How far is Indian Head Park, IL from Des Plaines, IL?

The driving distance from Indian Head Park, IL to Des Plaines, IL is about 21.9 miles (35.2 km), with a travel time of about 00h 28m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 18.2 miles (29.3 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 00h 56m 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
21.87 mi
00h 28m
Flight
18.2 mi
29.29 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Indian Head Park.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
18.2 mi
Kilometers
29.29 km
Flight Time
00h 02m

Driving Distance

Road route
21.87 mi
Kilometers
35.2 km
Drive Time
00h 28m

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 28m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Des Plaines
Sun, Apr 19, 10:36 AM CDT
Return by in Indian Head Park
Sun, Apr 19, 11:04 AM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Indian Head Park
2026-04-19T10:08
Arrive Des Plaines
Sun, Apr 19, 10:36 AM CDT
Route Timing
00h 28m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM CDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:28 AM to 7:28 PM CDT

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

Leave by
7:34 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Indian Head 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
Elmhurst
IL

A city in DuPage County, Illinois.

From Indian Head Park
10.9 mi
00h 14m
To Des Plaines
10.9 mi
00h 14m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
52°F
Sunday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Sun, Apr 19 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
10 to 15 mph WNW
Destination
52°F
Sunday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Sun, Apr 19 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
15 mph WNW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Indian Head Park and Des Plaines.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Indian Head Park and Des Plaines.

  1. 1

    Start on Blackhawk Trail

    6 m · 2 sec · Blackhawk Trail

  2. 2

    Continue on Blackhawk Trail

    1296 ft · 57 sec · Blackhawk Trail

  3. 3

    Turn slight left onto Eastgate Road

    73 m · 12 sec · Eastgate Road

  4. 4

    Turn right onto Wolf Road

    1197 ft · 31 sec · Wolf Road

  5. 5

    Turn right onto Joliet Road

    717 ft · 13 sec · Joliet Road

  6. 6

    Keep slight right to continue on I 294 North: Wisconsin

    1.3 mi · 3 min

  7. 7

    Keep slight left to continue on I 294 North: Wisconsin

    1694 ft · 41 sec

  8. 8

    Merge slight left onto Tri-State Tollway

    4.8 mi · 6 min · Tri-State Tollway

  9. 9

    Keep slight left to continue on Tri-State Tollway

    11.7 mi · 15 min · Tri-State Tollway

  10. 10

    Take the exit slight right toward Touhy Avenue

    635 ft · 16 sec

  11. 11

    Keep slight left to continue on Touhy Avenue

    2694 ft · 1 min

  12. 12

    Keep slight left to continue on Touhy Avenue West

    688 ft · 17 sec

  13. 13

    Keep slight right to continue on Touhy Avenue West

    1799 ft · 44 sec

  14. 14

    Turn straight onto East Touhy Avenue

    99 m · 7 sec · East Touhy Avenue

  15. 15

    Turn slight right

    103 m · 9 sec

  16. 16

    Turn right onto South Des Plaines River Road

    1.7 mi · 3 min · South Des Plaines River Road

  17. 17

    Turn left onto Henry Avenue

    557 ft · 24 sec · Henry Avenue

  18. 18

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Henry Avenue

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Indian Head Park and Des Plaines.

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
18 steps
7 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
2
1 merges, 1 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
82.2 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Tri-State Tollway
16.6 mi · 76%
South Des Plaines River Road
1.71 mi · 8%
I 294 North
1.58 mi · 7%
Touhy Avenue
0.63 mi · 3%
Touhy Avenue West
0.47 mi · 2%
Blackhawk Trail
0.25 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

Tri-State Tollway

Keep slight left to continue on Tri-State Tollway

11.7 mi · 00h 15m

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 28m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
00h 56m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+3.7 mi
18.2 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Elmhurst
00h 14m from Indian Head Park
Leave By
7:34 PM CDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny leaving Indian Head Park and Mostly Sunny near Des Plaines.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Indian Head Park to Des Plaines?

The road trip is about 21.9 miles (35.2 km) and usually takes 00h 28m 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?

Elmhurst is a useful midpoint, sitting about 10.9 miles from Indian Head Park and 10.9 miles from Des Plaines.

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

The direct path is about 18.2 miles (29.3 km), while the road route adds roughly 3.7 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 7:34 PM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $2.90 one way or $5.81 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 6.8 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Sunny around Indian Head Park and Mostly Sunny near Des Plaines.

Stop Ideas Near Elmhurst

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

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

RAIL

La Grange Road

11 mi away
25 West Burlington St.
RAIL

Summit

16 mi away
Archer Ave. and South Center Ave.
RAIL

Glenview station

22 mi away
1116 Depot St.
RAIL

Naperville

22 mi away
105 E. Fourth Ave.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Indian Head Park and Des Plaines. Straight-line distance: 18.2 mi (29.29 km).

Indian Head Park

#1 Indian Head Park

Village in United States of America

Population3,680
Coordinates41.7703100, -87.9022800
Altitude199
CountryUnited States
Des Plaines

#2 Des Plaines

The most populous city in Cook County, Illinois.

Population58,179
Coordinates42.0333600, -87.8834000
Altitude193
CountryUnited States
Start: Blackhawk Trail (-87.902273, 41.770312)
End: Henry Avenue (-87.883408, 42.033456)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 35 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 43m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 32m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 26m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 21m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 18m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 16m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.77 gal
2.92 L · about $2.90
Round trip
$5.81
1.54 gal · 5.84 L
Estimated CO2
6.8 kg one way
Round trip: 13.7 kg / 30 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $2.90 $5.81
Mid-grade $4.25 $3.27 $6.55
Premium $4.65 $3.58 $7.17
Diesel $5.30 $4.08 $8.17

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 Indian Head Park and Des Plaines. The current time is 10:08:43.

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.