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

The driving distance from Highland Park, IL to Lake Catherine, IL is about 32.6 miles (52.5 km), with a travel time of about 00h 44m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 26.7 miles (42.9 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 28m 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
32.65 mi
00h 44m
Flight
26.68 mi
42.94 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Highland Park.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
26.68 mi
Kilometers
42.94 km
Flight Time
00h 03m

Driving Distance

Road route
32.65 mi
Kilometers
52.54 km
Drive Time
00h 44m

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 44m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Lake Catherine
Sun, Apr 19, 6:07 PM CDT
Return by in Highland Park
Sun, Apr 19, 6:51 PM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Highland Park
2026-04-19T17:22
Arrive Lake Catherine
Sun, Apr 19, 6:07 PM CDT
Route Timing
00h 44m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM CDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:44 AM to 7:44 PM CDT

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

Leave by
7:02 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Highland Park
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
Gurnee
IL

Village in Illinois

From Highland Park
16.3 mi
00h 22m
To Lake Catherine
16.3 mi
00h 22m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
50°F
Sunday

Areas Of Frost then Chance Rain Showers

Starts
Sun, Apr 19 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
10 to 15 mph W
Destination
48°F
Sunday

Widespread Frost then Chance Rain Showers

Starts
Sun, Apr 19 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
5 to 15 mph W

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

  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

    3.4 mi · 4 min · Skokie Valley Road

  7. 7

    Continue on South Skokie Highway

    17.7 mi · 22 min · South Skokie Highway

  8. 8

    Turn left onto Rosecrans Road

    9.9 mi · 15 min · Rosecrans Road

  9. 9

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · West IL Route 173

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Highland Park and Lake Catherine.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Straightforward drive

The saved road route has a manageable number of maneuvers and should be easy to follow with normal attention to signs.

Directions
9 steps
2 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
2
1 merges, 1 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
27.6 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
South Skokie Highway
17.7 mi · 54%
Rosecrans Road
9.89 mi · 30%
Skokie Valley Road
3.38 mi · 10%
Central Avenue
0.62 mi · 2%
Skokie Highway
0.38 mi · 1%
US 41 North
0.37 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

South Skokie Highway

Continue on South Skokie Highway

17.7 mi · 00h 22m

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 44m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
01h 28m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+5.9 mi
26.7 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Gurnee
00h 22m from Highland Park
Leave By
7:02 PM CDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Areas Of Frost then Chance Rain Showers leaving Highland Park and Widespread Frost then Chance Rain Showers near Lake Catherine.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

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

The road trip is about 32.6 miles (52.5 km) and usually takes 00h 44m 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?

Gurnee is a useful midpoint, sitting about 16.3 miles from Highland Park and 16.3 miles from Lake Catherine.

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

The direct path is about 26.7 miles (42.9 km), while the road route adds roughly 5.9 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 7:02 PM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $4.34 one way or $8.67 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 10.2 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Areas Of Frost then Chance Rain Showers around Highland Park and Widespread Frost then Chance Rain Showers near Lake Catherine.

Stop Ideas Near Gurnee

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

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

RAIL

Glenview station

34 mi away
1116 Depot St.
RAIL

Sturtevant station

39 mi away
9900 East Exploration Court
RAIL

Chicago Union Station

59 mi away
225 South Canal Street
RAIL

La Grange Road

62 mi away
25 West Burlington St.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Highland Park and Lake Catherine. Straight-line distance: 26.68 mi (42.94 km).

Highland Park

#1 Highland Park

City in Lake County, Illinois, United States

Population29,427
Coordinates42.1816900, -87.8003400
Altitude212
CountryUnited States
Photo coming soon

#2 Lake Catherine

Census-designated place in Illinois, United States

Population1,379
Coordinates42.4791900, -88.1334200
Altitude228
CountryUnited States
Start: Highland Park (-87.80034, 42.18169)
End: Lake Catherine (-88.13342, 42.47919)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 53 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)01h 05m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 48m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 39m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 32m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 27m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 24m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
1.15 gal
4.36 L · about $4.34
Round trip
$8.67
2.3 gal · 8.72 L
Estimated CO2
10.2 kg one way
Round trip: 20.4 kg / 45 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $4.34 $8.67
Mid-grade $4.25 $4.89 $9.78
Premium $4.65 $5.35 $10.70
Diesel $5.30 $6.10 $12.20

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 19, 2026

There is no time difference between Highland Park and Lake Catherine. The current time is 17:22:59.

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.