How far is Lake in the Hills, IL from Des Plaines, IL?

The driving distance from Lake in the Hills, IL to Des Plaines, IL is about 29.5 miles (47.5 km), with a travel time of about 00h 43m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 25.1 miles (40.4 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 26m 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
29.5 mi
00h 43m
Flight
25.1 mi
40.39 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Lake in the Hills.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
25.1 mi
Kilometers
40.39 km
Flight Time
00h 03m

Driving Distance

Road route
29.5 mi
Kilometers
47.47 km
Drive Time
00h 43m

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 43m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Des Plaines
Thu, Oct 15, 3:07 PM CDT
Return by in Lake in the Hills
Thu, Oct 15, 3:50 PM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Lake in the Hills
2026-10-15T14:24
Arrive Des Plaines
Thu, Oct 15, 3:07 PM CDT
Route Timing
00h 43m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM CDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:43 AM to 7:43 PM CDT

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

Leave by
7:04 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Lake in the Hills
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
South Barrington
IL

Village in United States of America

From Lake in the Hills
16.3 mi
00h 21m
To Des Plaines
13.2 mi
00h 21m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
61°F
Thursday

Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Thu, Oct 15 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
5 to 10 mph E
Destination
63°F
This Afternoon

Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Thu, Oct 15 2:00 PM CDT
Wind
5 to 10 mph SE

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Lake in the Hills and Des Plaines.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Lake in the Hills and Des Plaines.

  1. 1

    Start on West Acorn Lane

    1346 ft · 1 min · West Acorn Lane

  2. 2

    Turn left onto North Randall Road

    2241 ft · 50 sec · North Randall Road

  3. 3

    Continue on South Randall Road

    6.7 mi · 11 min · South Randall Road

  4. 4

    Turn left onto I 90 East Toll: Chicago

    1846 ft · 47 sec

  5. 5

    Merge slight left onto Jane Addams Memorial Tollway

    20.6 mi · 22 min · Jane Addams Memorial Tollway

  6. 6

    Take the exit slight right toward Elmhurst Road

    2200 ft · 42 sec

  7. 7

    Keep slight left to continue on Elmhurst Road North

    88 m · 9 sec

  8. 8

    Turn straight onto South Elmhurst Road

    1889 ft · 42 sec · South Elmhurst Road

  9. 9

    Turn right onto West Oakton Street

    645 ft · 13 sec · West Oakton Street

  10. 10

    Continue on West Oakton Street

    1.4 km · 2 min · West Oakton Street

  11. 11

    Continue on East Oakton Street

    1.4 mi · 3 min · East Oakton Street

  12. 12

    Turn left onto Lee Street

    2735 ft · 59 sec · Lee Street

  13. 13

    Turn right onto East Algonquin Road

    2758 ft · 2 min · East Algonquin Road

  14. 14

    Turn left onto White Street

    650 ft · 30 sec · White Street

  15. 15

    Turn right onto Henry Avenue

    80 m · 12 sec · Henry Avenue

  16. 16

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Henry Avenue

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Lake in the Hills 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
16 steps
8 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
2
1 merges, 1 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
54.2 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
20.6 mi · 70%
South Randall Road
6.68 mi · 23%
East Oakton Street
1.36 mi · 5%
West Oakton Street
1 mi · 3%
East Algonquin Road
0.52 mi · 2%
Lee Street
0.52 mi · 2%
Longest Stretch

Jane Addams Memorial Tollway

Merge slight left onto Jane Addams Memorial Tollway

20.6 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 43m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
01h 26m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+4.4 mi
25.1 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
South Barrington
00h 21m from Lake in the Hills
Leave By
7:04 PM CDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Showers And Thunderstorms leaving Lake in the Hills and Showers And Thunderstorms near Des Plaines.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Lake in the Hills to Des Plaines?

The road trip is about 29.5 miles (47.5 km) and usually takes 00h 43m 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?

South Barrington is a useful midpoint, sitting about 16.3 miles from Lake in the Hills and 13.2 miles from Des Plaines.

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

The direct path is about 25.1 miles (40.4 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 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM CDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 7:04 PM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $4.85 one way or $9.70 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 9.2 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Showers And Thunderstorms around Lake in the Hills and Showers And Thunderstorms near Des Plaines.

Stop Ideas Near South Barrington

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

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

RAIL

Glenview station

26 mi away
1116 Depot St.
RAIL

Naperville

35 mi away
105 E. Fourth Ave.
RAIL

La Grange Road

37 mi away
25 West Burlington St.
RAIL

Summit

42 mi away
Archer Ave. and South Center Ave.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Lake in the Hills and Des Plaines. Straight-line distance: 25.1 mi (40.39 km).

Lake in the Hills

#1 Lake in the Hills

Village in Illinois

Population28,345
Coordinates42.1816900, -88.3303600
Altitude264
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: Crystal Lake Road (-88.330311, 42.181713)
End: Henry Avenue (-87.883408, 42.033456)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 47 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 58m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 44m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 35m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 29m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 25m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 22m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
1.04 gal
3.94 L · about $4.85
Round trip
$9.70
2.08 gal · 7.88 L
Estimated CO2
9.2 kg one way
Round trip: 18.5 kg / 41 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $4.67 $4.85 $9.70
Mid-grade $5.29 $5.50 $11.01
Premium $5.84 $6.07 $12.14
Diesel $6.57 $6.83 $13.67

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 Lake in the Hills and Des Plaines. The current time is 14:24:24.

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.