Origin
Sterling Heights, MI
Afternoon in Sterling Heights on Sunday
Local time
4:22 PM
EDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Sterling Heights, MI to Sylvan 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
30m
Distance
19.8 mi
32 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 28m
★
6 AM
0h 30m
8 AM
0h 36m
10 AM
0h 32m
12 PM
0h 32m
3 PM
0h 32m
5 PM
0h 35m
8 PM
0h 29m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Sterling Heights, MI
fish socks
Trip Overview
Sterling Heights to Sylvan Lake is 19.8 miles and takes about 30 minutes via Walter P. Chrysler Freeway and East Big Beaver Road, with a fuel budget near $3 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within Michigan, connecting two points in the Midwest region. It's a straightforward drive, mostly on well-maintained roads, making it ideal for a quick local excursion. Plan for a drive that's easy to manage, with no need for overnight stays, allowing you to reach your destination with plenty of time to spare.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Walter P. Chrysler Freeway | 5.6 mi | 5m |
| East Big Beaver Road | 3.4 mi | 5m |
| I 75 BL | 2.4 mi | 3m |
| 17 Mile Road | 2 mi | 3m |
| South Telegraph Road | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| West Square Lake Road | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| Ryan Road | 1 mi | 1m |
| Metropolitan Parkway | 1 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Walter P. Chrysler Freeway
— 5.6 mi, about 5m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Sterling Heights, MI and Sylvan Lake, MI.
1
Start on 17 Mile Road
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
17 Mile Road
2
Turn left onto Ryan Road
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Ryan Road
3
Turn right onto Metropolitan Parkway
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Metropolitan Parkway
Use the right lane.
4
Continue on East Big Beaver Road
3.4 mi
·
5 min
·
East Big Beaver Road
5
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
Toward I 75 North: Flint
Use the right lane.
6
Merge onto I 75
5.6 mi
·
5 min
·
Walter P. Chrysler Freeway
7
Take the exit onto I 75 BL
2.4 mi
·
3 min
·
I 75 BL
Exit 75
Toward I 75 Business: Square Lake Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on US 24 BUS
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
West Square Lake Road
Use the straight lane.
9
Merge onto US 24
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
South Telegraph Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
11
Continue on Old Telegraph Road
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
·
Old Telegraph Road
12
Turn left onto Orchard Lake Road
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Orchard Lake Road
Use the left lane.
13
Arrive at destination
Orchard Lake Road
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 85 decision points cluster between mile 3 and 19 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
3 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
Metropolitan Parkway
Turn right onto Metropolitan Parkway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
7.4 mi into trip
|
~12m in
Take the ramp toward I 75 North: Flint
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward I 75 North: Flint
7
13.4 mi into trip
|
~19m in
|
I 75 BL
Take the exit onto I 75 BL toward I 75 Business: Square Lake Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 75
Toward I 75 Business: Square Lake Road
5
17.1 mi into trip
|
~25m in
|
US 24 / South Telegraph Road
Merge onto US 24 / South Telegraph Road
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
19 mi into trip
|
~28m in
|
Orchard Lake Road
Turn left onto Orchard Lake Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.10 one way
$6.19 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
7 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $3.40 | $6.80 |
| premium | $4.89 | $3.81 | $7.62 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.37 | $8.74 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 71% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.9 | 0 | $2.08 | $0.95 |
| Efficient EV | 5 | 0 | $1.73 | $0.79 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 7.9 | 0 | $2.77 | $1.27 |
Gas CO2
7 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (71% 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
Sylvan Lake, MI
Afternoon in Sylvan Lake on Sunday
Local time
4:22 PM
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
24 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
30m 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 drive offers a mixed experience, with about 45% of the journey on highway. You'll encounter stretches on the Walter P. Chrysler Freeway, including the longest uninterrupted segment of 5.6 miles. The route transitions between freeway driving and more local road navigation as you approach Sylvan Lake. Expect a drive that balances quicker freeway travel with the more stop-and-go nature of urban and suburban roads, providing a varied feel behind the wheel.
45% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 5.6 mi on Walter P. Chrysler Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 3 miles in near Metropolitan Parkway.
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 8 decision points packed into just 19.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 30m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 3 miles (Metropolitan Parkway): Lane positioning matters here; at 7.4 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 13.4 miles (I 75 BL): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 30m. Total distance: 19.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
30m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (45%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 5.6 miles on Walter P. Chrysler Freeway. 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 Sylvan 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 3 miles (Metropolitan Parkway): Lane positioning matters here; at 7.4 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 13.4 miles (I 75 BL): 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 Sylvan 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.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Sylvan Lake, MI
Explore more options from Sterling Heights, MI or browse trips ending in Sylvan Lake, MI.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse MI road trips.