How far is Highland Park, IL from Crystal Lake, IL?

The driving distance from Highland Park, IL to Crystal Lake, IL is about 31.1 miles (50.1 km), with a travel time of about 00h 56m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 26.7 miles (43 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 52m 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
31.11 mi
00h 56m
Flight
26.72 mi
43 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Highland Park.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
26.72 mi
Kilometers
43 km
Flight Time
00h 03m

Driving Distance

Road route
31.11 mi
Kilometers
50.07 km
Drive Time
00h 56m

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 56m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Crystal Lake
Thu, Oct 15, 3:25 PM CDT
Return by in Highland Park
Thu, Oct 15, 4:22 PM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Highland Park
2026-10-15T14:29
Arrive Crystal Lake
Thu, Oct 15, 3:25 PM CDT
Route Timing
00h 56m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
8:00 AM to 10:00 AM CDT
Aim for a morning departure
Arrive between
8:56 AM to 10:56 AM CDT

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

Leave by
4:38 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 03h 00m at the destination.
Back in Highland Park
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
Lake Zurich
IL

Village in Lake County, Illinois, United States

From Highland Park
14.8 mi
00h 28m
To Crystal Lake
16.3 mi
00h 28m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
59°F
Thursday

Rain Showers

Starts
Thu, Oct 15 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
5 to 10 mph E
Destination
60°F
Today

Rain Showers

Starts
Thu, Oct 15 11:00 AM CDT
Wind
5 to 10 mph ESE

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Highland Park and Crystal Lake.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Highland Park and Crystal Lake.

  1. 1

    Start on Green Bay Road

    1185 ft · 33 sec · Green Bay Road

  2. 2

    Turn left onto Central Avenue

    1 km · 1 min · Central Avenue

  3. 3

    Continue on Deerfield Road

    639 ft · 13 sec · Deerfield Road

  4. 4

    Take the ramp straight toward US 41 North: Skokie Valley Road

    1971 ft · 48 sec

  5. 5

    Merge slight left onto Skokie Highway

    1984 ft · 26 sec · Skokie Highway

  6. 6

    Continue on Skokie Valley Road

    3065 ft · 40 sec · Skokie Valley Road

  7. 7

    Take the exit slight right toward IL 22

    1318 ft · 44 sec

  8. 8

    Turn left onto Half Day Road

    10.1 mi · 18 min · Half Day Road

  9. 9

    Continue on Main Street

    4.8 mi · 9 min · Main Street

  10. 10

    Continue on State Route 22

    4.9 mi · 8 min · State Route 22

  11. 11

    At the end of the road, turn right onto South Northwest Highway

    6.2 mi · 10 min · South Northwest Highway

  12. 12

    Turn right onto South Main Street

    1 mi · 2 min · South Main Street

  13. 13

    Turn left onto East Crystal Lake Avenue

    8 m · 1 sec · East Crystal Lake Avenue

  14. 14

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · East Crystal Lake Avenue

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Highland Park and Crystal 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
14 steps
5 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
3
1 merges, 2 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
45 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Half Day Road
10.1 mi · 32%
South Northwest Highway
6.23 mi · 20%
State Route 22
4.95 mi · 16%
Main Street
4.82 mi · 15%
South Main Street
1.03 mi · 3%
Central Avenue
0.62 mi · 2%
Longest Stretch

Half Day Road

Turn left onto Half Day Road

10.1 mi · 00h 18m

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 56m
Day trip friendly
Same-Day Return
01h 52m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+4.4 mi
26.7 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Lake Zurich
00h 28m from Highland Park
Leave By
4:38 PM CDT
Morning start is best
Weather Watch

Rain Showers leaving Highland Park and Rain Showers near Crystal Lake.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Highland Park to Crystal Lake?

The road trip is about 31.1 miles (50.1 km) and usually takes 00h 56m 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?

Lake Zurich is a useful midpoint, sitting about 14.8 miles from Highland Park and 16.3 miles from Crystal Lake.

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

The direct path is about 26.7 miles (43 km), while the road route adds roughly 4.4 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 4:38 PM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $5.13 one way or $10.26 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 9.8 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Rain Showers around Highland Park and Rain Showers near Crystal Lake.

Stop Ideas Near Lake Zurich

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

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

RAIL

Glenview station

27 mi away
1116 Depot St.
RAIL

La Grange Road

46 mi away
25 West Burlington St.
RAIL

Naperville

47 mi away
105 E. Fourth Ave.
RAIL

Summit

51 mi away
Archer Ave. and South Center Ave.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Highland Park and Crystal Lake. Straight-line distance: 26.72 mi (43 km).

Highland Park

#1 Highland Park

City in Lake County, Illinois, United States

Population29,427
Coordinates42.1816900, -87.8003400
Altitude212
CountryUnited States
Crystal Lake

#2 Crystal Lake

City located in McHenry County, Illinois, USA

Population39,642
Coordinates42.2411300, -88.3162000
Altitude279
CountryUnited States
Start: Green Bay Road (-87.800255, 42.18172)
End: East Crystal Lake Avenue (-88.316198, 42.241185)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 50 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)01h 02m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 46m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 37m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 31m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 26m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 23m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
1.1 gal
4.16 L · about $5.13
Round trip
$10.26
2.2 gal · 8.32 L
Estimated CO2
9.8 kg one way
Round trip: 19.6 kg / 43 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $4.67 $5.13 $10.26
Mid-grade $5.29 $5.82 $11.64
Premium $5.84 $6.42 $12.84
Diesel $6.57 $7.23 $14.46

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 Highland Park and Crystal Lake. The current time is 14:29:39.

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.