How far is Wanatah, IN from Portage, IN?

The driving distance from Wanatah, IN to Portage, IN is about 22.8 miles (36.7 km), with a travel time of about 00h 30m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 17.5 miles (28.2 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 00m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM CST.
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
22.83 mi
00h 30m
Flight
17.53 mi
28.21 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Wanatah.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
17.53 mi
Kilometers
28.21 km
Flight Time
00h 02m

Driving Distance

Road route
22.83 mi
Kilometers
36.74 km
Drive Time
00h 30m

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 30m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Portage
Tue, Nov 10, 4:52 AM CST
Return by in Wanatah
Tue, Nov 10, 5:23 AM CST
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Wanatah
2026-11-10T04:22
Arrive Portage
Tue, Nov 10, 4:52 AM CST
Route Timing
00h 30m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM CST
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:30 AM to 7:30 PM CST

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

Leave by
7:30 PM CST
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Wanatah
10:00 PM CST
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
Valparaiso
IN

Town in Porter County, Indiana, United States

From Wanatah
12.3 mi
00h 15m
To Portage
10.5 mi
00h 15m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
60°F
Tuesday

Sunny

Starts
Tue, Nov 10 5:00 AM CST
Wind
5 mph NW
Destination
57°F
Tuesday

Sunny

Starts
Tue, Nov 10 6:00 AM CST
Wind
0 to 5 mph NW

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

  1. 1

    Start on West Cross Street

    38 m · 7 sec · West Cross Street

  2. 2

    Turn right onto North Illinois Street

    1181 ft · 54 sec · North Illinois Street

  3. 3

    At the end of the road, turn left onto Lincoln Highway

    6.6 mi · 9 min · Lincoln Highway

  4. 4

    Take the exit slight right toward SR 49 North, SR 2 East: Valparaiso, Chesterton

    9.2 mi · 13 min

  5. 5

    Turn left onto I 80, I 90: Toll Road

    120 m · 10 sec

  6. 6

    Continue straight

    757 ft · 18 sec

  7. 7

    Continue on I 80, I 90: Toll Road

    125 m · 10 sec

  8. 8

    Keep slight right to continue on I 80 West, I 90 West: Chicago

    1246 ft · 31 sec

  9. 9

    Merge slight left onto Indiana Toll Road

    6.5 mi · 8 min · Indiana Toll Road

  10. 10

    Take the exit slight right toward Portage

    3121 ft · 1 min

  11. 11

    Keep slight left

    47 m · 11 sec

  12. 12

    Turn left onto Willowcreek Road

    3071 ft · 1 min · Willowcreek Road

  13. 13

    Turn left onto Central Avenue

    1906 ft · 50 sec · Central Avenue

  14. 14

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Central Avenue

Car Route Details

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

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
14 steps
5 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
3
1 merges, 2 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
61.4 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
SR 49 North
9.22 mi · 40%
Indiana Toll Road
7.15 mi · 31%
Lincoln Highway
6.61 mi · 29%
Willowcreek Road
0.58 mi · 3%
Central Avenue
0.36 mi · 2%
I 80
0.3 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

SR 49 North

Take the exit slight right toward SR 49 North, SR 2 East: Valparaiso, Chesterton

9.22 mi · 00h 13m

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 30m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
01h 00m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+5.3 mi
17.5 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Valparaiso
00h 15m from Wanatah
Leave By
7:30 PM CST
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving Wanatah and Sunny near Portage.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

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

The road trip is about 22.8 miles (36.7 km) and usually takes 00h 30m 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?

Valparaiso is a useful midpoint, sitting about 12.3 miles from Wanatah and 10.5 miles from Portage.

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

The direct path is about 17.5 miles (28.2 km), while the road route adds roughly 5.3 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 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM CST. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 7:30 PM CST.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $2.93 one way or $5.87 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 7.2 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Sunny around Wanatah and Sunny near Portage.

Stop Ideas Near Valparaiso

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

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

BUS

Gary, IN

27 mi away
100 West 4th Avenue
RAIL

Michigan City

30 mi away
100 Washington St.
RAIL

Dyer station

38 mi away
913 Sheffield Avenue
RAIL

New Buffalo, Michigan

44 mi away
517 South Whittaker Street

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Wanatah and Portage. Straight-line distance: 17.53 mi (28.21 km).

Photo coming soon

#1 Wanatah

Human settlement in LaPorte County, Indiana, United States of America

Population999
Coordinates41.4306000, -86.8983600
Altitude223
CountryUnited States
Portage

#2 Portage

The second most populous city in Porter County, Indiana.

Population90,543
Coordinates41.5758700, -87.1761500
Altitude194
CountryUnited States
Start: West Cross Street (-86.898332, 41.430696)
End: Central Avenue (-87.17615, 41.575874)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 37 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 45m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 34m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 27m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 22m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 19m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 17m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.81 gal
3.05 L · about $2.93
Round trip
$5.87
1.62 gal · 6.1 L
Estimated CO2
7.2 kg one way
Round trip: 14.4 kg / 32 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.62 $2.93 $5.87
Mid-grade $4.22 $3.42 $6.84
Premium $4.76 $3.85 $7.71
Diesel $6.63 $5.37 $10.75

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 09, 2026

There is no time difference between Wanatah and Portage. The current time is 04:22:43.

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.