How far is Lake Catherine, IL from North Chicago, IL?

The driving distance from Lake Catherine, IL to North Chicago, IL is about 24.9 miles (40 km), with a travel time of about 00h 34m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 18.3 miles (29.5 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 09m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM CST.
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
24.86 mi
00h 34m
Flight
18.3 mi
29.45 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Lake Catherine.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
18.3 mi
Kilometers
29.45 km
Flight Time
00h 02m

Driving Distance

Road route
24.86 mi
Kilometers
40.01 km
Drive Time
00h 34m

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 34m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in North Chicago
Fri, Nov 6, 1:27 PM CST
Return by in Lake Catherine
Fri, Nov 6, 2:01 PM CST
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Lake Catherine
2026-11-06T12:52
Arrive North Chicago
Fri, Nov 6, 1:27 PM CST
Route Timing
00h 34m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM CST
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:35 AM to 7:35 PM CST

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

Leave by
7:20 PM CST
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Lake Catherine
10:00 PM CST
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
Wadsworth
IL

Human settlement in Illinois, United States of America

From Lake Catherine
12.5 mi
00h 17m
To North Chicago
12.4 mi
00h 17m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
45°F
Friday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Fri, Nov 6 6:00 AM CST
Wind
10 to 15 mph NNW
Destination
37°F
Overnight

Mostly Cloudy

Starts
Fri, Nov 6 1:00 AM CST
Wind
15 mph NNW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Lake Catherine and North Chicago.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Lake Catherine and North Chicago.

  1. 1

    Start on West IL Route 173

    9.9 mi · 15 min · West IL Route 173

  2. 2

    Turn right onto North Skokie Highway

    12.1 mi · 14 min · North Skokie Highway

  3. 3

    Turn left onto Buckley Road

    1.6 mi · 2 min · Buckley Road

  4. 4

    Turn left onto Bobby E. Thompson Expressway

    1.4 km · 60 sec · Bobby E. Thompson Expressway

  5. 5

    Continue on Sheridan Road

    2526 ft · 39 sec · Sheridan Road

  6. 6

    Turn left onto Broadway

    654 ft · 24 sec · Broadway

  7. 7

    Turn right onto Park Avenue

    63 m · 10 sec · Park Avenue

  8. 8

    Turn right onto Fellows Place

    14 m · 2 sec · Fellows Place

  9. 9

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Fellows Place

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Lake Catherine and North Chicago.

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
9 steps
6 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
0
0 merges, 0 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
36.1 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
North Skokie Highway
12.1 mi · 49%
West IL Route 173
9.88 mi · 40%
Buckley Road
1.56 mi · 6%
Bobby E. Thompson Expressway
0.85 mi · 3%
Sheridan Road
0.48 mi · 2%
Broadway
0.12 mi
Longest Stretch

North Skokie Highway

Turn right onto North Skokie Highway

12.1 mi · 00h 14m

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 34m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
01h 10m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+6.6 mi
18.3 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Wadsworth
00h 17m from Lake Catherine
Leave By
7:20 PM CST
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny leaving Lake Catherine and Mostly Cloudy near North Chicago.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Lake Catherine to North Chicago?

The road trip is about 24.9 miles (40 km) and usually takes 00h 34m 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?

Wadsworth is a useful midpoint, sitting about 12.5 miles from Lake Catherine and 12.4 miles from North Chicago.

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

The direct path is about 18.3 miles (29.5 km), while the road route adds roughly 6.6 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 CST. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 7:20 PM CST.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $4.05 one way or $8.11 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 7.8 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Sunny around Lake Catherine and Mostly Cloudy near North Chicago.

Stop Ideas Near Wadsworth

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

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

RAIL

Sturtevant station

32 mi away
9900 East Exploration Court
RAIL

Glenview station

41 mi away
1116 Depot St.
RAIL

Milwaukee Airport Railroad Station

57 mi away
5601 South 6th Street
RAIL

Chicago Union Station

65 mi away
225 South Canal Street

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Lake Catherine and North Chicago. Straight-line distance: 18.3 mi (29.45 km).

Photo coming soon

#1 Lake Catherine

Census-designated place in Illinois, United States

Population1,379
Coordinates42.4791900, -88.1334200
Altitude228
CountryUnited States
North Chicago

#2 North Chicago

City and suburb of Chicago, Illinois, USA

Population29,639
Coordinates42.3255800, -87.8411800
Altitude201
CountryUnited States
Start: IL 173 (-88.133445, 42.479148)
End: Fellows Place (-87.841197, 42.325603)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 40 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 49m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 37m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 29m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 24m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 21m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 18m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.88 gal
3.32 L · about $4.05
Round trip
$8.11
1.76 gal · 6.64 L
Estimated CO2
7.8 kg one way
Round trip: 15.6 kg / 34 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $4.61 $4.05 $8.11
Mid-grade $5.24 $4.61 $9.22
Premium $5.79 $5.10 $10.20
Diesel $6.59 $5.80 $11.60

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 · Nov 06, 2026

There is no time difference between Lake Catherine and North Chicago. The current time is 12:52:52.

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.