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

The driving distance from Chief Lake, MI to Manistee, MI is about 16.2 miles (26 km), with a travel time of about 00h 21m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 13.1 miles (21.1 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 00h 43m 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
16.16 mi
00h 21m
Flight
13.12 mi
21.12 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Chief Lake.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
13.12 mi
Kilometers
21.12 km
Flight Time
00h 01m

Driving Distance

Road route
16.16 mi
Kilometers
26.01 km
Drive Time
00h 21m

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 21m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Manistee
Thu, Apr 23, 1:45 AM EDT
Return by in Chief Lake
Thu, Apr 23, 2:06 AM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Chief Lake
2026-04-23T01:23
Arrive Manistee
Thu, Apr 23, 1:45 AM EDT
Route Timing
00h 21m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:22 AM to 7:22 PM EDT

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

Leave by
7:46 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
8.9 mi
00h 10m
To Manistee
7.2 mi
00h 10m

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
63°F
Thursday

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 Manistee.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

  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

    7.8 mi · 11 min · Chippewa Highway

  4. 4

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward Chippewa Highway

    53 m · 3 sec · Chippewa Highway

  5. 5

    Exit the roundabout onto Chippewa Highway

    1.6 km · 1 min · Chippewa Highway

  6. 6

    Continue on East Parkdale Avenue

    2.4 mi · 3 min · East Parkdale Avenue

  7. 7

    Continue on West Parkdale Road

    1 km · 1 min · West Parkdale Road

  8. 8

    Continue on Arthur Street

    1 km · 1 min · Arthur Street

  9. 9

    Continue on Cleveland Street

    1502 ft · 35 sec · Cleveland Street

  10. 10

    Turn right onto Memorial Drive

    1182 ft · 46 sec · Memorial Drive

  11. 11

    Turn left onto Washington Street

    123 m · 14 sec · Washington Street

  12. 12

    Continue on Maple Street

    1395 ft · 50 sec · Maple Street

  13. 13

    Turn right

    27 m · 7 sec

  14. 14

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec

Car Route Details

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

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
7 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
2
0 merges, 2 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
86.4 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Chippewa Highway
8.81 mi · 55%
Nine Mile Road
2.98 mi · 18%
East Parkdale Avenue
2.41 mi · 15%
Chief Road
1.65 mi · 10%
Arthur Street
0.63 mi · 4%
West Parkdale Road
0.62 mi · 4%
Longest Stretch

Chippewa Highway

Turn left onto Chippewa Highway

7.81 mi · 00h 11m

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 21m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
00h 44m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+3.1 mi
13.1 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Onekama
00h 10m from Chief Lake
Leave By
7:46 PM EDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny leaving Chief Lake and Partly Sunny near Manistee.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

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

The road trip is about 16.2 miles (26 km) and usually takes 00h 21m 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 8.9 miles from Chief Lake and 7.2 miles from Manistee.

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

The direct path is about 13.1 miles (21.1 km), while the road route adds roughly 3.1 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 7:46 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $2.15 one way or $4.30 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 5.1 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

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

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 Manistee. Straight-line distance: 13.12 mi (21.12 km).

Photo coming soon

#1 Chief Lake

Chief Lake is a place in Michigan, United States.

Population0
Coordinates44.3486100, -86.1023100
Altitude234
CountryUnited States
Manistee

#2 Manistee

City in Michigan, United States

Population6,163
Coordinates44.2444500, -86.3242500
Altitude200
CountryUnited States
Start: Coe Road (-86.102309, 44.348641)
End: (-86.324243, 44.244583)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 26 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 32m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 24m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 19m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 16m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 13m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 12m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.57 gal
2.16 L · about $2.15
Round trip
$4.30
1.14 gal · 4.32 L
Estimated CO2
5.1 kg one way
Round trip: 10.1 kg / 22 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $2.15 $4.30
Mid-grade $4.25 $2.42 $4.85
Premium $4.65 $2.65 $5.31
Diesel $5.30 $3.02 $6.05

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 Manistee. The current time is 01:23:22.

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.