Skip to main content

Trip from Marilla, MI to Chief Lake, MI

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

Drive Time

23m

Distance

12.9 mi

21 km

Drive Score

5/10

Practical drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$2

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 6 min
4 AM
0h 22m ★
6 AM
0h 24m
8 AM
0h 28m
10 AM
0h 25m
12 PM
0h 25m
3 PM
0h 25m
5 PM
0h 28m
8 PM
0h 23m

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

Downtown Marilla, MI, MI

Marilla, MI

Ever Rayan

Downtown Chief Lake, MI, MI

Chief Lake, MI

Enric Cruz López

Trip Overview

Marilla to Chief Lake is 12.9 miles and takes about 23 minutes via Nine Mile Road and Chief Road, with a fuel budget near $2 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short drive stays within Michigan, making it a convenient local trip. Expect a turn-heavy experience on local roads, characteristic of many Midwest drives. Given its brief duration, this route is perfect for a relaxed, same-day excursion with plenty of time for spontaneous stops.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 23m. Total distance: 12.9 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

23m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.

Scenic Drive

Turn-heavy local drive route profile.

Drive Character

This route is characterized as a turn-heavy local drive, with no highway time at all. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 11 miles along Nine Mile Road. As you navigate, you'll primarily use Nine Mile Road, Chief Road, and Marilla Road, experiencing a more intimate connection with the landscape rather than high-speed travel. The lack of highway share means you'll be on roads that may require more attention to turns and local conditions.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 4 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Nine Mile Road is the longest continuous segment at about 11 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes around 0.3 miles in near CR 598 / Nine Mile Road.

Driving Effort 1/10

Very easy - short and simple to drive

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

The drive from Marilla, MI to Chief Lake, MI is easy. At 23m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 0.3 miles (CR 598 / Nine Mile Road): Navigation decision point; at 11.2 miles (Chief Road): Navigation decision point.

Critical Maneuvers

2 of 2 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

4
0.3 mi into trip | ~0m in | CR 598 / Nine Mile Road

Turn right onto CR 598 / Nine Mile Road

Navigation decision point

4
11.2 mi into trip | ~19m in | Chief Road

Turn left onto Chief Road

Navigation decision point

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Nine Mile Road 11 mi 19m
Chief Road 1.6 mi 3m
Marilla Road 0.3 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Nine Mile Road — 11 mi, about 19m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Marilla, MI and Chief Lake, MI.

1

Start on CR 598

0.3 mi · 28 sec · Marilla Road
2

Turn right onto CR 598

11 mi · 19 min · Nine Mile Road
3

Turn left onto Chief Road

1.6 mi · 3 min · Chief Road
4

Arrive at destination

Chief Road

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$2.02 one way

$4.03 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 5 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $2.21 $4.43
premium $4.89 $2.48 $4.96
diesel $5.61 $2.85 $5.70

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$2

Estimated CO2 emission: 4.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 3.9 0 $1.35 $0.62
Efficient EV 3.2 0 $1.13 $0.52
EV Truck/SUV 5.2 0 $1.81 $0.83

Gas CO2

5 kg

EV CO2

2 kg (60% less)

This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.

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 16, 2026

Origin

Marilla, MI

Afternoon in Marilla on Friday

Local time

4:31 PM

EDT

Current temp

57°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Chief Lake, MI

Afternoon in Chief Lake on Friday

Local time

4:31 PM

EDT

Current temp

56°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Time zone

Same local time

Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.

Temperature spread

1 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

23m on the road

Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.

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

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Marilla, MI to Chief Lake, MI covers 12.9 miles and takes about 23m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are Nine Mile Road, Chief Road, Marilla Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 6.4 miles from Marilla, MI. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $2.02 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

The drive from Marilla, MI to Chief Lake, MI is easy. At 23m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

The main spots that need attention: at 0.3 miles (CR 598 / Nine Mile Road): Navigation decision point; at 11.2 miles (Chief Road): Navigation decision point.

The route from Marilla, MI to Chief Lake, 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.

Was this helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!

/500

Explore More

Explore more options from Marilla, MI or browse trips ending in Chief Lake, MI.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse MI road trips.