How far is Mount Carroll, IL from Waukegan, IL?

The driving distance from Mount Carroll, IL to Waukegan, IL is about 127.4 miles (205.1 km), with a travel time of about 03h 15m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 110.7 miles (178.2 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 06h 30m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 8:00 AM CDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
127.46 mi
03h 15m
Flight
110.71 mi
178.17 km direct

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Mount Carroll.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
110.71 mi
Kilometers
178.17 km
Flight Time
00h 13m

Driving Distance

Road route
127.46 mi
Kilometers
205.12 km
Drive Time
03h 15m

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 03h 15m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Waukegan
Wed, Apr 15, 6:43 PM CDT
Return by in Mount Carroll
Wed, Apr 15, 9:58 PM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Mount Carroll
2026-04-15T15:28
Arrive Waukegan
Wed, Apr 15, 6:43 PM CDT
Route Timing
03h 15m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 8:00 AM CDT
Leave early for more breathing room
Arrive between
9:15 AM to 11:15 AM CDT

An early departure helps you fit a real stop into the day without turning the return into a late-night drive.

Leave by
10:30 AM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 04h 00m at the destination.
Back in Mount Carroll
9:00 PM CDT
Early departure recommended

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
Cherry Valley
IL

Township in Winnebago County, Illinois

From Mount Carroll
63.6 mi
01h 37m
To Waukegan
63.9 mi
01h 37m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
73°F
Wednesday

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Wed, Apr 15 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
10 mph SW
Destination
62°F
Overnight

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Wed, Apr 15 12:00 AM CDT
Wind
10 mph SW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Mount Carroll and Waukegan.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Mount Carroll and Waukegan.

  1. 1

    Start on the route

    22 m · 11 sec

  2. 2

    Turn left onto East Benton Street

    1.5 km · 2 min · East Benton Street

  3. 3

    At the end of the road, turn left onto Chambers Road

    6.6 mi · 10 min · Chambers Road

  4. 4

    Turn left onto South Broad Street

    4.2 mi · 6 min · South Broad Street

  5. 5

    Turn right

    10 mi · 15 min

  6. 6

    Turn right

    4 mi · 6 min

  7. 7

    Turn left onto Main Street

    15.6 mi · 23 min · Main Street

  8. 8

    At the end of the road, turn left onto West Blackhawk Drive

    11.9 mi · 18 min · West Blackhawk Drive

  9. 9

    Turn left onto South Main Street

    1.1 km · 1 min · South Main Street

  10. 10

    Take the ramp right

    1618 ft · 39 sec

  11. 11

    Merge slight left onto U.S. Grant Memorial Highway

    7.4 mi · 8 min · U.S. Grant Memorial Highway

  12. 12

    Take the exit slight right toward US 20 East: Belvedere

    1251 ft · 31 sec · U.S. Grant Memorial Highway

  13. 13

    Keep slight right to continue on U.S. Grant Memorial Highway

    13.5 mi · 20 min · U.S. Grant Memorial Highway

  14. 14

    Continue on West Grant Highway

    5 mi · 8 min · West Grant Highway

  15. 15

    Turn left onto South State Street

    2473 ft · 44 sec · South State Street

  16. 16

    Turn right onto Telegraph Street

    9 mi · 13 min · Telegraph Street

  17. 17

    Turn right

    1.4 km · 1 min

  18. 18

    Turn left

    7.1 mi · 12 min

  19. 19

    Turn left

    5.1 mi · 8 min

  20. 20

    Turn right onto Bull Valley Road

    910 ft · 17 sec · Bull Valley Road

  21. 21

    Continue on Charles J Miller Road

    1.2 mi · 2 min · Charles J Miller Road

  22. 22

    At the end of the road, turn left onto South River Road

    1.4 km · 2 min · South River Road

  23. 23

    Continue on Chapel Hill Road

    1.1 km · 58 sec · Chapel Hill Road

  24. 24

    Turn slight right

    63 m · 6 sec

  25. 25

    Turn straight onto West Elm Street

    1.1 mi · 2 min · West Elm Street

  26. 26

    Continue on Rand Road

    1.1 mi · 2 min · Rand Road

  27. 27

    Continue on West Belvidere Road

    10.5 mi · 16 min · West Belvidere Road

  28. 28

    Continue on Belvidere Road

    6.3 mi · 9 min · Belvidere Road

  29. 29

    Continue on Belvidere Street

    1.6 mi · 3 min · Belvidere Street

  30. 30

    Turn left onto Glen Rock Avenue

    2495 ft · 1 min · Glen Rock Avenue

  31. 31

    Turn left onto South Jackson Street

    2647 ft · 1 min · South Jackson Street

  32. 32

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · North Jackson Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Mount Carroll and Waukegan.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Straightforward drive

The saved road route has a manageable number of maneuvers and should be easy to follow with normal attention to signs.

Directions
32 steps
19 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
3
1 merges, 2 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
25.1 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
U.S. Grant Memorial Highway
21 mi · 17%
Main Street
15.6 mi · 12%
West Blackhawk Drive
11.9 mi · 9%
West Belvidere Road
10.5 mi · 8%
Telegraph Street
9 mi · 7%
Chambers Road
6.57 mi · 5%
Longest Stretch

Main Street

Turn left onto Main Street

15.6 mi · 00h 23m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

A longer out-and-back drive

This is still possible in one day, but it becomes a long driving day. Leaving early and planning your stop window matters more here.

Drive Time
03h 15m
Long day trip
Same-Day Return
06h 30m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+16.7 mi
110.7 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Cherry Valley
01h 37m from Mount Carroll
Leave By
10:30 AM CDT
Early departure recommended
Weather Watch

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Showers And Thunderstorms leaving Mount Carroll and Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near Waukegan.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Mount Carroll to Waukegan?

The road trip is about 127.4 miles (205.1 km) and usually takes 03h 15m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This is still possible in one day, but it becomes a long driving day. Leaving early and planning your stop window matters more here.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Cherry Valley is a useful midpoint, sitting about 63.6 miles from Mount Carroll and 63.9 miles from Waukegan.

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

The direct path is about 110.7 miles (178.2 km), while the road route adds roughly 16.7 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 6:00 AM to 8:00 AM CDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 10:30 AM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $16.97 one way or $33.94 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 40 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Showers And Thunderstorms around Mount Carroll and Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near Waukegan.

Stop Ideas Near Cherry Valley

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

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

BUS

Rockford, Illinois

5 mi away
7559 Walton St.
BUS

South Beloit, Illinois

29 mi away
15766 Manchester Road
BUS

Janesville, Wisconsin

54 mi away
3120 North Pontiac Drive
RAIL

Plano

72 mi away
101 West Main Street

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Mount Carroll and Waukegan. Straight-line distance: 110.71 mi (178.17 km).

Mount Carroll

#1 Mount Carroll

City in Illinois

Population1,562
Coordinates42.0950200, -89.9781800
Altitude247
CountryUnited States
Waukegan

#2 Waukegan

The second most populous city in Lake County, Illinois.

Population85,453
Coordinates42.3636300, -87.8447900
Altitude199
CountryUnited States
Start: Mount Carroll (-89.97818, 42.09502)
End: Waukegan (-87.84479, 42.36363)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 205 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)04h 14m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)03h 11m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)02h 32m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)02h 07m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)01h 49m
80 mph (129 km/h)01h 35m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
4.5 gal
17.02 L · about $16.97
Round trip
$33.94
9 gal · 34.04 L
Estimated CO2
40 kg one way
Round trip: 80 kg / 176 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $16.97 $33.94
Mid-grade $4.25 $19.14 $38.28
Premium $4.65 $20.94 $41.89
Diesel $5.30 $23.87 $47.74

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 15, 2026

There is no time difference between Mount Carroll and Waukegan. The current time is 15:28:22.

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.