How far is Highland, IN from Portage, IN?

The driving distance from Highland, IN to Portage, IN is about 18.3 miles (29.5 km), with a travel time of about 00h 24m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 14.4 miles (23.1 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 00h 49m 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
18.32 mi
00h 24m
Flight
14.34 mi
23.08 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Highland.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
14.34 mi
Kilometers
23.08 km
Flight Time
00h 01m

Driving Distance

Road route
18.32 mi
Kilometers
29.48 km
Drive Time
00h 24m

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 24m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Portage
Tue, May 12, 6:27 PM CDT
Return by in Highland
Tue, May 12, 6:51 PM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Highland
2026-05-12T18:02
Arrive Portage
Tue, May 12, 6:27 PM CDT
Route Timing
00h 24m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM CDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:25 AM to 7:25 PM CDT

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

Leave by
7:40 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Highland
10:00 PM CDT
Flexible departure

This departure sits inside the recommended comfort window for the route.

Halfway Point

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

Mid-route stop
Gary
IN

The most populous city in Lake County, Indiana.

From Highland
7.8 mi
00h 12m
To Portage
10.6 mi
00h 12m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
78°F
Tuesday

Mostly Cloudy then Rain Likely

Starts
Tue, May 12 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
10 to 20 mph S
Destination
78°F
Tuesday

Patchy Frost then Rain Likely

Starts
Tue, May 12 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
10 to 20 mph S

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Highland and Portage.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Highland and Portage.

  1. 1

    Start on Parrish Avenue

    8 m · 4 sec · Parrish Avenue

  2. 2

    Turn right onto Ridge Road

    1 mi · 2 min · Ridge Road

  3. 3

    Turn left onto Cline Avenue

    1.2 km · 1 min · Cline Avenue

  4. 4

    Take the exit slight right toward I 80, I 94, US 6: Chicago, Detroit

    1289 ft · 22 sec

  5. 5

    Keep slight right to continue on I 80 East, I 94 East, US 6 East: Detroit

    1.6 km · 2 min

  6. 6

    Merge slight left onto Borman Expressway

    5.7 mi · 8 min · Borman Expressway

  7. 7

    Take the exit slight right toward I 65 North: Central Avenue

    1781 ft · 30 sec

  8. 8

    Keep slight left to continue on I 80 East, I 94 East, US 6 East: Detroit, Central Avenue

    3268 ft · 56 sec

  9. 9

    Keep slight right to continue on Central Avenue

    1760 ft · 38 sec

  10. 10

    Turn right onto Central Avenue

    4.3 mi · 9 min · Central Avenue

  11. 11

    Continue on Central Avenue

    1.4 mi · 3 min · Central Avenue

  12. 12

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Central Avenue

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Highland and Portage.

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
12 steps
3 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
3
1 merges, 2 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
65.6 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Central Avenue
6.01 mi · 33%
Borman Expressway
5.67 mi · 31%
I 80 East
1.6 mi · 9%
Ridge Road
1.02 mi · 6%
Cline Avenue
0.72 mi · 4%
I 65 North
0.34 mi · 2%
Longest Stretch

Borman Expressway

Merge slight left onto Borman Expressway

5.67 mi · 00h 08m

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 24m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
00h 50m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+3.9 mi
14.4 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Gary
00h 12m from Highland
Leave By
7:40 PM CDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Mostly Cloudy then Rain Likely leaving Highland and Patchy Frost then Rain Likely near Portage.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Highland to Portage?

The road trip is about 18.3 miles (29.5 km) and usually takes 00h 24m 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?

Gary is a useful midpoint, sitting about 7.8 miles from Highland and 10.6 miles from Portage.

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

The direct path is about 14.4 miles (23.1 km), while the road route adds roughly 3.9 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 7:40 PM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $2.45 one way or $4.90 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 5.8 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Cloudy then Rain Likely around Highland and Patchy Frost then Rain Likely near Portage.

Stop Ideas Near Gary

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

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

BUS

Gary, IN

1 mi away
100 West 4th Avenue
RAIL

Hammond–Whiting station

17 mi away
1135 South Calumet Ave.
RAIL

Dyer station

18 mi away
913 Sheffield Avenue
RAIL

Homewood

27 mi away
18015 Park Ave.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Highland and Portage. Straight-line distance: 14.34 mi (23.08 km).

Highland

#1 Highland

Town in Lake County, Indiana, United States

Population22,283
Coordinates41.5536500, -87.4519800
Altitude190
CountryUnited States
Portage

#2 Portage

The second most populous city in Porter County, Indiana.

Population90,543
Coordinates41.5758700, -87.1761500
Altitude194
CountryUnited States
Start: Parrish Avenue (-87.451984, 41.55365)
End: Central Avenue (-87.17615, 41.575874)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 29 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 36m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 27m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 21m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 18m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 15m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 13m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.65 gal
2.45 L · about $2.45
Round trip
$4.90
1.3 gal · 4.9 L
Estimated CO2
5.8 kg one way
Round trip: 11.6 kg / 26 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $2.45 $4.90
Mid-grade $4.25 $2.76 $5.53
Premium $4.65 $3.03 $6.05
Diesel $5.30 $3.45 $6.90

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 Indiana · May 12, 2026

There is no time difference between Highland and Portage. The current time is 18:02:12.

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.