How far is Morton Grove, IL from Waukegan, IL?

The driving distance from Morton Grove, IL to Waukegan, IL is about 27.4 miles (44.1 km), with a travel time of about 00h 36m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 22.6 miles (36.3 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 12m 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
27.37 mi
00h 36m
Flight
22.54 mi
36.28 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Morton Grove.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
22.54 mi
Kilometers
36.28 km
Flight Time
00h 02m

Driving Distance

Road route
27.37 mi
Kilometers
44.05 km
Drive Time
00h 36m

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 36m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Waukegan
Sun, Apr 19, 7:36 AM CDT
Return by in Morton Grove
Sun, Apr 19, 8:12 AM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Morton Grove
2026-04-19T07:00
Arrive Waukegan
Sun, Apr 19, 7:36 AM CDT
Route Timing
00h 36m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM CDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:36 AM to 7:36 PM CDT

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

Leave by
7:18 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Morton Grove
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
Highwood
IL

City in Illinois

From Morton Grove
13.7 mi
00h 18m
To Waukegan
13.7 mi
00h 18m

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
15 mph WNW
Destination
49°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 Morton Grove and Waukegan.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Morton Grove and Waukegan.

  1. 1

    Start on Fernald Avenue

    35 m · 9 sec · Fernald Avenue

  2. 2

    Turn right onto West Dempster Street

    1 mi · 3 min · West Dempster Street

  3. 3

    Take the ramp slight right toward I 94 West

    1372 ft · 47 sec

  4. 4

    Merge slight left onto Edens Expressway

    7.4 mi · 10 min · Edens Expressway

  5. 5

    Keep slight left to continue on Skokie Highway

    3.8 mi · 4 min · Skokie Highway

  6. 6

    Continue on Skokie Valley Road

    3.4 mi · 4 min · Skokie Valley Road

  7. 7

    Continue on South Skokie Highway

    8.2 mi · 10 min · South Skokie Highway

  8. 8

    Take the exit slight right toward IL 120 East

    1323 ft · 36 sec

  9. 9

    Turn straight onto Belvidere Road

    1830 ft · 33 sec · Belvidere Road

  10. 10

    Continue on Belvidere Street

    1.6 mi · 3 min · Belvidere Street

  11. 11

    Turn left onto Glen Rock Avenue

    2495 ft · 1 min · Glen Rock Avenue

  12. 12

    Turn left onto South Jackson Street

    2647 ft · 1 min · South Jackson Street

  13. 13

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · North Jackson Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Morton Grove and Waukegan.

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
13 steps
4 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
3
1 merges, 2 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
47.4 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
South Skokie Highway
8.22 mi · 30%
Edens Expressway
7.38 mi · 27%
Skokie Highway
3.84 mi · 14%
Skokie Valley Road
3.38 mi · 12%
Belvidere Street
1.65 mi · 6%
West Dempster Street
1.03 mi · 4%
Longest Stretch

South Skokie Highway

Continue on South Skokie Highway

8.22 mi · 00h 10m

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 36m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
01h 12m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+4.8 mi
22.6 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Highwood
00h 18m from Morton Grove
Leave By
7:18 PM CDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny leaving Morton Grove and Mostly Sunny near Waukegan.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Morton Grove to Waukegan?

The road trip is about 27.4 miles (44.1 km) and usually takes 00h 36m 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?

Highwood is a useful midpoint, sitting about 13.7 miles from Morton Grove and 13.7 miles from Waukegan.

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

The direct path is about 22.6 miles (36.3 km), while the road route adds roughly 4.8 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 7:18 PM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $3.66 one way or $7.32 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 8.6 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Sunny around Morton Grove and Mostly Sunny near Waukegan.

Stop Ideas Near Highwood

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

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

RAIL

Glenview station

14 mi away
1116 Depot St.
RAIL

Chicago Union Station

38 mi away
225 South Canal Street
RAIL

La Grange Road

43 mi away
25 West Burlington St.
RAIL

Summit

45 mi away
Archer Ave. and South Center Ave.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Morton Grove and Waukegan. Straight-line distance: 22.54 mi (36.28 km).

Morton Grove

#1 Morton Grove

Village in United States of America

Population22,564
Coordinates42.0405900, -87.7825600
Altitude190
CountryUnited States
Waukegan

#2 Waukegan

The second most populous city in Lake County, Illinois.

Population85,453
Coordinates42.3636300, -87.8447900
Altitude199
CountryUnited States
Start: Fernald Avenue (-87.782435, 42.040588)
End: North Jackson Street (-87.844706, 42.363629)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 44 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 54m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 41m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 32m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 27m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 23m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 20m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.97 gal
3.66 L · about $3.66
Round trip
$7.32
1.94 gal · 7.32 L
Estimated CO2
8.6 kg one way
Round trip: 17.2 kg / 38 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $3.66 $7.32
Mid-grade $4.25 $4.13 $8.25
Premium $4.65 $4.51 $9.03
Diesel $5.30 $5.14 $10.29

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 Morton Grove and Waukegan. The current time is 07:00:24.

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.