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Trip from Rockford, IL to Clarendon Hills, IL

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 44m

Distance

79.5 mi

128 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$12

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 23 min
4 AM
1h 37m ★
6 AM
1h 45m
8 AM
2h 0m
10 AM
1h 50m
12 PM
1h 48m
3 PM
1h 51m
5 PM
1h 59m
8 PM
1h 40m

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

Downtown Rockford, IL, IL

Rockford, IL

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Clarendon Hills, IL, IL

Clarendon Hills, IL

Mike Tyurin

Trip Overview

The drive from Rockford, IL to Clarendon Hills, IL covers 79.5 miles and takes about 1h 44m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on South Alpine Road, Charles Street, South Mall Drive for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $11.80 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

39.7 miles from Rockford, IL

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 52m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 44m. Total distance: 79.5 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 44m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.

Scenic Drive

Turn-heavy local drive route profile.

Drive Character

Expect a 1h 44m drive with frequent turns across 79.5 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 28 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
South Alpine 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 Rockford, IL to Clarendon Hills, IL is easy. At 1h 44m 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 Rockford, IL to Clarendon Hills, IL is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
South Alpine Road
Charles Street
South Mall Drive
Harrison Avenue
I 90 East
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
I 290
I 290 East

Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.

Longest stretch: South Alpine Road — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Rockford, IL and Clarendon Hills, IL.

1

Start on West State Street

3.4 mi · 6 min · West State Street
2

Turn right onto South Alpine Road

0.9 mi · 1 min · South Alpine Road
3

Continue on South Alpine Road

358 ft · 14 sec · South Alpine Road
4

Turn right

85 ft · 4 sec
5

Turn right onto Charles Street

2.8 mi · 5 min · Charles Street
6

Turn right onto South Mall Drive

387 ft · 19 sec · South Mall Drive
7

Turn left onto Harrison Avenue

0.6 mi · 1 min · Harrison Avenue
8

Take the ramp slight left

0.2 mi · 30 sec
9

Merge slight left

0.2 mi · 11 sec
10

Take the exit slight right toward I 90 East: Chicago

0.5 mi · 1 min · I 90 East: Chicago
11

Merge slight left onto Jane Addams Memorial Tollway

20 mi · 21 min · Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
12

Keep slight left to continue on Jane Addams Memorial Tollway

30 mi · 31 min · Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
13

Take the exit slight right toward I 290, IL 53: Chicago, West Suburbs

0.5 mi · 1 min · I 290, IL 53: Chicago, West Suburbs
14

Keep slight right to continue on I 290 East, IL 53 South: Chicago, West Suburbs

0.3 mi · 41 sec · I 290 East, IL 53 South: Chicago, West Suburbs
15

Continue on I 290 East, IL 53 South: Chicago, West Suburbs

0.3 mi · 33 sec · I 290 East, IL 53 South: Chicago, West Suburbs
16

Merge slight left

5.7 mi · 7 min
17

Keep slight right to continue on I 290 East: Chicago

4.5 mi · 5 min · I 290 East: Chicago
18

Take the exit slight right toward IL 83 South: Kingery Highway

0.4 mi · 56 sec · IL 83 South: Kingery Highway
19

Keep slight left

0.4 mi · 1 min
20

Merge slight left onto Robert Kingery Highway

0.8 mi · 1 min · Robert Kingery Highway
21

Continue on Kingery Highway

6.4 mi · 10 min · Kingery Highway
22

Take the exit slight right toward US 34: Ogden Avenue

0.3 mi · 44 sec · US 34: Ogden Avenue
23

Turn right onto East Ogden Avenue

0.1 mi · 24 sec · East Ogden Avenue
24

Continue on East Ogden Avenue

0.1 mi · 21 sec · East Ogden Avenue
25

Turn right onto Coe Road

0.5 mi · 1 min · Coe Road
26

Turn right onto West Chicago Avenue

0.4 mi · 48 sec · West Chicago Avenue
27

Turn left onto North Prospect Avenue

0.4 mi · 1 min · North Prospect Avenue
28

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 39.7 miles from Rockford, IL, or about 52m 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 17 miles or 22m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 39.7 miles or 52m 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 28m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Rockford, IL so your first major turns are already loaded.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Rockford, IL

This is one driving day of about 79.5 miles and 1h 44m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 17 miles from Rockford, 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.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 39.7 mi from Rockford, IL · 52m into the drive

Downtown Huntley, IL, IL

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Huntley, IL

40 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

Loves Park, IL

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 17 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Huntley, IL

Meal break

The midpoint is around 39.7 miles from Rockford, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Clarendon Hills, IL

The final approach into Clarendon Hills, 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

$11.80 one way

$23.61 round trip

$3.77/gal 25.4 MPG avg 28 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.25 $13.31 $26.62
premium $4.65 $14.57 $29.13
diesel $5.30 $16.60 $33.20

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$12

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$37–$62

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 27.8 kg one way.

Driving Electric?

About $8 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 23.8 0 $8.35 $3.82
Efficient EV 19.9 0 $6.96 $3.18
EV Truck/SUV 31.8 0 $11.13 $5.09

Gas CO2

28 kg

EV CO2

9 kg (68% 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

Rockford, IL

Late night in Rockford on Saturday

Local time

5:15 AM

CDT

Current temp

49°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Clarendon Hills, IL

Late night in Clarendon Hills on Saturday

Local time

5:15 AM

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

20 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 44m 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 Rockford, IL to Clarendon Hills, IL covers 79.5 miles and takes about 1h 44m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are South Alpine Road, Charles Street, South Mall Drive. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 39.7 miles from Rockford, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $11.80 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 Rockford, IL to Clarendon Hills, IL is easy. At 1h 44m 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 Rockford, IL to Clarendon Hills, IL is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

The route from Rockford, IL to Clarendon Hills, 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. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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Explore More

Return Trip

Clarendon Hills, IL to Rockford, IL

Plan the drive back the other way.

80.7 mi 1h 45m

Explore more options from Rockford, IL or browse trips ending in Clarendon Hills, IL.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse IL road trips.