How far is Oak Forest, IL from Joliet, IL?

The driving distance from Oak Forest, IL to Joliet, IL is about 23.5 miles (37.8 km), with a travel time of about 00h 29m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 18.3 miles (29.5 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 00h 58m 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
23.5 mi
00h 29m
Flight
18.35 mi
29.53 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Oak Forest.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
18.35 mi
Kilometers
29.53 km
Flight Time
00h 02m

Driving Distance

Road route
23.5 mi
Kilometers
37.82 km
Drive Time
00h 29m

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 29m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Joliet
Fri, Apr 24, 2:33 AM CDT
Return by in Oak Forest
Fri, Apr 24, 3:02 AM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Oak Forest
2026-04-24T02:03
Arrive Joliet
Fri, Apr 24, 2:33 AM CDT
Route Timing
00h 29m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM CDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:29 AM to 7:29 PM CDT

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

Leave by
7:32 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Oak Forest
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
Mokena
IL

City in Illinois, United States of America

From Oak Forest
11.6 mi
00h 14m
To Joliet
11.9 mi
00h 14m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
73°F
Friday

Showers And Thunderstorms Likely

Starts
Fri, Apr 24 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
15 mph SW
Destination
74°F
Friday

Showers And Thunderstorms Likely

Starts
Fri, Apr 24 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
15 mph WSW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Oak Forest and Joliet.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Oak Forest and Joliet.

  1. 1

    Start on the route

    36 m · 11 sec

  2. 2

    Turn uturn onto West 159th Street

    2203 ft · 47 sec · West 159th Street

  3. 3

    Turn right onto Cicero Avenue

    1 mi · 2 min · Cicero Avenue

  4. 4

    Turn left onto 167th Street

    855 ft · 26 sec · 167th Street

  5. 5

    Take the ramp slight right toward I 57 South: Kankakee, I-80

    3048 ft · 1 min

  6. 6

    Merge slight left

    1.6 km · 1 min

  7. 7

    Take the exit slight right toward I 80 West: Iowa

    2386 ft · 45 sec

  8. 8

    Merge slight left

    18 mi · 22 min

  9. 9

    Take the exit slight right toward Richards Street

    787 ft · 19 sec

  10. 10

    Keep slight right

    81 m · 6 sec

  11. 11

    Turn straight onto Richards Street

    1106 ft · 38 sec · Richards Street

  12. 12

    Turn left onto 4th Avenue

    1927 ft · 1 min · 4th Avenue

  13. 13

    Turn sharp right onto South Chicago Street

    2401 ft · 1 min · South Chicago Street

  14. 14

    Keep slight right to continue on Chicago Street

    83 m · 13 sec · Chicago Street

  15. 15

    Turn left onto West Washington Street

    771 ft · 25 sec · West Washington Street

  16. 16

    Turn right onto Joliet Street

    158 m · 18 sec · Joliet Street

  17. 17

    Turn right

    83 m · 20 sec

  18. 18

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Oak Forest and Joliet.

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
18 steps
9 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
5
2 merges, 3 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
76.6 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
I 80 West
18.4 mi · 78%
I 57 South
1.58 mi · 7%
Cicero Avenue
1 mi · 4%
South Chicago Street
0.45 mi · 2%
West 159th Street
0.42 mi · 2%
Richards Street
0.41 mi · 2%
Longest Stretch

I 80 West

Merge slight left

18 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 29m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
00h 58m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+5.2 mi
18.3 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Mokena
00h 14m from Oak Forest
Leave By
7:32 PM CDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Showers And Thunderstorms Likely leaving Oak Forest and Showers And Thunderstorms Likely near Joliet.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Oak Forest to Joliet?

The road trip is about 23.5 miles (37.8 km) and usually takes 00h 29m 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?

Mokena is a useful midpoint, sitting about 11.6 miles from Oak Forest and 11.9 miles from Joliet.

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 5.2 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 7:32 PM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $3.13 one way or $6.26 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 7.4 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Showers And Thunderstorms Likely around Oak Forest and Showers And Thunderstorms Likely near Joliet.

Stop Ideas Near Mokena

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

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

RAIL

Joliet Transportation Center

16 mi away
50 East Jefferson Street
RAIL

Homewood

19 mi away
18015 Park Ave.
RAIL

Summit

30 mi away
Archer Ave. and South Center Ave.
RAIL

Dyer station

31 mi away
913 Sheffield Avenue

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Oak Forest and Joliet. Straight-line distance: 18.35 mi (29.53 km).

Oak Forest

#1 Oak Forest

City in Cook County, Illinois

Population26,884
Coordinates41.6028100, -87.7439400
Altitude205
CountryUnited States
Joliet

#2 Joliet

The second most populous city in Will County, Illinois.

Population85,583
Coordinates41.5251900, -88.0834000
Altitude165
CountryUnited States
Start: Le Claire Avenue (-87.743806, 41.602816)
End: (-88.083409, 41.525419)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 38 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 46m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 35m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 28m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 23m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 20m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 17m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.83 gal
3.14 L · about $3.13
Round trip
$6.26
1.66 gal · 6.28 L
Estimated CO2
7.4 kg one way
Round trip: 14.8 kg / 33 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $3.13 $6.26
Mid-grade $4.25 $3.53 $7.06
Premium $4.65 $3.86 $7.73
Diesel $5.30 $4.40 $8.80

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 24, 2026

There is no time difference between Oak Forest and Joliet. The current time is 02:03:58.

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.