Origin
Portage, IN
Night in Portage on Tuesday
Local time
10:17 PM
CDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Portage, IN to Dunkirk, IN
Data updated 3 hours ago
Drive Time
3h 56m
Distance
168.5 mi
271 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$26
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
3h 44m
★
6 AM
3h 56m
8 AM
4h 22m
10 AM
4h 6m
12 PM
4h 3m
3 PM
4h 7m
5 PM
4h 21m
8 PM
3h 49m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Portage, IN
Wikimedia Commons
Dunkirk, IN
Pascale AEN
Trip Overview
The drive from Portage, IN to Dunkirk, IN covers 168.5 miles and takes about 3h 56m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on East Morthland Drive, US 31, South Wabash Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 40.3 miles on East Morthland Drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $26.34 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
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
84.3 miles from Portage, IN
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 53m into the drive .
Loading map...
Drive Character
The drive from Portage, IN to Dunkirk, IN covers 168.5 miles and takes about 3h 56m, 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 35 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
East Morthland Drive is the longest continuous segment at about 40.3 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 20 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.6 miles in near Airport Road.
Route Complexity
5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 168.5 miles you will encounter 20 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 0.6 miles (Airport Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 15.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 56.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 20 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0.6 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
Airport Road
Turn right onto Airport Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
4
15.5 mi into trip
|
~24m in
Take the exit toward US 30 East: Plymouth
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward US 30 East: Plymouth
4
56.1 mi into trip
|
~1h 17m in
Take the exit toward US 31 South
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward US 31 South
4
89.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 59m in
|
West 1000 North
Turn left onto West 1000 North
Navigation decision point
4
112.5 mi into trip
|
~2h 34m in
|
SR 15 / West Canal Street
Turn left onto SR 15 / West Canal Street
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| East Morthland Drive | 40.3 mi | 52m |
| US 31 | 32.5 mi | 40m |
| South Wabash Street | 11.8 mi | 17m |
| West 1000 North | 11.1 mi | 15m |
| East North 00 South | 9.4 mi | 10m |
| Water Street | 8.1 mi | 14m |
| SR 3 | 7 mi | 10m |
| SR 49 | 6.8 mi | 9m |
Longest stretch:
East Morthland Drive
— 40.3 mi, about 52m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Portage, IN and Dunkirk, IN.
1
Start on Central Avenue
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Central Avenue
Use the straight lane.
2
Turn right onto Airport Road
1.7 mi
·
3 min
·
Airport Road
Use the right lane.
3
Turn left onto US 6
5.9 mi
·
9 min
·
US 6
4
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
56 sec
Toward SR 49 South: Valparaiso
5
Merge onto SR 49
6.8 mi
·
9 min
·
SR 49
6
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
Toward US 30 East: Plymouth
7
Merge onto US 30; SR 2
40 mi
·
52 min
·
East Morthland Drive
8
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward US 31 South
9
Merge onto US 31
4.1 mi
·
5 min
·
US 31
10
Merge onto US 31
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
US 31
11
Turn slight right
512 ft
·
6 sec
12
Continue on US 31
28 mi
·
34 min
·
US 31
13
Turn left onto West 1000 North
11 mi
·
15 min
·
West 1000 North
14
Continue on SR 16
3.1 mi
·
5 min
·
State Road 16
15
Turn right onto SR 15
6.4 mi
·
9 min
·
North 500 West
16
Continue on SR 15
0.4 mi
·
38 sec
·
County Road 500 West
17
Continue on SR 15
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
North Cass Street
18
Continue on SR 15
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Cass Street
19
Turn left onto SR 15
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
·
West Canal Street
20
Turn right onto SR 13; SR 15
12 mi
·
17 min
·
South Wabash Street
21
Continue on SR 15
0.4 mi
·
38 sec
·
County Road 187 West
22
Continue on SR 15
4.8 mi
·
7 min
·
North Wabash Road
23
Continue on SR 15
0.6 mi
·
52 sec
·
North Wabash Avenue
24
Turn right onto SR 9; SR 15
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
North Baldwin Avenue
25
Turn left onto SR 18
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
West 4th Street
26
Continue on SR 18
0.5 mi
·
40 sec
·
Sears Drive
27
Continue on SR 18
5.4 mi
·
6 min
·
East 4th Street
28
Continue on SR 18
9.4 mi
·
10 min
·
East North 00 South
29
Turn right onto SR 3
7.0 mi
·
10 min
·
SR 3
30
Turn left onto SR 26
0.5 mi
·
55 sec
·
West Washington Street
31
Turn right onto SR 26
360 ft
·
12 sec
·
South Mill Street
32
Turn left onto SR 26
8.1 mi
·
14 min
·
Water Street
33
Turn right onto SR 167
4.5 mi
·
7 min
·
State Road 167
34
Continue on SR 167
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
North Main Street
35
Arrive at destination
SR 167
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 84.3 miles from Portage, IN, or about 1h 53m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 40.3 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 80 miles or 1h 48m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 84.3 miles or 1h 53m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 10m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Dunkirk, IN than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Portage, IN 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 Portage, IN
This is one driving day of about 168.5 miles and 3h 56m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Portage, IN.
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 East Morthland Drive for about 40.3 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 84.3 mi from Portage, IN · 1h 53m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
84 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 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 84.3 miles from Portage, IN, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Dunkirk, IN
The final approach into Dunkirk, IN 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 Dunkirk, IN.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$26.34 one way
$52.69 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
59 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $28.92 | $57.85 |
| premium | $4.89 | $32.43 | $64.85 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $37.20 | $74.41 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$26
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$51–$76
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 59 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $18 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 50.6 | 0 | $17.69 | $8.09 |
| Efficient EV | 42.1 | 0 | $14.74 | $6.74 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 67.4 | 0 | $23.59 | $10.78 |
Gas CO2
59 kg
EV CO2
20 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.
Destination
Dunkirk, IN
Night in Dunkirk on Tuesday
Local time
11:17 PM
EDT
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
1 hour later
The destination clock does not match departure time, so double-check hotel check-in windows and late arrival plans.
Temperature spread
8 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
3h 56m 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 Portage, IN to Dunkirk, IN covers 168.5 miles and takes about 3h 56m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are East Morthland Drive, US 31, South Wabash Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 84.3 miles from Portage, IN. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $26.34 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. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 168.5 miles you will encounter 20 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 0.6 miles (Airport Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 15.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 56.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
The route from Portage, IN to Dunkirk, IN does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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