How far is Joliet, IL from Palos Heights, IL?

The driving distance from Joliet, IL to Palos Heights, IL is about 25.8 miles (41.6 km), with a travel time of about 00h 38m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 17.8 miles (28.7 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 16m 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
25.84 mi
00h 38m
Flight
17.81 mi
28.67 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Joliet.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
17.81 mi
Kilometers
28.67 km
Flight Time
00h 02m

Driving Distance

Road route
25.84 mi
Kilometers
41.59 km
Drive Time
00h 38m

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 38m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Palos Heights
Sun, Apr 19, 11:39 AM CDT
Return by in Joliet
Sun, Apr 19, 12:17 PM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Joliet
2026-04-19T11:01
Arrive Palos Heights
Sun, Apr 19, 11:39 AM CDT
Route Timing
00h 38m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM CDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:38 AM to 7:38 PM CDT

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

Leave by
7:14 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Joliet
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
Mokena
IL

City in Illinois, United States of America

From Joliet
12.9 mi
00h 19m
To Palos Heights
12.9 mi
00h 19m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
53°F
Sunday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Sun, Apr 19 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
15 to 20 mph WNW
Destination
52°F
Sunday

Mostly Sunny

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

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Joliet and Palos Heights.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Joliet and Palos Heights.

  1. 1

    Start on the route

    34 m · 10 sec

  2. 2

    Turn right onto Ottawa Street

    1397 ft · 44 sec · Ottawa Street

  3. 3

    Continue on Ottawa Street

    758 ft · 22 sec · Ottawa Street

  4. 4

    Continue on Chicago Street

    3122 ft · 2 min · Chicago Street

  5. 5

    Take the ramp slight right toward I 80 East: Gary Indiana

    1263 ft · 43 sec

  6. 6

    Merge slight left

    16.1 mi · 20 min

  7. 7

    Take the exit slight right toward IL 43 North: Harlem Avenue

    1886 ft · 46 sec

  8. 8

    Turn straight onto Harlem Avenue

    8.1 mi · 14 min · Harlem Avenue

  9. 9

    Turn right onto West 123rd Street

    15 m · 8 sec · West 123rd Street

  10. 10

    Turn left

    13 m · 3 sec

  11. 11

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Joliet and Palos Heights.

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
11 steps
4 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
3
1 merges, 2 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
42.6 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
I 80 East
16.3 mi · 63%
Harlem Avenue
8.12 mi · 31%
Chicago Street
0.59 mi · 2%
Ottawa Street
0.41 mi · 2%
IL 43 North
0.36 mi · 1%
West 123rd Street
0.01 mi
Longest Stretch

I 80 East

Merge slight left

16.1 mi · 00h 20m

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 38m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
01h 16m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+8 mi
17.8 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Mokena
00h 19m from Joliet
Leave By
7:14 PM CDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny leaving Joliet and Mostly Sunny near Palos Heights.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Joliet to Palos Heights?

The road trip is about 25.8 miles (41.6 km) and usually takes 00h 38m 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?

Mokena is a useful midpoint, sitting about 12.9 miles from Joliet and 12.9 miles from Palos Heights.

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

The direct path is about 17.8 miles (28.7 km), while the road route adds roughly 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 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM CDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 7:14 PM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $3.43 one way or $6.86 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 8.1 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Sunny around Joliet and Mostly Sunny near Palos Heights.

Stop Ideas Near Mokena

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

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

RAIL

Joliet Transportation Center

16 mi away
50 East Jefferson Street
RAIL

Homewood

19 mi away
18015 Park Ave.
RAIL

Summit

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

Dyer station

31 mi away
913 Sheffield Avenue

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Joliet and Palos Heights. Straight-line distance: 17.81 mi (28.67 km).

Joliet

#1 Joliet

The second most populous city in Will County, Illinois.

Population85,583
Coordinates41.5251900, -88.0834000
Altitude165
CountryUnited States
Palos Heights

#2 Palos Heights

City in Cook County, Illinois, United States

Population12,375
Coordinates41.6680900, -87.7964400
Altitude190
CountryUnited States
Start: Joliet (-88.0834, 41.52519)
End: Palos Heights (-87.79644, 41.66809)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 42 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 51m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 38m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 31m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 25m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 22m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 19m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.91 gal
3.45 L · about $3.43
Round trip
$6.86
1.82 gal · 6.9 L
Estimated CO2
8.1 kg one way
Round trip: 16.2 kg / 36 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $3.43 $6.86
Mid-grade $4.25 $3.87 $7.74
Premium $4.65 $4.24 $8.47
Diesel $5.30 $4.83 $9.65

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 Joliet and Palos Heights. The current time is 11:01:02.

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.