How far is Evanston, IL from Island Lake, IL?

The driving distance from Evanston, IL to Island Lake, IL is about 36.2 miles (58.3 km), with a travel time of about 00h 59m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 30.4 miles (48.9 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 58m 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
36.21 mi
00h 59m
Flight
30.41 mi
48.94 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
30.41 mi
Kilometers
48.94 km
Flight Time
00h 03m

Driving Distance

Road route
36.21 mi
Kilometers
58.27 km
Drive Time
00h 59m

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 59m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Island Lake
Thu, Oct 15, 9:15 PM CDT
Return by in Evanston
Thu, Oct 15, 10:14 PM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Evanston
2026-10-15T20:16
Arrive Island Lake
Thu, Oct 15, 9:15 PM CDT
Route Timing
00h 59m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
8:00 AM to 10:00 AM CDT
Aim for a morning departure
Arrive between
8:59 AM to 10:59 AM CDT

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

Leave by
4:32 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
Bannockburn
IL

Village in West Deerfield and Vernon townships of Lake County, Illinois, United States

From Evanston
18.1 mi
00h 29m
To Island Lake
18.1 mi
00h 29m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
63°F
This Afternoon

Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Thu, Oct 15 2:00 PM CDT
Wind
10 mph SE
Destination
60°F
This Afternoon

Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Thu, Oct 15 1:00 PM CDT
Wind
5 to 10 mph ESE

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Evanston and Island Lake.

  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 · 11 sec · Dempster Street

  4. 4

    Turn right onto Asbury Avenue

    1.4 km · 2 min · Asbury Avenue

  5. 5

    Turn left onto Green Bay Road

    1.4 km · 2 min · Green Bay Road

  6. 6

    Turn left onto Central Street

    1.5 mi · 3 min · Central Street

  7. 7

    Turn right onto Crawford Avenue

    3078 ft · 1 min · Crawford Avenue

  8. 8

    Turn left onto Wilmette Avenue

    27 m · 2 sec · Wilmette Avenue

  9. 9

    Keep slight left to continue on Glenview Road

    1.2 km · 1 min · Glenview Road

  10. 10

    Turn right onto Skokie Boulevard

    1.2 mi · 2 min · Skokie Boulevard

  11. 11

    Take the ramp straight toward I 94 West

    1251 ft · 31 sec

  12. 12

    Merge slight left onto Edens Expressway

    4 mi · 5 min · Edens Expressway

  13. 13

    Keep slight right to continue on Edens Spur

    5.3 mi · 6 min · Edens Spur

  14. 14

    Merge slight left onto Tri-State Tollway

    2.6 mi · 3 min · Tri-State Tollway

  15. 15

    Take the exit slight right toward IL 22: Half Day Road

    1716 ft · 44 sec

  16. 16

    Turn left onto Half Day Road

    6.8 mi · 12 min · Half Day Road

  17. 17

    Turn right onto Old McHenry Road

    5.8 mi · 10 min · Old McHenry Road

  18. 18

    Turn right onto North Rand Road

    2.4 mi · 3 min · North Rand Road

  19. 19

    Take the exit slight right toward IL 176

    711 ft · 23 sec

  20. 20

    Turn left onto West Liberty Street

    2811 ft · 1 min · West Liberty Street

  21. 21

    Continue on East State Road

    1.7 mi · 3 min · East State Road

  22. 22

    Turn right onto Greenleaf Avenue

    2157 ft · 2 min · Greenleaf Avenue

  23. 23

    Turn left onto Rose Avenue

    63 m · 9 sec · Rose Avenue

  24. 24

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Rose Avenue

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Evanston 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
24 steps
14 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
5
2 merges, 3 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
66.3 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Half Day Road
6.84 mi · 19%
Old McHenry Road
5.83 mi · 16%
Edens Spur
5.31 mi · 15%
Edens Expressway
3.97 mi · 11%
Tri-State Tollway
2.55 mi · 7%
North Rand Road
2.45 mi · 7%
Longest Stretch

Half Day Road

Turn left onto Half Day Road

6.84 mi · 00h 12m

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
00h 59m
Day trip friendly
Same-Day Return
01h 58m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+5.8 mi
30.4 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Bannockburn
00h 29m from Evanston
Leave By
4:32 PM CDT
Morning start is best
Weather Watch

Showers And Thunderstorms leaving Evanston and Showers And Thunderstorms near Island Lake.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Evanston to Island Lake?

The road trip is about 36.2 miles (58.3 km) and usually takes 00h 59m 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?

Bannockburn is a useful midpoint, sitting about 18.1 miles from Evanston and 18.1 miles from Island Lake.

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

The direct path is about 30.4 miles (48.9 km), while the road route adds roughly 5.8 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 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM CDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 4:32 PM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $5.97 one way or $11.94 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 11.4 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Showers And Thunderstorms around Evanston and Showers And Thunderstorms near Island Lake.

Stop Ideas Near Bannockburn

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

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

RAIL

Glenview station

14 mi away
1116 Depot St.
RAIL

Chicago Union Station

40 mi away
225 South Canal Street
RAIL

La Grange Road

42 mi away
25 West Burlington St.
RAIL

Summit

45 mi away
Archer Ave. and South Center Ave.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Evanston and Island Lake. Straight-line distance: 30.41 mi (48.94 km).

Evanston

#1 Evanston

A city in Cook County, Illinois.

Population72,683
Coordinates42.0411400, -87.6900600
Altitude187
CountryUnited States
Island Lake

#2 Island Lake

City in Illinois, United States of America

Population7,951
Coordinates42.2761300, -88.1920300
Altitude238
CountryUnited States
Start: Evanston (-87.69006, 42.04114)
End: Island Lake (-88.19203, 42.27613)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 58 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)01h 12m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 54m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 43m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 36m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 31m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 27m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
1.28 gal
4.84 L · about $5.97
Round trip
$11.94
2.56 gal · 9.68 L
Estimated CO2
11.4 kg one way
Round trip: 22.8 kg / 50 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $4.67 $5.97 $11.94
Mid-grade $5.29 $6.77 $13.55
Premium $5.84 $7.47 $14.94
Diesel $6.57 $8.41 $16.82

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 · Oct 15, 2026

There is no time difference between Evanston and Island Lake. The current time is 20:16:07.

Distance to Other Cities

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