route Complexity 8/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

This is a demanding drive. With 13 significant decision points across 115.9 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 2.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 10.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 53.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 13 key points

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

5
2.6 mi into trip | ~4m in

Keep slight left at fork

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

6
10.1 mi into trip | ~16m in

Keep slight right at fork

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

5
53.6 mi into trip | ~1h 6m in

Keep slight right at fork toward I 80 East: Joliet

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

Toward I 80 East: Joliet
6
71.4 mi into trip | ~1h 26m in

Take the exit toward I 39 North, US 51 North: Rockford

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Exit 79B Toward I 39 North, US 51 North: Rockford
6
111.9 mi into trip | ~2h 10m in

Take the exit toward IL 38: DeKalb, Rochelle

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Exit 99 Toward IL 38: DeKalb, Rochelle

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 39 40.1 mi 42m
County Road 1400 East 17.8 mi 20m
I 80 17.4 mi 18m
South 4th Street 9.1 mi 10m
I 180 8.9 mi 9m
North Galena Road 7.6 mi 11m
North State Route 29 6.1 mi 7m
IL 38 2.4 mi 3m
Longest stretch: I 39 — 40.1 mi, about 42m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between North Peoria, IL and Hillcrest, IL.

1

Start on East McClure Avenue

0.4 mi · 59 sec · East McClure Avenue
2

At end of road, turn left onto North Prospect Road

1.0 mi · 1 min · North Prospect Road
3

Turn right onto US 150

1.1 mi · 1 min · East War Memorial Drive
4

Take the exit

0.1 mi · 21 sec
5

Keep slight left at fork

399 ft · 13 sec
6

Turn straight onto IL 29

0.2 mi · 32 sec · Northeast Adams Street
7

Continue on IL 29

7.1 mi · 10 min · North Galena Road
8

Keep slight left at fork

321 ft · 4 sec
9

Keep slight right at fork

148 ft · 2 sec
10

Continue on IL 29

0.4 mi · 35 sec · North Galena Road
11

Continue on IL 29

6.1 mi · 7 min · North State Route 29
12

Continue on IL 29

9.1 mi · 10 min · South 4th Street
13

Continue on IL 29

1.1 mi · 1 min · Railroad Street
14

Continue on IL 29

18 mi · 20 min · County Road 1400 East
15

Merge onto I 180

8.9 mi · 9 min · I 180
16

Keep slight right at fork

0.4 mi · 43 sec
Toward I 80 East: Joliet
17

Merge onto I 80

17 mi · 18 min · I 80
18

Take the exit

0.5 mi · 1 min
Exit 79B Toward I 39 North, US 51 North: Rockford
19

Merge onto I 39; US 51

40 mi · 42 min · I 39; US 51
20

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 55 sec
Exit 99 Toward IL 38: DeKalb, Rochelle
21

Turn left onto IL 38

2.4 mi · 3 min · IL 38
22

Turn right onto IL 251

1.2 mi · 1 min · North 7th Street
23

Arrive at destination

IL 251

Trip Plan

Given its 2 hour and 16 minute duration, this route is perfectly suited for a single-day trip, allowing for flexibility in your departure time. You'll want to be mindful of the 40.1-mile stretch on I-39, as it's the longest uninterrupted segment, so plan your refueling before you hit that point. The $18 fuel cost is a good estimate, but it's always wise to have a little extra buffer. With no designated stops, you have the freedom to pull over as needed, but keep an eye out for services along the interstates.

Morning Departure

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.

Evening Departure

Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 58 miles from North Peoria, IL, or about 1h 11m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 40.1 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 25 miles or 34m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 58 miles or 1h 11m in

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

Final approach

Final hour starts around 1h 51m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving North Peoria, 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 North Peoria, IL

This is one driving day of about 115.9 miles and 2h 16m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 25 miles from North Peoria, IL.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 39 for about 40.1 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 58 mi from North Peoria, IL · 1h 11m into the drive

human settlement in Woodford County, Illinois, United States of America

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Germantown Hills, IL

58 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

Washburn, IL

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 25 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Coal Hollow, IL

Meal break

The midpoint is around 58 miles from North Peoria, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Hillcrest, IL

The final approach into Hillcrest, 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 Hillcrest, IL.

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

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$18.12 one way

$36.24 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 41 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $19.89 $39.79
premium $4.89 $22.30 $44.61
diesel $5.61 $25.59 $51.18

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$18

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$43–$68

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 40.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $12 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 34.8 0 $12.17 $5.56
Efficient EV 29 0 $10.14 $4.64
EV Truck/SUV 46.4 0 $16.23 $7.42

Gas CO2

41 kg

EV CO2

14 kg (66% 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.

Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

North Peoria, IL

Night in North Peoria on Wednesday

Local time

10:20 PM

CDT

Current temp

53°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Hillcrest, IL

Night in Hillcrest on Wednesday

Local time

10:20 PM

CDT

Current temp

48°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

5 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

2h 16m 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 North Peoria, IL to Hillcrest, IL covers 115.9 miles and takes about 2h 16m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 39, County Road 1400 East, I 80. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 58 miles from North Peoria, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $18.12 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 demanding drive. With 13 significant decision points across 115.9 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.
The main spots that need attention: at 2.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 10.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 53.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
The route from North Peoria, IL to Hillcrest, IL does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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