Origin
Rochester Hills, MI
Late night in Rochester Hills on Sunday
Local time
3:36 AM
EDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Rochester Hills, MI to Walled Lake, MI
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
40m
Distance
23.1 mi
37 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 37m
★
6 AM
0h 41m
8 AM
0h 47m
10 AM
0h 43m
12 PM
0h 42m
3 PM
0h 43m
5 PM
0h 47m
8 PM
0h 38m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Rochester Hills, MI
Wikimedia Commons
Walled Lake, MI
Kevin Carrera
Trip Overview
Rochester Hills to Walled Lake is 23.1 miles and takes about 40 minutes via Pontiac Trail and M 59, with a fuel budget near $4 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a short, straightforward drive within the Midwest, connecting two points in Michigan. Expect a local feel for most of the journey, with a moderate amount of turns. It's a simple trip suitable for a quick errand or a brief scenic detour without requiring an overnight stay.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Pontiac Trail | 4.9 mi | 9m |
| West Square Lake Road | 3.5 mi | 6m |
| M 59 | 3 mi | 3m |
| North Pontiac Trail | 2.1 mi | 4m |
| West Long Lake Road | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| I 75 | 1.6 mi | 1m |
| I 75 BL | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| Middlebelt Road | 1.2 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
Pontiac Trail
— 4.9 mi, about 9m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Rochester Hills, MI and Walled Lake, MI.
1
Start on Dickson Lane
0.2 mi
·
53 sec
·
Dickson Lane
2
At end of road, turn right onto Downhill Lane
378 ft
·
18 sec
·
Downhill Lane
3
Turn right onto Dressler Lane
196 ft
·
14 sec
·
Dressler Lane
4
Turn left onto South Livernois Road
0.3 mi
·
27 sec
·
South Livernois Road
5
Enter roundabout onto West Hamlin Road
17 ft
·
0 sec
·
West Hamlin Road
6
Continue on West Hamlin Road
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
West Hamlin Road
7
Turn left onto Crooks Road
0.4 mi
·
37 sec
·
Crooks Road
8
Take the ramp
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward M 59 West: Pontiac
Use the right lane.
9
Merge onto M 59
3.0 mi
·
3 min
·
M 59
10
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
49 sec
Exit 40A
Toward I 75 South: Detroit
Use the right lane.
11
Merge onto I 75
1.6 mi
·
1 min
·
I 75
12
Take the exit onto BL I 75
0.6 mi
·
41 sec
·
BL I 75
Exit 75
Toward I 75 Business
Use the slight right lane.
13
Continue on I 75 BL
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
I 75 BL
14
Continue on US 24 BUS
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
West Square Lake Road
Use the straight lane.
15
Continue on West Square Lake Road
2.2 mi
·
4 min
·
West Square Lake Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
16
Turn left onto Middlebelt Road
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Middlebelt Road
17
Turn right onto West Long Lake Road
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
West Long Lake Road
18
At end of road, turn left onto Orchard Lake Road
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
·
Orchard Lake Road
Use the left lane.
19
Turn right onto Pontiac Trail
4.9 mi
·
9 min
·
Pontiac Trail
Use the left lane.
20
Enter roundabout onto North Pontiac Trail
211 ft
·
12 sec
·
North Pontiac Trail
21
Continue on North Pontiac Trail
2.1 mi
·
4 min
·
North Pontiac Trail
22
Turn sharp left onto East West Maple Road
110 ft
·
2 sec
·
East West Maple Road
23
Arrive at destination
East West Maple Road
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 165 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 15.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Downhill Lane
At end of road, turn right onto Downhill Lane
Navigation decision point
6
2 mi into trip
|
~4m in
Take the ramp toward M 59 West: Pontiac
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward M 59 West: Pontiac
7
5.5 mi into trip
|
~9m in
Take the exit toward I 75 South: Detroit
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Exit 40A
Toward I 75 South: Detroit
7
7.4 mi into trip
|
~11m in
|
BL I 75
Take the exit onto BL I 75 toward I 75 Business
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 75
Toward I 75 Business
6
15.7 mi into trip
|
~26m in
|
Orchard Lake Road
At end of road, turn left onto Orchard Lake Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
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.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 8.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
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.
Destination
Walled Lake, MI
Late night in Walled Lake on Sunday
Local time
3:36 AM
EDT
Current temp
44°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
3 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
40m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
This route is characterized as a 'turn-heavy local drive,' with only 16% of it on highways. You'll primarily be navigating local roads, with the longest uninterrupted stretch covering 4.9 miles on Pontiac Trail. The drive will involve frequent changes in direction as you follow Pontiac Trail, West Square Lake Road, and M 59. Be prepared for a less direct, more winding path compared to a highway-only trip.
Only 16% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
23 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 4.9 mi on Pontiac Trail.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near Downhill Lane.
Driving Effort
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 16 decision points packed into just 23.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 40m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (Downhill Lane): Navigation decision point; at 2 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 5.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Rochester Hills, MI to Walled Lake, MI, road signs begin pointing toward M 59 West: Pontiac along the way.
M 59 West: Pontiac
2 mi in
|
~4m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 40m. Total distance: 23.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
40m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 4.9 miles on Pontiac Trail. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Walled Lake, MI before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (Downhill Lane): Navigation decision point; at 2 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 5.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Walled Lake, MI before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner 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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