How far is Portage, IN from Howard, IN?

The driving distance from Portage, IN to Howard, IN is about 140.1 miles (225.4 km), with a travel time of about 03h 06m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 115.1 miles (185.3 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 06h 13m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 8:00 AM CST.
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
140.05 mi
03h 06m
Flight
115.15 mi
185.32 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Portage.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
115.15 mi
Kilometers
185.32 km
Flight Time
00h 13m

Driving Distance

Road route
140.05 mi
Kilometers
225.39 km
Drive Time
03h 06m

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 06m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Howard
Sun, Nov 8, 10:43 AM EST
Return by in Portage
Sun, Nov 8, 12:50 PM CST
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Portage
2026-11-08T06:37
Arrive Howard
Sun, Nov 8, 9:43 AM CST
Route Timing
03h 06m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 8:00 AM CST
Leave early for more breathing room
Arrive between
10:07 AM to 12:07 PM EST

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

Leave by
10:46 AM CST
Keeps a same-day return open with about 04h 00m at the destination.
Back in Portage
9:00 PM CST
Early departure recommended

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
Kentland
IN

City in Newton County, Indiana, United States of America

From Portage
70 mi
01h 33m
To Howard
70 mi
01h 33m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
57°F
Sunday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Sun, Nov 8 6:00 AM CST
Wind
10 to 15 mph WSW
Destination
29°F
Overnight

Patchy Fog

Starts
Sun, Nov 8 1:00 AM EST
Wind
0 to 3 mph SW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Portage and Howard.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Portage and Howard.

  1. 1

    Start on Central Avenue

    1861 ft · 53 sec · Central Avenue

  2. 2

    Turn right onto Willowcreek Road

    2930 ft · 1 min · Willowcreek Road

  3. 3

    Take the ramp slight right toward I 80, I 90

    132 m · 12 sec

  4. 4

    Keep slight right

    673 ft · 16 sec

  5. 5

    Continue straight

    1945 ft · 47 sec

  6. 6

    Merge slight left onto Indiana Toll Road

    2.6 mi · 3 min · Indiana Toll Road

  7. 7

    Take the exit slight right toward I 80 West, I 94, US 6: Des Moines

    3216 ft · 1 min

  8. 8

    Keep slight right to continue on I 94 West, I 80 West, SR 51, US 6 East

    543 ft · 13 sec

  9. 9

    Keep slight left to continue on I 94 West, I 80 West

    2.9 mi · 4 min

  10. 10

    Take the exit slight right toward I 65: Gary, Toll Road, Indianapolis

    1 km · 52 sec

  11. 11

    Keep slight left to continue on I 65 South, I 80 West, I 94 West, US 6 West: Indianapolis, Chicago

    618 ft · 10 sec

  12. 12

    Keep slight left to continue on I 65 South: Indianapolis

    2686 ft · 60 sec

  13. 13

    Merge slight left onto Casimir Pulaski Memorial Highway

    38.5 mi · 43 min · Casimir Pulaski Memorial Highway

  14. 14

    Take the exit slight right toward SR 14: Winamac

    2432 ft · 46 sec

  15. 15

    Turn right onto State Road 14

    9.2 mi · 13 min · State Road 14

  16. 16

    Turn left

    25.5 mi · 33 min

  17. 17

    Keep slight left

    21.6 mi · 27 min

  18. 18

    Continue straight

    29.8 mi · 38 min

  19. 19

    Turn left onto County Road 480 North

    2.4 mi · 4 min · County Road 480 North

  20. 20

    Turn right

    100 m · 16 sec

  21. 21

    At the end of the road, turn right onto North Monroe Street

    608 ft · 31 sec · North Monroe Street

  22. 22

    At the end of the road, turn left onto Perry Street

    93 m · 13 sec · Perry Street

  23. 23

    Continue on County Road 1200N

    1.5 km · 4 min · County Road 1200N

  24. 24

    Continue on County Road 1200N

    46 m · 7 sec · County Road 1200N

  25. 25

    Continue on County Road 790W

    2548 ft · 2 min · County Road 790W

  26. 26

    Turn left onto County Road 249

    626 ft · 27 sec · County Road 249

  27. 27

    Continue on County Road 780W

    1296 ft · 57 sec · County Road 780W

  28. 28

    Continue on County Road 1125N

    1345 ft · 1 min · County Road 1125N

  29. 29

    Turn right onto Melon Road

    1 mi · 4 min · Melon Road

  30. 30

    Continue on County Road 249

    527 ft · 25 sec · County Road 249

  31. 31

    Turn right

    876 ft · 40 sec

  32. 32

    At the end of the road, turn right onto County Road 1025N

    128 m · 18 sec · County Road 1025N

  33. 33

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · County Road 1025N

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Portage and Howard.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Interchange-aware route

The drive includes several ramps, exits, or merges, so checking the next few maneuvers before busy interchanges is useful.

Directions
33 steps
11 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
6
2 merges, 4 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
23.6 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
State Road 14
60.5 mi · 43%
Casimir Pulaski Memorial Highway
38.5 mi · 27%
I 94 West
3.04 mi · 2%
Indiana Toll Road
2.55 mi · 2%
County Road 480 North
2.44 mi · 2%
Melon Road
1.02 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

Casimir Pulaski Memorial Highway

Merge slight left onto Casimir Pulaski Memorial Highway

38.5 mi · 00h 43m

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 06m
Long day trip
Same-Day Return
06h 14m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+25 mi
115.1 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Kentland
01h 33m from Portage
Leave By
10:46 AM CST
Early departure recommended
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny leaving Portage and Patchy Fog near Howard.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Portage to Howard?

The road trip is about 140.1 miles (225.4 km) and usually takes 03h 06m 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?

Kentland is a useful midpoint, sitting about 70 miles from Portage and 70 miles from Howard.

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

The direct path is about 115.1 miles (185.3 km), while the road route adds roughly 25 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 CST. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 10:46 AM CST.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $18.18 one way or $36.37 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 43.9 kg one way.

Do you cross a time zone on this route?

Yes. There is about a 1 hour time difference between Portage and Howard, so arrival and return times should be read in local time.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Sunny around Portage and Patchy Fog near Howard.

Stop Ideas Near Kentland

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

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

RAIL

Rensselaer

31 mi away
619 North Cullen Street
RAIL

Gilman

46 mi away
US Hwy 24 & West Wenona St.
RAIL

Kankakee

52 mi away
199 South East Ave.
RAIL

Lafayette station

61 mi away
200 North 2nd St.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Portage and Howard. Straight-line distance: 115.15 mi (185.32 km).

Portage

#1 Portage

The second most populous city in Porter County, Indiana.

Population90,543
Coordinates41.5758700, -87.1761500
Altitude194
CountryUnited States
Howard

#2 Howard

Unincorporated town in Liberty Township, Parke County, Indiana, USA

Population340
Coordinates39.9161500, -87.3755700
Altitude169
CountryUnited States
Start: Portage (-87.17615, 41.57587)
End: Howard (-87.37557, 39.91615)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 225 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)04h 39m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)03h 30m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)02h 48m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)02h 20m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)02h 00m
80 mph (129 km/h)01h 44m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
4.94 gal
18.71 L · about $18.18
Round trip
$36.37
9.88 gal · 37.42 L
Estimated CO2
43.9 kg one way
Round trip: 87.8 kg / 194 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.68 $18.18 $36.37
Mid-grade $4.29 $21.19 $42.39
Premium $4.82 $23.80 $47.60
Diesel $6.68 $33.00 $66.01

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 Indiana · Nov 07, 2026

Please keep in mind that there is a 1 hour time gap between Portage, IN and Howard, IN. The current time in Portage is 06:37:11, although it is 07:37:11 in Howard.

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.