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Trip from South Bend, IN to Fish Lake, IN

Data updated 3 hours ago

Drive Time

38m

Distance

23.1 mi

37 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$4

one way

EV Charging

Excellent

10 DC fast

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 10 min
4 AM
0h 35m ★
6 AM
0h 39m
8 AM
0h 45m
10 AM
0h 41m
12 PM
0h 40m
3 PM
0h 41m
5 PM
0h 45m
8 PM
0h 37m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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city and county seat of St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States of America

South Bend, IN

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Fish Lake, IN, IN

Fish Lake, IN

Alexey Demidov

Trip Overview

The drive from South Bend, IN to Fish Lake, IN covers 23.1 miles and takes about 38m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Pierce Road, Prairie Avenue, Liberty Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 7.5 miles on Pierce Road. At current regular gas prices, budget about $3.61 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Break Rhythm

0 planned breaks

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

11.6 miles from South Bend, IN

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 21m into the drive .

Loading map...

Drive Character

Expect a 38m drive with frequent turns across 23.1 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 14 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Pierce Road is the longest continuous segment at about 7.5 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 early in the drive near SR 933; BUS US 31 / North Michigan Street.

Route Complexity 2/10

Very easy - short and simple to drive

The drive from South Bend, IN to Fish Lake, IN is easy. At 38m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: near the start (SR 933; BUS US 31 / North Michigan Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (SR 933; BUS US 31 / West Marion Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 0.1 miles (SR 933; BUS US 31 / West Marion Street): Navigation decision point.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 5 key points

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

5
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | SR 933; BUS US 31 / North Michigan Street

Turn left onto SR 933; BUS US 31 / North Michigan Street

Navigation decision point

6
0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | SR 933; BUS US 31 / West Marion Street

Enter roundabout onto SR 933; BUS US 31 / West Marion Street toward North Main Street

Roundabout - know your exit number before entering

Toward North Main Street
3
0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | SR 933; BUS US 31 / West Marion Street

Slight right onto SR 933; BUS US 31 / West Marion Street toward North Main Street

Navigation decision point

Toward North Main Street
3
15.6 mi into trip | ~27m in | SR 4 / Pierce Road

Turn right onto SR 4 / Pierce Road

Navigation decision point

4
23.1 mi into trip | ~38m in | South Longshore Drive

Turn left onto South Longshore Drive

Navigation decision point

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Pierce Road 7.5 mi 11m
Prairie Avenue 6.8 mi 11m
Liberty Highway 6.7 mi 9m
Chapin Street 0.8 mi 2m
West Marion Street 0.5 mi 1m
North Main Street 0.4 mi <1m
Charles Martin Sr. Drive 0.3 mi <1m
North Michigan Street <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Pierce Road — 7.5 mi, about 11m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between South Bend, IN and Fish Lake, IN.

1

Start on East Navarre Street

131 ft · 12 sec · East Navarre Street
2

Turn left onto SR 933; BUS US 31

444 ft · 12 sec · North Michigan Street
3

Enter roundabout onto SR 933; BUS US 31

22 ft · 1 sec · West Marion Street
Toward North Main Street
4

Continue on SR 933; BUS US 31

348 ft · 15 sec · West Marion Street
Toward North Main Street
5

Continue on West Marion Street

0.4 mi · 1 min · West Marion Street
6

Continue on Charles Martin Sr. Drive

0.3 mi · 58 sec · Charles Martin Sr. Drive
7

Continue on Chapin Street

0.8 mi · 2 min · Chapin Street
8

Continue on SR 23

6.8 mi · 11 min · Prairie Avenue
9

Continue on SR 23

6.7 mi · 9 min · Liberty Highway
10

Continue on SR 23

0.4 mi · 53 sec · North Main Street
11

Turn right onto SR 4

3.1 mi · 4 min · Pierce Road
12

Continue on SR 4

4.4 mi · 6 min · Pierce Road
13

Turn left onto South Longshore Drive

35 ft · 1 sec · South Longshore Drive
14

Arrive at destination

South Longshore Drive

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.

Evening Departure

Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 11.6 miles from South Bend, IN, or about 21m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 7.5 miles.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

Departure

Before you leave

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

First stop

Around 23.1 miles or 38m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 11.6 miles or 21m in

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

Final approach

Final hour starts around 33m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Fish Lake, IN than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving South Bend, IN 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.

Day 1

Settle into the route from South Bend, IN

This is one driving day of about 23.1 miles and 38m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from South Bend, IN.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.
The longest stretch is on Pierce Road for about 7.5 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 11.6 mi from South Bend, IN · 21m into the drive

Downtown chicago-il

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Chicago, IL

12 mi into the route

Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset

This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.

Pacing Suggestions

Chicago, IL

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 23.1 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Chicago, IL

Meal break

The midpoint is around 11.6 miles from South Bend, IN, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Fish Lake, IN

The final approach into Fish Lake, IN 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 Fish Lake, IN.

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

National Parks Near This Route

Worth a detour if your schedule allows.

Indiana Dunes National Park

Indiana Dunes National Park

National Park

Lake Michigan's might has influenced Indiana Dunes for millennia. Wind and waves have shaped the land, leaving a rich mosaic of habitats along these 15 miles of Indiana coast. Over 50 miles of trails...

29 mi from route ~71 min detour $20 near mile 23.1
Park Closure: Partial Closures to Marquette Greenway Trail and Glenwood Dunes Trail
Park Closure: Mount Baldy Closure
View on nps.gov

Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$3.61 one way

$7.22 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 8 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $3.97 $7.93
premium $4.89 $4.45 $8.89
diesel $5.61 $5.10 $10.20

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$4

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$29–$54

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 8.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

EV Charging Along Route

10 DC fast chargers · Coverage: excellent

Meijer - Tesla Supercharger

Mishawaka, IN

Tesla

12 DCFC

Eddy Street Commons Parking Garage - Tesla Supercharger

South Bend, IN

Tesla

12 DCFC

Granger, IN

Granger, IN

RIVIAN_ADVENTURE

6 DCFC

University Park Mall - Tesla Supercharger

Mishawaka, IN

Tesla

6 DCFC

University Park Mall (Mishawaka, IN)

Mishawaka, IN

Electrify America

4 DCFC

GURLEY LEEP INC AMP UP

Mishawaka, IN

ChargePoint Network

1 DCFC

GL HYU SUB GL HYUNDAI 2

Mishawaka, IN

ChargePoint Network

1 DCFC

GL HYU SUB GL HYUNDAI 1

Mishawaka, IN

ChargePoint Network

1 DCFC

ChargePoint Network: 4 Tesla: 3 Electrify America: 1 RIVIAN_ADVENTURE: 1 Blink Network: 1

Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.

Driving Electric?

About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 6.9 0 $2.43 $1.11
Efficient EV 5.8 0 $2.02 $0.92
EV Truck/SUV 9.2 0 $3.23 $1.48

Gas CO2

8 kg

EV CO2

3 kg (63% 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 data refreshed 5 days ago

Origin

South Bend, IN

Night in South Bend on Tuesday

Local time

10:07 PM

EDT

Current temp

49°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Fish Lake, IN

Night in Fish Lake on Tuesday

Local time

9:07 PM

CDT

Current temp

54°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

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.

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

5 degrees warmer at arrival

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

Road read

38m 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 South Bend, IN to Fish Lake, IN covers 23.1 miles and takes about 38m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Pierce Road, Prairie Avenue, Liberty Highway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 11.6 miles from South Bend, IN. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $3.61 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 South Bend, IN to Fish Lake, IN is easy. At 38m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (SR 933; BUS US 31 / North Michigan Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (SR 933; BUS US 31 / West Marion Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 0.1 miles (SR 933; BUS US 31 / West Marion Street): Navigation decision point.
The route from South Bend, IN to Fish Lake, IN does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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