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Trip from Livonia, MI to Crystal Falls, MI

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

9h 31m

Distance

501.4 mi

807 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

2-day trip

Fuel Cost

$78

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 26 min
4 AM
9h 23m ★
6 AM
9h 32m
8 AM
9h 49m
10 AM
9h 38m
12 PM
9h 36m
3 PM
9h 39m
5 PM
9h 48m
8 PM
9h 27m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

city in Wayne County, Michigan, United States

Livonia, MI

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Crystal Falls, MI, MI

Crystal Falls, MI

Abdullah Öğük

Trip Overview

The drive from Livonia, MI to Crystal Falls, MI covers 501.4 miles and takes about 9h 31m behind the wheel. It usually feels better as a 2-day road trip than as one long push.

The route leans on Plymouth Road, Merriman Road, Schoolcraft Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is long-distance drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $78.39 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Best split across 2 days

Treat the return leg as its own travel day rather than an afterthought.

Break Rhythm

2 planned breaks

Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.

Midpoint

250.7 miles from Livonia, MI

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 4h 45m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 2 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

9h 31m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.

Scenic Drive

Long-distance drive route profile.

Drive Character

At 501.4 miles and 9h 31m of driving, this is a route where fuel stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single turn. The main roads are Plymouth Road and Merriman Road.

Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 32 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Plymouth Road is one of the defining roads on this drive.

How Hard Is This Drive?

At 9h 31m, this is a long-haul route where pacing matters more than any single turn. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way.

Driving Effort 4/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

The route itself is not hard, but at 9h 31m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 0 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.

Where does it get tricky?

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Livonia, MI to Crystal Falls, MI is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Plymouth Road
Merriman Road
Schoolcraft Road
I 96 West
Jeffries Freeway
Disabled American Veterans Memorial Highway
US 23 South
US 23 North

Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.

Longest stretch: Plymouth Road — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Livonia, MI and Crystal Falls, MI.

1

Start on the route

75 ft · 6 sec · the route
2

Turn right

89 ft · 9 sec
3

Turn right onto Plymouth Road

151 ft · 11 sec · Plymouth Road
4

Turn left onto Merriman Road

1.0 mi · 1 min · Merriman Road
5

Turn right onto Schoolcraft Road

335 ft · 13 sec · Schoolcraft Road
6

Continue on Schoolcraft Road

0.2 mi · 36 sec · Schoolcraft Road
7

Take the ramp straight toward I 96 West

0.4 mi · 46 sec · I 96 West
8

Merge slight left onto Jeffries Freeway

3.3 mi · 3 min · Jeffries Freeway
9

Take the exit slight right toward I 96 West, I 275 North: Flint, Lansing

0.9 mi · 1 min · I 96 West, I 275 North: Flint, Lansing
10

Merge slight left onto Disabled American Veterans Memorial Highway

23 mi · 24 min · Disabled American Veterans Memorial Highway
11

Take the exit slight right toward US 23 South, US 23 North: Ann Arbor, Spencer Road, Flint

0.2 mi · 12 sec · US 23 South, US 23 North: Ann Arbor, Spencer Road, Flint
12

Keep slight right to continue on US 23 North: Flint

0.7 mi · 55 sec · US 23 North: Flint
13

Merge slight left

79 mi · 1 hr 25 min
14

Keep slight left

63 mi · 1 hr 3 min
15

Keep slight left

118 mi · 2 hr 1 min
16

Take the exit slight right toward US 2: Manistique, Escanaba

0.4 mi · 1 min · US 2: Manistique, Escanaba
17

Merge slight left onto US-2 West

0.7 mi · 1 min · US-2 West
18

Continue on US 2

3.2 mi · 3 min · US 2
19

Continue on US-2 West

133 mi · 2 hr 38 min · US-2 West
20

Turn right onto County Road 426 M.5 Road

0.5 mi · 1 min · County Road 426 M.5 Road
21

Continue on County 426 M.5 Road

0.4 mi · 1 min · County 426 M.5 Road
22

Turn left onto 18th Road

5.8 mi · 7 min · 18th Road
23

Continue on I Road

0.2 mi · 21 sec · I Road
24

Turn right onto 18th Road

2.1 mi · 2 min · 18th Road
25

Continue on G Road

1.0 mi · 1 min · G Road
26

Continue on 17th Road

3.9 mi · 5 min · 17th Road
27

At the end of the road, turn left onto C Road

0.2 mi · 24 sec · C Road
28

Turn right

41 mi · 56 min
29

Continue straight

6.0 mi · 6 min
30

Turn left

13 mi · 19 min
31

Turn right onto North 5th Street

459 ft · 10 sec · North 5th Street
32

Arrive at your destination

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.

Evening Departure

This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.

This drive is better paced as a 2-day trip.
Plan roughly 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 250.7 miles from Livonia, MI, or about 4h 45m into the drive.

Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.

Departure

Before you leave

Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.

First stop

Around 110 miles or 2h 5m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 250.7 miles or 4h 45m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Overnight split

Day 1 wrap after about 250.7 miles or 4h 45m

Stop before fatigue turns the last few hours into a grind. You want day two to start fresh, not just resumed.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 8h 23m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Crystal Falls, MI than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Livonia, MI so your first major turns are already loaded.

+

Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.

+

Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.

+

Pick one backup stop option before the midpoint in case traffic changes your pacing.

+

Treat this as a 2-day road trip and book the overnight stop before the busiest arrival window.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Livonia, MI

Aim for roughly 251 miles and 4.8 hours of wheel time on this day.

Day 2

Finish the approach into Crystal Falls, MI

Aim for roughly 251 miles and 4.8 hours of wheel time on this day.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 110 miles from Livonia, MI.
This route usually feels better as a 2-day drive than as one long push.
Plan about 2 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 250.7 mi from Livonia, MI · 4h 45m into the drive

Downtown Skidway Lake, MI, MI

First major stop

Coffee and fuel

Skidway Lake, MI

165 mi into the route

Best for: Coffee, fuel, and an easy first stretch

This is a natural early stop once the first hours of the drive are behind you.

Downtown McMillan, MI, MI

Second major stop

Overnight candidate

McMillan, MI

331 mi into the route

Best for: Hotel check-in, dinner, and a fresh start

This lines up well with a realistic day-end stop if you are breaking the drive into stages.

Find hotels in McMillan, MI

Overnight Options

Night 1

Boyne City, MI

251 mi · about 4.8h in

A practical overnight split lands near Boyne City, MI after about 251 miles or 4.8 hours of driving.

Find hotels

Pacing Suggestions

Skidway Lake, MI

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 110 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Boyne City, MI

Meal break

The midpoint is around 250.7 miles from Livonia, MI, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Overnight split

Hotel stop

For a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 251 miles or 4.8 hours on the road.

Arriving in Crystal Falls, MI

The final approach into Crystal Falls, MI usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.

Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Crystal Falls, MI.

On a multi-day trip, keep the last day a little lighter so you reach Crystal Falls, MI with some flexibility left in the schedule.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$78.39 one way

$156.78 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 175 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $86.07 $172.13
premium $4.89 $96.49 $192.98
diesel $5.61 $110.70 $221.41

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$78

Hotel (1n)

$80–$140

Meals

$50–$100

Total

$208–$318

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 175.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $53 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 150.4 1 $52.65 $24.07
Efficient EV 125.4 1 $43.87 $20.06
EV Truck/SUV 200.6 2 $70.20 $32.09

Gas CO2

175 kg

EV CO2

59 kg (66% less)

Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.

DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.

Travel Intel

Current conditions at both ends of the drive.

Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Livonia, MI

Morning in Livonia on Friday

Local time

9:47 AM

EDT

Current temp

46°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Crystal Falls, MI

Morning in Crystal Falls on Friday

Local time

8:47 AM

CDT

Current temp

35°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

33°F

McMillan, MI

331 mi in

Seasonal Notes

Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.

Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.

Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.

For long drives, weather on day two can matter just as much as conditions at departure, so check the whole travel window rather than only the first day.

Time zone

1 hour earlier

The destination clock does not match departure time, so double-check hotel check-in windows and late arrival plans.

Temperature spread

11 degrees cooler at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

9h 31m on the road

This is long enough that the arrival forecast matters almost as much as departure conditions. Recheck both ends before you roll.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Livonia, MI to Crystal Falls, MI covers 501.4 miles and takes about 9h 31m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are Plymouth Road, Merriman Road, Schoolcraft Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.

Yes. This route is usually more comfortable as a 2-day drive. A sensible stopping point is after roughly 251 miles on day one.

The midpoint is about 250.7 miles from Livonia, MI. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $78.39 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.

Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour. This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.

Plan about 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.

The route itself is not hard, but at 9h 31m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 0 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Livonia, MI to Crystal Falls, MI is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

The route from Livonia, MI to Crystal Falls, MI does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

How this page is built

Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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