How far is Des Plaines, IL from Island Lake, IL?

The driving distance from Des Plaines, IL to Island Lake, IL is about 24.9 miles (40.1 km), with a travel time of about 00h 40m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 23.1 miles (37.1 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 21m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM CDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This is an easy same-day return drive. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
24.9 mi
00h 40m
Flight
23.05 mi
37.09 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Des Plaines.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
23.05 mi
Kilometers
37.09 km
Flight Time
00h 02m

Driving Distance

Road route
24.9 mi
Kilometers
40.07 km
Drive Time
00h 40m

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 00h 40m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Island Lake
Wed, Apr 15, 5:37 AM CDT
Return by in Des Plaines
Wed, Apr 15, 6:18 AM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Des Plaines
2026-04-15T04:56
Arrive Island Lake
Wed, Apr 15, 5:37 AM CDT
Route Timing
00h 40m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM CDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:41 AM to 7:41 PM CDT

This is a short drive, so your comfort window is wide. Traffic and current weather matter more than the clock.

Leave by
7:08 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Des Plaines
10:00 PM CDT
Flexible departure

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
Kildeer
IL

City in Illinois, United States of America

From Des Plaines
12.4 mi
00h 20m
To Island Lake
12.5 mi
00h 20m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
63°F
Wednesday

Showers And Thunderstorms Likely

Starts
Wed, Apr 15 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
15 mph S
Destination
71°F
Wednesday

Showers And Thunderstorms Likely

Starts
Wed, Apr 15 1:00 AM CDT
Wind
15 to 20 mph SW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Des Plaines and Island Lake.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Des Plaines and Island Lake.

  1. 1

    Start on Henry Avenue

    557 ft · 31 sec · Henry Avenue

  2. 2

    Turn left onto South Des Plaines River Road

    1.6 km · 2 min · South Des Plaines River Road

  3. 3

    Turn left onto Rand Road

    2.2 mi · 3 min · Rand Road

  4. 4

    Continue on East Rand Road

    18.8 mi · 29 min · East Rand Road

  5. 5

    Take the exit slight right toward IL 176

    711 ft · 23 sec

  6. 6

    Turn left onto West Liberty Street

    2811 ft · 1 min · West Liberty Street

  7. 7

    Continue on East State Road

    1.7 mi · 3 min · East State Road

  8. 8

    Turn right onto Greenleaf Avenue

    2157 ft · 2 min · Greenleaf Avenue

  9. 9

    Turn left onto Rose Avenue

    63 m · 9 sec · Rose Avenue

  10. 10

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Rose Avenue

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Des Plaines and Island Lake.

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
10 steps
5 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
1
0 merges, 1 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
40.2 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
East Rand Road
18.8 mi · 76%
Rand Road
2.2 mi · 9%
East State Road
1.66 mi · 7%
South Des Plaines River Road
0.99 mi · 4%
West Liberty Street
0.53 mi · 2%
Greenleaf Avenue
0.41 mi · 2%
Longest Stretch

East Rand Road

Continue on East Rand Road

18.8 mi · 00h 29m

Route Summary

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

Trip Read

A short regional drive

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

Drive Time
00h 40m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
01h 22m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+1.8 mi
23.1 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Kildeer
00h 20m from Des Plaines
Leave By
7:08 PM CDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Showers And Thunderstorms Likely leaving Des Plaines and Showers And Thunderstorms Likely near Island Lake.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Des Plaines to Island Lake?

The road trip is about 24.9 miles (40.1 km) and usually takes 00h 40m in normal driving conditions.

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

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Kildeer is a useful midpoint, sitting about 12.4 miles from Des Plaines and 12.5 miles from Island Lake.

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

The direct path is about 23.1 miles (37.1 km), while the road route adds roughly 1.8 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 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM CDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 7:08 PM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $3.32 one way or $6.64 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 7.8 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Showers And Thunderstorms Likely around Des Plaines and Showers And Thunderstorms Likely near Island Lake.

Stop Ideas Near Kildeer

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

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Kildeer, 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 Kildeer.

RAIL

Glenview station

23 mi away
1116 Depot St.
RAIL

La Grange Road

42 mi away
25 West Burlington St.
RAIL

Naperville

44 mi away
105 E. Fourth Ave.
RAIL

Summit

46 mi away
Archer Ave. and South Center Ave.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Des Plaines and Island Lake. Straight-line distance: 23.05 mi (37.09 km).

Des Plaines

#1 Des Plaines

The most populous city in Cook County, Illinois.

Population58,179
Coordinates42.0333600, -87.8834000
Altitude193
CountryUnited States
Island Lake

#2 Island Lake

City in Illinois, United States of America

Population7,951
Coordinates42.2761300, -88.1920300
Altitude238
CountryUnited States
Start: Des Plaines (-87.8834, 42.03336)
End: Island Lake (-88.19203, 42.27613)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 40 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 49m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 37m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 29m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 24m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 21m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 18m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.88 gal
3.33 L · about $3.32
Round trip
$6.64
1.76 gal · 6.66 L
Estimated CO2
7.8 kg one way
Round trip: 15.6 kg / 34 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $3.32 $6.64
Mid-grade $4.25 $3.74 $7.49
Premium $4.65 $4.10 $8.19
Diesel $5.30 $4.67 $9.34

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 15, 2026

There is no time difference between Des Plaines and Island Lake. The current time is 04:56:39.

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.