How far is Aurora, IL from Lake of the Woods, IL?

The driving distance from Aurora, IL to Lake of the Woods, IL is about 116.6 miles (187.7 km), with a travel time of about 02h 50m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 107.4 miles (172.9 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 05h 41m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM CDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This route works well as a day trip with time at the destination. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
116.6 mi
02h 50m
Flight
107.41 mi
172.86 km direct

This route works well as a day trip with time at the destination.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Aurora.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
107.41 mi
Kilometers
172.86 km
Flight Time
00h 12m

Driving Distance

Road route
116.6 mi
Kilometers
187.65 km
Drive Time
02h 50m

Gas Cost Calculator

Leave and Arrive Planner

Pick a departure time to see your estimated arrival and same-day return window.

Drive time stays fixed at 02h 50m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Lake of the Woods
Sat, Apr 18, 1:12 AM CDT
Return by in Aurora
Sat, Apr 18, 4:03 AM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Aurora
2026-04-17T22:21
Arrive Lake of the Woods
Sat, Apr 18, 1:12 AM CDT
Route Timing
02h 50m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
8:00 AM to 10:00 AM CDT
Aim for a morning departure
Arrive between
10:51 AM to 12:51 PM CDT

A morning start gives you useful time at the destination and keeps the return out of the late evening.

Leave by
12:48 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 03h 00m at the destination.
Back in Aurora
9:30 PM CDT
Morning start is best

You are leaving earlier than the recommended window, which gives you extra margin for breaks and traffic.

Halfway Point

A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.

Mid-route stop
Emington
IL

Village in the United States

From Aurora
58.3 mi
01h 25m
To Lake of the Woods
58.2 mi
01h 25m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
79°F
Friday

Partly Sunny

Starts
Fri, Apr 17 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
5 to 15 mph SSE
Destination
83°F
Friday

Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Fri, Apr 17 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
6 to 18 mph S

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Aurora and Lake of the Woods.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Aurora and Lake of the Woods.

  1. 1

    Start on West Galena Boulevard

    575 ft · 15 sec · West Galena Boulevard

  2. 2

    Turn right onto South Lake Street

    5.9 mi · 10 min · South Lake Street

  3. 3

    Continue straight

    1.2 mi · 2 min

  4. 4

    Turn left onto Orchard Road

    1.2 km · 1 min · Orchard Road

  5. 5

    Continue on Minkler Road

    1.5 km · 2 min · Minkler Road

  6. 6

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 1 toward Minkler Road

    39 m · 4 sec · Minkler Road

  7. 7

    Exit the roundabout onto Minkler Road

    3.4 mi · 5 min · Minkler Road

  8. 8

    At the end of the road, turn right onto East Schoolhouse Road

    2391 ft · 47 sec · East Schoolhouse Road

  9. 9

    Turn left onto Ashley Road

    3.8 mi · 5 min · Ashley Road

  10. 10

    Turn right onto Caton Farm Road

    1.5 mi · 2 min · Caton Farm Road

  11. 11

    Turn left

    7.2 mi · 10 min

  12. 12

    Continue on North Bridge Street

    1.3 mi · 2 min · North Bridge Street

  13. 13

    Continue straight

    23.7 mi · 28 min

  14. 14

    Turn left onto North Union Street

    1.3 mi · 2 min · North Union Street

  15. 15

    Continue on North 2700 East Road

    22.1 mi · 35 min · North 2700 East Road

  16. 16

    Continue on North Center Street

    1.2 mi · 3 min · North Center Street

  17. 17

    Continue on North 2700 East Road

    6.7 mi · 9 min · North 2700 East Road

  18. 18

    Continue on North 2750 East Road

    1.2 km · 1 min · North 2750 East Road

  19. 19

    Continue on North 2775 East Road

    1.1 mi · 1 min · North 2775 East Road

  20. 20

    Continue on North 2790 East Road

    2355 ft · 37 sec · North 2790 East Road

  21. 21

    Continue on North 385 East Road

    2078 ft · 32 sec · North 385 East Road

  22. 22

    Continue on North 390 East Road

    10.8 mi · 16 min · North 390 East Road

  23. 23

    Turn left onto West 1st Street

    2642 ft · 1 min · West 1st Street

  24. 24

    Turn right onto South Sangamon Avenue

    2297 ft · 47 sec · South Sangamon Avenue

  25. 25

    Continue on North 450E Road

    117 m · 7 sec · North 450E Road

  26. 26

    Continue on North 450 East Road

    3.5 mi · 5 min · North 450 East Road

  27. 27

    Continue on County Road 450 East

    2.1 mi · 3 min · County Road 450 East

  28. 28

    Continue on County Road 400 East

    7.5 mi · 10 min · County Road 400 East

  29. 29

    Continue on County Road 350 East

    4.5 mi · 7 min · County Road 350 East

  30. 30

    Continue on County Road 400 East

    1157 ft · 28 sec · County Road 400 East

  31. 31

    Continue on North Lombard Street

    2649 ft · 1 min · North Lombard Street

  32. 32

    At the end of the road, turn left onto East Oak Street

    2380 ft · 56 sec · East Oak Street

  33. 33

    Turn left onto South Lake of the Woods Road

    1.8 mi · 4 min · South Lake of the Woods Road

  34. 34

    Turn right

    92 m · 24 sec

  35. 35

    Turn left

    42 m · 10 sec

  36. 36

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Aurora and Lake of the Woods.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Turn-heavy local drive

The route has frequent decision points for its length, so lane choice and turn timing will matter more than cruising speed.

Directions
36 steps
15 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
2
0 merges, 2 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
30.9 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
North 2700 East Road
28.7 mi · 25%
North Bridge Street
25 mi · 21%
North 390 East Road
10.8 mi · 9%
County Road 400 East
7.75 mi · 7%
South Lake Street
7.08 mi · 6%
County Road 350 East
4.45 mi · 4%
Longest Stretch

North Bridge Street

Continue straight

23.7 mi · 00h 28m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

A comfortable day-trip route

This route works well as a day trip. You can leave in the morning, spend meaningful time at the destination, and still return the same day.

Drive Time
02h 50m
Day trip friendly
Same-Day Return
05h 42m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+9.2 mi
107.4 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Emington
01h 25m from Aurora
Leave By
12:48 PM CDT
Morning start is best
Weather Watch

Partly Sunny leaving Aurora and Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near Lake of the Woods.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Aurora to Lake of the Woods?

The road trip is about 116.6 miles (187.7 km) and usually takes 02h 50m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This route works well as a day trip. You can leave in the morning, spend meaningful time at the destination, and still return the same day.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Emington is a useful midpoint, sitting about 58.3 miles from Aurora and 58.2 miles from Lake of the Woods.

How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?

The direct path is about 107.4 miles (172.9 km), while the road route adds roughly 9.2 extra miles because roads do not follow the straight air line.

When is the best time to leave for this route?

A good departure window is usually 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM CDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 12:48 PM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $15.50 one way or $31.00 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 36.5 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Partly Sunny around Aurora and Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near Lake of the Woods.

Stop Ideas Near Emington

Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Emington, so nearby transit and meeting points are shown instead.
Reviewed stop coverage is still thin around this midpoint, so practical transit waypoints are shown on the right.

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Emington.

RAIL

Dwight station

15 mi away
119 West Main St.
RAIL

Pontiac station

25 mi away
721 West Washington St.
RAIL

Gilman

38 mi away
US Hwy 24 & West Wenona St.
RAIL

Kankakee

45 mi away
199 South East Ave.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Aurora and Lake of the Woods. Straight-line distance: 107.41 mi (172.86 km).

Aurora

#1 Aurora

The second most populous city in Illinois.

Population196,383
Coordinates41.7605800, -88.3200700
Altitude207
CountryUnited States
Photo coming soon

#2 Lake of the Woods

Census designated place in Illinois, United States

Population2,912
Coordinates40.2064200, -88.3686700
Altitude228
CountryUnited States
Start: Aurora (-88.32007, 41.76058)
End: Lake of the Woods (-88.36867, 40.20642)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 188 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)03h 53m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)02h 54m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)02h 19m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)01h 56m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)01h 39m
80 mph (129 km/h)01h 27m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
4.11 gal
15.57 L · about $15.50
Round trip
$31.00
8.22 gal · 31.14 L
Estimated CO2
36.5 kg one way
Round trip: 73.1 kg / 161 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $15.50 $31.00
Mid-grade $4.25 $17.48 $34.96
Premium $4.65 $19.13 $38.26
Diesel $5.30 $21.80 $43.60

Assumes 8.3 L/100 km (about 28.3 MPG). CO2 is an estimate and varies by vehicle, fuel blend, traffic, and terrain.

Prices in Illinois · Apr 18, 2026

There is no time difference between Aurora and Lake of the Woods. The current time is 22:21:43.

Distance to Other Cities

Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.