How far is Chief Lake, MI from Arcadia, MI?

The driving distance from Chief Lake, MI to Arcadia, MI is about 15.8 miles (25.4 km), with a travel time of about 00h 28m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 11.9 miles (19.1 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 00h 57m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT.
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
15.76 mi
00h 28m
Flight
11.85 mi
19.07 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Chief Lake.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
11.85 mi
Kilometers
19.07 km
Flight Time
00h 01m

Driving Distance

Road route
15.76 mi
Kilometers
25.36 km
Drive Time
00h 28m

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 28m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Arcadia
Thu, Apr 23, 3:25 AM EDT
Return by in Chief Lake
Thu, Apr 23, 3:54 AM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Chief Lake
2026-04-23T02:56
Arrive Arcadia
Thu, Apr 23, 3:25 AM EDT
Route Timing
00h 28m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:29 AM to 7:29 PM EDT

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 EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Chief Lake
10:00 PM EDT
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
Onekama
MI

Township in Manistee County, Michigan

From Chief Lake
8.8 mi
00h 14m
To Arcadia
6.9 mi
00h 14m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
72°F
Thursday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Thu, Apr 23 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
5 to 10 mph S
Destination
Arcadia Weather
MI
Live fallback forecast
63°F
Thursday
Using Manistee as the closest live forecast in the Manistee County weather hub.

Partly Sunny

Starts
Thu, Apr 23 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
15 to 20 mph S

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Chief Lake and Arcadia.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Chief Lake and Arcadia.

  1. 1

    Start on Chief Road

    1.6 mi · 4 min · Chief Road

  2. 2

    Turn left onto Nine Mile Road

    3 mi · 5 min · Nine Mile Road

  3. 3

    Turn left onto Chippewa Highway

    1.6 km · 1 min · Chippewa Highway

  4. 4

    Turn right onto Eight Mile Road

    1.5 mi · 3 min · Eight Mile Road

  5. 5

    At the end of the road, turn right onto 1st Street

    121 m · 12 sec · 1st Street

  6. 6

    Turn left onto Main Street

    1.4 mi · 3 min · Main Street

  7. 7

    Continue on Northwood Highway

    8.8 mi · 12 min · Northwood Highway

  8. 8

    Continue on 6th Street

    1646 ft · 38 sec · 6th Street

  9. 9

    Turn right onto Glovers Lake Road

    18 m · 1 sec · Glovers Lake Road

  10. 10

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Glovers Lake Road

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Chief Lake and Arcadia.

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
10 steps
6 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
0
0 merges, 0 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
63.3 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Northwood Highway
8.81 mi · 56%
Nine Mile Road
2.98 mi · 19%
Chief Road
1.65 mi · 10%
Eight Mile Road
1.52 mi · 10%
Main Street
1.37 mi · 9%
Chippewa Highway
1 mi · 6%
Longest Stretch

Northwood Highway

Continue on Northwood Highway

8.81 mi · 00h 12m

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 28m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
00h 58m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+3.9 mi
11.9 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Onekama
00h 14m from Chief Lake
Leave By
7:32 PM EDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny leaving Chief Lake and Partly Sunny near Arcadia.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Chief Lake to Arcadia?

The road trip is about 15.8 miles (25.4 km) and usually takes 00h 28m 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?

Onekama is a useful midpoint, sitting about 8.8 miles from Chief Lake and 6.9 miles from Arcadia.

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

The direct path is about 11.9 miles (19.1 km), while the road route adds roughly 3.9 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 EDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 7:32 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $2.07 one way or $4.15 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 4.9 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Sunny around Chief Lake and Partly Sunny near Arcadia.

Stop Ideas Near Onekama

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

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

BUS

Kingsley, Michigan

58 mi away
119 E. Main St.
BUS

Cadillac, Michigan

64 mi away
1202 North Mitchell St.
BUS

Traverse City, Michigan

64 mi away
107 Hall Street
BUS

Manton, Michigan

66 mi away
Junction U.S. 131 & M-42

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Chief Lake and Arcadia. Straight-line distance: 11.85 mi (19.07 km).

Photo coming soon

#1 Chief Lake

Chief Lake is a place in Michigan, United States.

Population0
Coordinates44.3486100, -86.1023100
Altitude234
CountryUnited States
Photo coming soon

#2 Arcadia

Unincorporated community in Manistee County, Michigan

Population635
Coordinates44.4930600, -86.2317600
Altitude181
CountryUnited States
Start: Coe Road (-86.102309, 44.348641)
End: Glovers Lake Road (-86.231757, 44.493221)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 25 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 31m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 23m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 18m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 15m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 13m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 11m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.55 gal
2.1 L · about $2.07
Round trip
$4.15
1.1 gal · 4.2 L
Estimated CO2
4.9 kg one way
Round trip: 9.8 kg / 22 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $2.07 $4.15
Mid-grade $4.25 $2.34 $4.68
Premium $4.65 $2.56 $5.12
Diesel $5.30 $2.92 $5.83

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 Michigan · Apr 23, 2026

There is no time difference between Chief Lake and Arcadia. The current time is 02:56:58.

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.