Origin
Prairie Grove, IL
Afternoon in Prairie Grove on Saturday
Local time
1:00 PM
CDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Prairie Grove, IL to Joliet, IL
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 38m
Distance
68.9 mi
111 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$11
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 31m
★
6 AM
1h 39m
8 AM
1h 54m
10 AM
1h 44m
12 PM
1h 42m
3 PM
1h 45m
5 PM
1h 53m
8 PM
1h 34m
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
Joliet, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Prairie Grove, IL to Joliet, IL covers 68.9 miles and takes about 1h 38m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Nish Road, West State Road, West Liberty Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly surface roads. At current regular gas prices, budget about $10.77 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.
Midpoint
34.5 miles from Prairie Grove, IL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 49m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Nish Road | — | — |
| West State Road | — | — |
| West Liberty Street | — | — |
| South Rand Road | — | — |
| North Rand Road | — | — |
| IL 53 South | — | — |
| I 290 East | — | — |
| I 355 South | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
Nish Road
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Prairie Grove, IL and Joliet, IL.
1
Start on Barreville Road
0.2 mi
·
46 sec
·
Barreville Road
2
Turn left onto Nish Road
1.8 mi
·
4 min
·
Nish Road
3
Turn left onto West State Road
4.1 mi
·
7 min
·
West State Road
4
Continue on West Liberty Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
West Liberty Street
5
Take the ramp right
0.3 mi
·
47 sec
6
Merge slight left onto South Rand Road
10 mi
·
13 min
·
South Rand Road
7
Continue on North Rand Road
2.4 mi
·
3 min
·
North Rand Road
8
Take the ramp right toward IL 53 South
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
·
IL 53 South
9
Merge slight left
4.4 mi
·
5 min
10
Keep slight left to continue on I 290 East: Chicago, Biesterfield Road
7.0 mi
·
9 min
·
I 290 East: Chicago, Biesterfield Road
11
Keep slight left to continue on I 355 South Tollway: Joliet
31 mi
·
37 min
·
I 355 South Tollway: Joliet
12
Take the exit slight right toward US 6: Southwest Highway
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
·
US 6: Southwest Highway
13
Turn right onto Maple Road
5.7 mi
·
11 min
·
Maple Road
14
Turn left onto North Ottawa Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
North Ottawa Street
15
Turn right
112 ft
·
8 sec
16
Arrive at your 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 34.5 miles from Prairie Grove, IL, or about 49m into the drive.
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 15 miles or 21m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 34.5 miles or 49m 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 23m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Joliet, IL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Prairie Grove, IL so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Prairie Grove, IL
This is one driving day of about 68.9 miles and 1h 38m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 15 miles from Prairie Grove, IL.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
34 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 15 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 34.5 miles from Prairie Grove, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.77 one way
$21.54 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
24 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $11.83 | $23.65 |
| premium | $4.89 | $13.26 | $26.52 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $15.21 | $30.42 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$11
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$36–$61
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 24.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 20.7 | 0 | $7.23 | $3.31 |
| Efficient EV | 17.2 | 0 | $6.03 | $2.76 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 27.6 | 0 | $9.65 | $4.41 |
Gas CO2
24 kg
EV CO2
8 kg (67% 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
Joliet, IL
Afternoon in Joliet on Saturday
Local time
1:00 PM
CDT
Current temp
69°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
1 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 38m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
68.9 mi in 1h 38m across surface roads — expect steady turns and local traffic rather than long highway runs.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Main road: Nish Road.
How Hard Is This Drive?
1/10
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 Joliet, IL is easy. At 1h 38m 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 Joliet, IL is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
About the Cities
Arriving in Joliet, IL
Full guide →Founded 1833
Joliet is a city in the Chicagoland region of Illinois, a state in the Midwest of the United States of America. It is the largest city and county seat of Will County.
Top landmarks
- • Joliet Union Station — former train station in the United States
- • Christ Episcopal Church — church building in Joliet, Illinois, United States of America
- • Joliet Central High School — public school in Joliet, Illinois
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 38m. Total distance: 68.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 38m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Prairie Grove, IL to Joliet, IL is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Joliet, IL before heading back.
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.
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