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Trip from Pistakee Highlands, IL to Elmhurst, IL

Data updated 1 hour ago

Drive Time

1h 2m

Distance

44.8 mi

72 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$7

one way

EV Charging

None

0 DC fast

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 15 min
4 AM
0h 57m ★
6 AM
1h 2m
8 AM
1h 12m
10 AM
1h 6m
12 PM
1h 5m
3 PM
1h 6m
5 PM
1h 12m
8 PM
0h 59m

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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Downtown Pistakee Highlands, IL, IL

Pistakee Highlands, IL

NIKOLAI FOMIN

city in Illinois, United States

Elmhurst, IL

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Pistakee Highlands, IL to Elmhurst, IL covers 44.8 miles and takes about 1h 2m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on US 12, IL 53, I 290 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 24.6 miles on US 12. At current regular gas prices, budget about $7.00 one way before food or hotel costs.

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

22.4 miles from Pistakee Highlands, IL

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 30m into the drive .

Loading map...

Drive Character

This is a 1h 2m highway drive covering 44.8 miles, with most of the trip on US 12 and IL 53. The longest continuous stretch is about 24.6 miles on US 12.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 21 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
US 12 is the longest continuous segment at about 24.6 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 12 and IL 53. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 25.1 miles in.

Route Complexity 9/10

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

This is a demanding drive. With 13 significant decision points across 44.8 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 25.1 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 29.7 miles (IL 53): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 36.7 miles (I 290): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 13 key points

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

7
25.1 mi into trip | ~34m in

Take the ramp toward IL 53 South

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane. Toward IL 53 South
8
29.7 mi into trip | ~40m in | IL 53

Keep slight left at fork onto IL 53 toward I 290 East: Chicago, Biesterfield Road

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward I 290 East: Chicago, Biesterfield Road
7
36.7 mi into trip | ~49m in | I 290

Keep slight right at fork onto I 290 toward I 290 East: Chicago

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Toward I 290 East: Chicago
7
43.4 mi into trip | ~58m in

Take the exit toward York Road

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 12 Toward York Road
6
43.6 mi into trip | ~59m in | North York Street

Turn left onto North York Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight lane.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
US 12 24.6 mi 32m
IL 53 11.3 mi 14m
I 290 6.6 mi 8m
North York Street 0.7 mi 1m
Fox Lake Road 0.5 mi 1m
North Addison Avenue 0.2 mi <1m
West Park Avenue 0.1 mi <1m
West 2nd Street <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: US 12 — 24.6 mi, about 32m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Pistakee Highlands, IL and Elmhurst, IL.

1

Start on Fox Lake Road

0.5 mi · 1 min · Fox Lake Road
2

At end of road, turn right onto US 12

6.0 mi · 7 min · US 12
3

Continue on US 12; IL 59

1.1 mi · 1 min · US 12; IL 59
Use the left lane.
4

Continue on US 12; IL 59

0.3 mi · 26 sec · US 12; IL 59
5

Continue on US 12; IL 59

0.1 mi · 7 sec · US 12; IL 59
6

Continue on US 12; IL 59

1.7 mi · 1 min · US 12; IL 59
7

Continue on US 12; IL 59

1.1 mi · 1 min · US 12; IL 59
8

Continue on US 12; IL 59

14 mi · 20 min · US 12; IL 59
Use the left lane.
9

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 40 sec
Toward IL 53 South Use the right lane.
10

Merge onto IL 53

4.4 mi · 5 min · IL 53
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Keep slight left at fork onto IL 53

7.0 mi · 9 min · IL 53
Toward I 290 East: Chicago, Biesterfield Road Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12

Keep slight right at fork onto I 290

6.6 mi · 8 min · I 290
Toward I 290 East: Chicago Use the slight right lane.
13

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 46 sec
Exit 12 Toward York Road Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14

Turn left onto North York Street

0.7 mi · 1 min · North York Street
Use the straight lane.
15

Turn right onto West 2nd Street

335 ft · 9 sec · West 2nd Street
Use the right lane.
16

Keep slight left at fork onto West 2nd Street

127 ft · 8 sec · West 2nd Street
17

At end of road, turn left onto North Addison Avenue

0.2 mi · 28 sec · North Addison Avenue
18

Turn right onto Cottage Hill Avenue

230 ft · 13 sec · Cottage Hill Avenue
19

Turn left onto West Park Avenue

0.1 mi · 26 sec · West Park Avenue
20

Turn sharp left

65 ft · 4 sec
21

Arrive at destination

Trip Plan

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 22.4 miles from Pistakee Highlands, IL, or about 30m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 24.6 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 44.8 miles or 1h 2m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 22.4 miles or 30m in

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

Final approach

Final hour starts around 51m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Pistakee Highlands, 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 Pistakee Highlands, IL

This is one driving day of about 44.8 miles and 1h 2m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Pistakee Highlands, IL.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.
The longest stretch is on US 12 for about 24.6 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 22.4 mi from Pistakee Highlands, IL · 30m into the drive

village in Cook County, Illinois, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Palatine, IL

22 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

Des Plaines, IL

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 44.8 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Palatine, IL

Meal break

The midpoint is around 22.4 miles from Pistakee Highlands, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Elmhurst, IL

The final approach into Elmhurst, 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 Elmhurst, IL.

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

National Parks Near This Route

Worth a detour if your schedule allows.

Pullman National Historical Park

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...

22 mi from route ~55 min detour Free near mile 44.8
Caution: Road Construction Near the Park
View on nps.gov

Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$7.00 one way

$14.01 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 16 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $7.69 $15.38
premium $4.89 $8.62 $17.24
diesel $5.61 $9.89 $19.78

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$7

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$32–$57

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 15.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 13.4 0 $4.70 $2.15
Efficient EV 11.2 0 $3.92 $1.79
EV Truck/SUV 17.9 0 $6.27 $2.87

Gas CO2

16 kg

EV CO2

5 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.

Forecast data refreshed 4 days ago

Origin

Pistakee Highlands, IL

Evening in Pistakee Highlands on Tuesday

Local time

5:44 PM

CDT

Current temp

49°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Elmhurst, IL

Evening in Elmhurst on Tuesday

Local time

5:44 PM

CDT

Current temp

54°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 warmer at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

1h 2m 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 Pistakee Highlands, IL to Elmhurst, IL covers 44.8 miles and takes about 1h 2m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are US 12, IL 53, I 290. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 22.4 miles from Pistakee Highlands, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $7.00 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 44.8 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 25.1 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 29.7 miles (IL 53): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 36.7 miles (I 290): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Pistakee Highlands, IL to Elmhurst, IL does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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