How far is Evanston, IL from Clifton, IL?

The driving distance from Evanston, IL to Clifton, IL is about 86.5 miles (139.2 km), with a travel time of about 01h 51m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 77.4 miles (124.6 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 03h 43m 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
86.48 mi
01h 51m
Flight
77.45 mi
124.64 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Evanston.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
77.45 mi
Kilometers
124.64 km
Flight Time
00h 09m

Driving Distance

Road route
86.48 mi
Kilometers
139.17 km
Drive Time
01h 51m

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 01h 51m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Clifton
Thu, Apr 23, 4:52 AM CDT
Return by in Evanston
Thu, Apr 23, 6:44 AM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Evanston
2026-04-23T03:00
Arrive Clifton
Thu, Apr 23, 4:52 AM CDT
Route Timing
01h 51m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
8:00 AM to 10:00 AM CDT
Aim for a morning departure
Arrive between
9:52 AM to 11:52 AM CDT

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

Leave by
2:46 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 03h 00m at the destination.
Back in Evanston
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
Richton Park
IL

Village in United States of America

From Evanston
43.2 mi
00h 55m
To Clifton
43.2 mi
00h 55m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
76°F
Thursday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Thu, Apr 23 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
5 to 15 mph S
Destination
82°F
Thursday

Sunny

Starts
Thu, Apr 23 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
10 to 20 mph S

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Evanston and Clifton.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Evanston and Clifton.

  1. 1

    Start on the route

    60 m · 22 sec

  2. 2

    At the end of the road, turn left

    43 m · 16 sec

  3. 3

    At the end of the road, turn left onto Dempster Street

    65 m · 15 sec · Dempster Street

  4. 4

    Turn left onto Asbury Avenue

    1.5 mi · 3 min · Asbury Avenue

  5. 5

    Continue on North Western Avenue

    5.5 mi · 11 min · North Western Avenue

  6. 6

    Turn left onto North Clybourn Avenue

    1.2 km · 1 min · North Clybourn Avenue

  7. 7

    Turn right onto North Damen Avenue

    1.2 km · 2 min · North Damen Avenue

  8. 8

    Turn left onto West Webster Avenue

    42 m · 3 sec · West Webster Avenue

  9. 9

    Take the ramp slight right toward I 90 East, I 94 East

    1008 ft · 27 sec

  10. 10

    Merge slight left onto Kennedy Expressway

    3.6 mi · 5 min · Kennedy Expressway

  11. 11

    Continue on Dan Ryan Expressway

    2.4 mi · 3 min · Dan Ryan Expressway

  12. 12

    Keep slight left to continue on Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)

    8.8 mi · 12 min · Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)

  13. 13

    Keep slight right to continue on I 57 South: Memphis

    61.8 mi · 1 hr 11 min

  14. 14

    Take the exit slight right toward Clifton

    1369 ft · 50 sec

  15. 15

    Turn left onto East 2900 North Road

    1307 ft · 28 sec · East 2900 North Road

  16. 16

    At the end of the road, turn right onto South Main Street

    2460 ft · 49 sec · South Main Street

  17. 17

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · South Main Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Evanston and Clifton.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Highway-focused drive

Most of the mileage stays on named highways, so the important moments are ramps, exits, merges, and the final local approach.

Directions
17 steps
8 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
3
1 merges, 2 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
19.7 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
I 57 South
62.1 mi · 72%
Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)
8.83 mi · 10%
North Western Avenue
5.53 mi · 6%
Kennedy Expressway
3.57 mi · 4%
Dan Ryan Expressway
2.42 mi · 3%
Asbury Avenue
1.51 mi · 2%
Longest Stretch

I 57 South

Keep slight right to continue on I 57 South: Memphis

61.8 mi · 01h 11m

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
01h 51m
Day trip friendly
Same-Day Return
03h 44m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+9.1 mi
77.4 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Richton Park
00h 55m from Evanston
Leave By
2:46 PM CDT
Morning start is best
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny leaving Evanston and Sunny near Clifton.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Evanston to Clifton?

The road trip is about 86.5 miles (139.2 km) and usually takes 01h 51m 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?

Richton Park is a useful midpoint, sitting about 43.2 miles from Evanston and 43.2 miles from Clifton.

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

The direct path is about 77.4 miles (124.6 km), while the road route adds roughly 9.1 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 2:46 PM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $11.50 one way or $23.00 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 27.1 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Sunny around Evanston and Sunny near Clifton.

Stop Ideas Near Richton Park

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

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

RAIL

Homewood

9 mi away
18015 Park Ave.
RAIL

Dyer station

16 mi away
913 Sheffield Avenue
RAIL

Hammond–Whiting station

28 mi away
1135 South Calumet Ave.
RAIL

Joliet Transportation Center

32 mi away
50 East Jefferson Street

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Evanston and Clifton. Straight-line distance: 77.45 mi (124.64 km).

Evanston

#1 Evanston

A city in Cook County, Illinois.

Population72,683
Coordinates42.0411400, -87.6900600
Altitude187
CountryUnited States
Photo coming soon

#2 Clifton

Village in Chebanse Township, Iroquois County, Illinois, USA

Population1,297
Coordinates40.9353100, -87.9344900
Altitude204
CountryUnited States
Start: Evanston (-87.69006, 42.04114)
End: Clifton (-87.93449, 40.93531)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 139 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)02h 52m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)02h 09m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)01h 43m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)01h 26m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)01h 14m
80 mph (129 km/h)01h 04m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
3.05 gal
11.55 L · about $11.50
Round trip
$23.00
6.1 gal · 23.1 L
Estimated CO2
27.1 kg one way
Round trip: 54.2 kg / 119 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $11.50 $23.00
Mid-grade $4.25 $12.97 $25.94
Premium $4.65 $14.19 $28.39
Diesel $5.30 $16.18 $32.35

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 23, 2026

There is no time difference between Evanston and Clifton. The current time is 03:00:42.

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.