How far is Rockford, IL from Murphysboro, IL?

The driving distance from Rockford, IL to Murphysboro, IL is about 358.9 miles (577.6 km), with a travel time of about 06h 49m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 311.6 miles (501.5 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 13h 39m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 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
358.92 mi
06h 49m
Flight
311.64 mi
501.53 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Rockford.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
311.64 mi
Kilometers
501.53 km
Flight Time
00h 37m

Driving Distance

Road route
358.92 mi
Kilometers
577.63 km
Drive Time
06h 49m

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 06h 49m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Murphysboro
Thu, Apr 23, 10:57 AM CDT
Return by in Rockford
Thu, Apr 23, 5:46 PM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Rockford
2026-04-23T04:07
Arrive Murphysboro
Thu, Apr 23, 10:57 AM CDT
Route Timing
06h 49m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM CDT
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
12:50 PM to 2:20 PM CDT

Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.

Leave by
10:20 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 08h 00m at the destination.
Back in Rockford
8:00 PM CDT
Overnight-style route

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
Elkhart
IL

Township in Logan County, Illinois

From Rockford
179.6 mi
03h 24m
To Murphysboro
179.3 mi
03h 24m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
79°F
Thursday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Thu, Apr 23 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
10 to 20 mph S
Destination
80°F
Thursday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Thu, Apr 23 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
6 to 15 mph S

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Rockford and Murphysboro.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Rockford and Murphysboro.

  1. 1

    Start on West State Street

    546 ft · 23 sec · West State Street

  2. 2

    Turn left onto South Church Street

    1519 ft · 37 sec · South Church Street

  3. 3

    Turn left onto Cedar Street

    84 m · 5 sec · Cedar Street

  4. 4

    Turn right onto South Main Street

    3.6 mi · 6 min · South Main Street

  5. 5

    Take the ramp left

    1707 ft · 44 sec

  6. 6

    Merge slight left onto U.S. Grant Memorial Highway

    4.3 mi · 5 min · U.S. Grant Memorial Highway

  7. 7

    Take the exit slight right

    1.2 km · 2 min

  8. 8

    Merge slight right

    118.2 mi · 2 hr 7 min

  9. 9

    Keep slight right to continue on I 55 South, US 51 South: Peoria, Champaign, Saint Louis, Decatur

    7.6 mi · 8 min

  10. 10

    Keep slight right to continue on I 55 South: Saint Louis, Springfield

    64.8 mi · 1 hr 10 min

  11. 11

    Keep slight left to continue on I 55 South: Saint Louis

    59 mi · 1 hr 3 min

  12. 12

    Take the exit slight right toward IL 4: Staunton, Lebanon

    1411 ft · 32 sec

  13. 13

    Turn left

    26.6 mi · 39 min

  14. 14

    Turn left

    1605 ft · 39 sec

  15. 15

    Merge slight left

    26.6 mi · 29 min

  16. 16

    Take the exit slight right toward IL 127

    1964 ft · 48 sec

  17. 17

    Turn right

    45.2 mi · 56 min

  18. 18

    Turn right onto Walnut Street

    2911 ft · 1 min · Walnut Street

  19. 19

    Turn right onto North 11th Street

    20 m · 3 sec · North 11th Street

  20. 20

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · North 11th Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Rockford and Murphysboro.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Long-distance drive

This route is long enough that fuel, rest stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single maneuver.

Directions
20 steps
8 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
7
3 merges, 4 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
5.6 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
I 55 South
131 mi · 37%
U.S. Grant Memorial Highway
123 mi · 34%
IL 4
26.9 mi · 7%
South Main Street
3.91 mi · 1%
Walnut Street
0.55 mi
IL 127
0.37 mi
Longest Stretch

U.S. Grant Memorial Highway

Merge slight right

118 mi · 02h 07m

Route Summary

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

Trip Read

Better with a longer stop

This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.

Drive Time
06h 49m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
13h 40m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+47.3 mi
311.6 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Elkhart
03h 24m from Rockford
Leave By
10:20 PM CDT
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny leaving Rockford and Mostly Sunny near Murphysboro.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Rockford to Murphysboro?

The road trip is about 358.9 miles (577.6 km) and usually takes 06h 49m in normal driving conditions.

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

This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Elkhart is a useful midpoint, sitting about 179.6 miles from Rockford and 179.3 miles from Murphysboro.

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

The direct path is about 311.6 miles (501.5 km), while the road route adds roughly 47.3 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 7:30 AM CDT. Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $47.74 one way or $95.48 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 112.5 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Sunny around Rockford and Mostly Sunny near Murphysboro.

Stop Ideas Near Elkhart

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

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

RAIL

Lincoln

17 mi away
Broadway and North Chicago Sts.
RAIL

Springfield station

28 mi away
East Washington and North Third Sts.
RAIL

Uptown Station

69 mi away
100 East Parkinson St.
BUS

Peoria, Illinois

74 mi away
6100 West Everett M. Dirksen Parkway

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Rockford and Murphysboro. Straight-line distance: 311.64 mi (501.53 km).

Rockford

#1 Rockford

The second most populous city in Illinois.

Population144,835
Coordinates42.2711300, -89.0940000
Altitude218
CountryUnited States
Murphysboro

#2 Murphysboro

Town in Illinois

Population7,384
Coordinates37.7645000, -89.3350900
Altitude128
CountryUnited States
Start: Rockford (-89.094, 42.27113)
End: Murphysboro (-89.33509, 37.7645)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 578 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)11h 57m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)08h 58m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)07h 10m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)05h 58m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)05h 07m
80 mph (129 km/h)04h 28m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
12.66 gal
47.94 L · about $47.74
Round trip
$95.48
25.32 gal · 95.88 L
Estimated CO2
112.5 kg one way
Round trip: 225 kg / 496 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $47.74 $95.48
Mid-grade $4.25 $53.84 $107.69
Premium $4.65 $58.92 $117.84
Diesel $5.30 $67.15 $134.30

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 23, 2026

There is no time difference between Rockford and Murphysboro. The current time is 04:07:27.

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.