How far is Lake of the Woods, IL from Bloomington, IL?

The driving distance from Lake of the Woods, IL to Bloomington, IL is about 43.2 miles (69.5 km), with a travel time of about 00h 43m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 38.1 miles (61.3 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 27m 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
43.2 mi
00h 43m
Flight
38.1 mi
61.32 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Lake of the Woods.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
38.1 mi
Kilometers
61.32 km
Flight Time
00h 04m

Driving Distance

Road route
43.2 mi
Kilometers
69.53 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 Bloomington
Fri, Apr 17, 10:53 PM CDT
Return by in Lake of the Woods
Fri, Apr 17, 11:37 PM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Lake of the Woods
2026-04-17T22:09
Arrive Bloomington
Fri, Apr 17, 10:53 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
7:44 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 Lake of the Woods
10:00 PM CDT
Flexible departure

You are leaving earlier than the recommended window, which gives you extra margin for breaks and traffic.

Halfway Point

A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.

Mid-route stop
Empire
IL

Township in McLean County, Illinois

From Lake of the Woods
21.6 mi
00h 21m
To Bloomington
21.6 mi
00h 21m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
83°F
Friday

Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Fri, Apr 17 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
6 to 18 mph S
Destination
83°F
Friday

Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Fri, Apr 17 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
6 to 18 mph S

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Lake of the Woods and Bloomington.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Lake of the Woods and Bloomington.

  1. 1

    Start on the route

    42 m · 11 sec

  2. 2

    Turn right

    92 m · 24 sec

  3. 3

    Turn right onto North Lake of the Woods Road

    138 m · 12 sec · North Lake of the Woods Road

  4. 4

    Turn right onto County Road 50

    1318 ft · 1 min · County Road 50

  5. 5

    At the end of the road, turn right onto North Prairieview Road

    1.3 mi · 3 min · North Prairieview Road

  6. 6

    Take the ramp right toward I 74 West: Bloomington

    1443 ft · 35 sec

  7. 7

    Merge slight left

    37.6 mi · 40 min

  8. 8

    Take the exit slight right toward US 51 South, US 51 Business North: Bloomington

    1673 ft · 41 sec

  9. 9

    Turn right onto South Main Street

    2.8 mi · 6 min · South Main Street

  10. 10

    Continue on South East Street

    2717 ft · 1 min · South East Street

  11. 11

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · North East Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Lake of the Woods and Bloomington.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Highway-focused drive

Most of the mileage stays on named highways, so the important moments are ramps, exits, merges, and the final local approach.

Directions
11 steps
5 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
3
1 merges, 2 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
25.5 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
I 74 West
37.9 mi · 88%
South Main Street
2.75 mi · 6%
North Prairieview Road
1.29 mi · 3%
South East Street
0.51 mi · 1%
US 51 South
0.32 mi · 1%
County Road 50
0.25 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

I 74 West

Merge slight left

37.6 mi · 00h 40m

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 28m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+5.1 mi
38.1 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Empire
00h 21m from Lake of the Woods
Leave By
7:02 PM CDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms leaving Lake of the Woods and Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near Bloomington.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Lake of the Woods to Bloomington?

The road trip is about 43.2 miles (69.5 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?

Empire is a useful midpoint, sitting about 21.6 miles from Lake of the Woods and 21.6 miles from Bloomington.

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

The direct path is about 38.1 miles (61.3 km), while the road route adds roughly 5.1 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 $5.73 one way or $11.46 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 13.5 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms around Lake of the Woods and Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near Bloomington.

Stop Ideas Near Empire

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

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

RAIL

Uptown Station

33 mi away
100 East Parkinson St.
RAIL

Illinois Terminal

45 mi away
45 East University Ave.
RAIL

Rantoul

46 mi away
West Sangamon and North Kentucky Aves.
RAIL

Lincoln

58 mi away
Broadway and North Chicago Sts.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Lake of the Woods and Bloomington. Straight-line distance: 38.1 mi (61.32 km).

Photo coming soon

#1 Lake of the Woods

Census designated place in Illinois, United States

Population2,912
Coordinates40.2064200, -88.3686700
Altitude228
CountryUnited States
Bloomington

#2 Bloomington

The second most populous city in McLean County, Illinois.

Population77,132
Coordinates40.4842000, -88.9936900
Altitude243
CountryUnited States
Start: (-88.368671, 40.206378)
End: North East Street (-88.993738, 40.484193)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 70 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)01h 26m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)01h 04m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 51m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 43m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 37m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 32m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
1.52 gal
5.77 L · about $5.73
Round trip
$11.46
3.04 gal · 11.54 L
Estimated CO2
13.5 kg one way
Round trip: 27 kg / 60 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $5.73 $11.46
Mid-grade $4.25 $6.46 $12.93
Premium $4.65 $7.07 $14.15
Diesel $5.30 $8.06 $16.12

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 18, 2026

There is no time difference between Lake of the Woods and Bloomington. The current time is 22:09:16.

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.