Origin
Prairie Grove, IL
Morning in Prairie Grove on Saturday
Local time
8:44 AM
CDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Prairie Grove, IL to Aurora, IL
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 9m
Distance
40.2 mi
65 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 4m
★
6 AM
1h 10m
8 AM
1h 21m
10 AM
1h 14m
12 PM
1h 13m
3 PM
1h 14m
5 PM
1h 21m
8 PM
1h 7m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Prairie Grove, IL
Andrew Patrick Photo
Aurora, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Prairie Grove, IL to Aurora, IL covers 40.2 miles and takes about 1h 9m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on West State Road, James R Rakow Road, North Randall Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $6.28 one way before food or hotel costs.
About the Cities
Arriving in Aurora, IL
Full guide →Aurora is the second-largest city in the U.S. state of Illinois, located about 35 miles west of Chicago. It's at the very edge of Chicagoland and, situated on the Fox River, has many opportunities for urban, suburban, and rural recreation. Often overlooked, Aurora in fact has many surprisingly interesting attractions and a downtown unlike that of a typical suburb. It is probably best known for being the setting of the "Wayne's World" movies.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 9m. Total distance: 40.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 9m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 1h 9m drive with frequent turns across 40.2 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 15 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
West State Road is one of the defining roads on this drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive.
Driving Effort
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Prairie Grove, IL to Aurora, IL is easy. At 1h 9m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Prairie Grove, IL to Aurora, IL is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| West State Road | — | — |
| James R Rakow Road | — | — |
| North Randall Road | — | — |
| South Randall Road | — | — |
| Randall Road | — | — |
| West Illinois Avenue | — | — |
| North Highland Avenue | — | — |
| West Galena Boulevard | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
West State Road
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Prairie Grove, IL and Aurora, IL.
1
Start on Barreville Road
1.5 mi
·
4 min
·
Barreville Road
2
At the end of the road, turn right onto West State Road
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
West State Road
3
Turn left
2.6 mi
·
4 min
4
Continue straight
0.2 mi
·
45 sec
5
Turn straight onto James R Rakow Road
2.4 mi
·
3 min
·
James R Rakow Road
6
Continue on North Randall Road
2.2 mi
·
3 min
·
North Randall Road
7
Continue on South Randall Road
18 mi
·
28 min
·
South Randall Road
8
Keep slight left to continue on North Randall Road
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
North Randall Road
9
Continue on Randall Road
2.6 mi
·
4 min
·
Randall Road
10
Continue on North Randall Road
3.3 mi
·
5 min
·
North Randall Road
11
Continue on Randall Road
3.4 mi
·
7 min
·
Randall Road
12
Turn left onto West Illinois Avenue
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
West Illinois Avenue
13
Turn right onto North Highland Avenue
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
North Highland Avenue
14
Turn left onto West Galena Boulevard
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
West Galena Boulevard
15
Arrive at your destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 20.1 mi from Prairie Grove, IL · 35m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
20 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 40 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 20.1 miles from Prairie Grove, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Aurora, IL
The final approach into Aurora, 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
$6.28 one way
$12.57 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
14 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $6.90 | $13.80 |
| premium | $4.89 | $7.74 | $15.47 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.88 | $17.75 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.1 | 0 | $4.22 | $1.93 |
| Efficient EV | 10.1 | 0 | $3.52 | $1.61 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 16.1 | 0 | $5.63 | $2.57 |
Gas CO2
14 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (64% 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
Aurora, IL
Morning in Aurora on Saturday
Local time
8:44 AM
CDT
Current temp
51°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
17 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 9m 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 Prairie Grove, IL to Aurora, IL covers 40.2 miles and takes about 1h 9m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are West State Road, James R Rakow Road, North Randall Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 20.1 miles from Prairie Grove, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $6.28 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.
The drive from Prairie Grove, IL to Aurora, IL is easy. At 1h 9m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Prairie Grove, IL to Aurora, IL is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Prairie Grove, IL to Aurora, IL does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Aurora, IL
More from Prairie Grove, IL
More trips to Aurora, IL
Explore more options from Prairie Grove, IL or browse trips ending in Aurora, IL.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse IL road trips.