This 81.4-mile drive from Cass City, MI to Clinton Township, MI will take approximately 1 hour and 48 minutes. It's a straightforward, one-day trip through the Midwest region, with no need to split it into multiple days. You'll be navigating primarily on Van Dyke Road and South Van Dyke Road, with a portion on Hall Road. With a fuel cost estimated at $13, this route is quite budget-friendly. Expect a local feel throughout the journey, as there's no highway driving involved.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
40.7 miles from Cass City, MI
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 50m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Van Dyke Road
44.5 mi
53m
South Van Dyke Road
19.7 mi
25m
Hall Road
4 mi
6m
Cass City Road
3.3 mi
4m
North Cedar Street
2.2 mi
3m
Main Street
2.2 mi
2m
Cass Avenue
1.6 mi
2m
Romeo Plank Road
1.2 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
Van Dyke Road
— 44.5 mi, about 53m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Cass City, MI and Clinton Township, MI.
1
Start on M 81
0.6 mi·58 sec·Main Street
2
Continue on M 81
3.3 mi·4 min·Cass City Road
3
Turn right onto M 53
18 mi·20 min·Van Dyke Road
4
Continue on M 53
1.5 mi·1 min·Main Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
Continue on M 53
20 mi·25 min·South Van Dyke Road
6
Continue on M 53
2.2 mi·3 min·North Cedar Street
7
Continue on M 53
5.6 mi·7 min·Van Dyke Road
Use the straight lane.
8
Turn right onto M 53
0.9 mi·1 min·North Main Street
9
Continue on M 53
21 mi·25 min·Van Dyke Road
Use the straight lane.
10
Take the exit
0.4 mi·55 sec
Exit 17Toward M 59: Mount Clemens, PontiacUse the slight right lane.
11
Merge onto M 59
4.0 mi·6 min·Hall Road
Use the left lane.
12
Turn right onto Romeo Plank Road
1.0 mi·1 min·Romeo Plank Road
Use the right lane.
13
Enter roundabout onto Romeo Plank Road
112 ft·2 sec·Romeo Plank Road
14
Continue on Romeo Plank Road
0.1 mi·11 sec·Romeo Plank Road
15
Enter roundabout onto Cass Avenue
123 ft·2 sec·Cass Avenue
16
Continue on Cass Avenue
1.6 mi·2 min·Cass Avenue
17
Turn right onto Moravian Drive
1.2 mi·2 min·Moravian Drive
Use the straight lane.
18
Turn right onto White Oaks Drive
0.2 mi·52 sec·White Oaks Drive
19
Turn right onto Red Oaks Drive
289 ft·12 sec·Red Oaks Drive
20
Arrive at destination
Red Oaks Drive
Trip Plan
Given the 1 hour and 48 minute duration, this trip is easily manageable in a single day. Consider departing in the morning to allow for a relaxed pace and avoid potential rush hour traffic in Clinton Township. Since there are no designated stops and the longest stretch is under 45 miles, you can be flexible with when and where you take breaks. Keep an eye out for the transition from Van Dyke Road to South Van Dyke Road as you progress southward, ensuring you stay on the correct path.
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 40.7 miles from Cass City, MI, or about 50m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 44.5 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 18 miles or 21m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 40.7 miles or 50m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 27m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Clinton Township, MI than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Cass City, MI so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Cass City, MI
This is one driving day of about 81.4 miles and 1h 48m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 18 miles from Cass City, MI.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Van Dyke Road for about 44.5 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 9
5 decision points cluster between mile 72.7 and 80 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
72.7 mi into trip|~1h 32m in
Take the exit toward M 59: Mount Clemens, Pontiac
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 17
Toward M 59: Mount Clemens, Pontiac
5
73.1 mi into trip|~1h 33m in|M 59 / Hall Road
Merge onto M 59 / Hall Road
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
77.2 mi into trip|~1h 40m in|Romeo Plank Road
Turn right onto Romeo Plank Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
78.3 mi into trip|~1h 41m in|Cass Avenue
Enter roundabout onto Cass Avenue
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
6
80 mi into trip|~1h 44m in|Moravian Drive
Turn right onto Moravian Drive
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$12.73 one way
$25.45 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg29 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$13.97
$27.95
premium
$4.89
$15.66
$31.33
diesel
$5.61
$17.97
$35.94
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$13
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$38–$63
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 28.5 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $9 in charging
· 0 stops
· 64% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
24.4
0
$8.55
$3.91
Efficient EV
20.4
0
$7.12
$3.26
EV Truck/SUV
32.6
0
$11.40
$5.21
Gas CO2
28 kg
EV CO2
10 kg (64% 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 15, 2026
Origin
Cass City, MI
Afternoon
in Cass City on Saturday
Local time
3:50 PM
EDT
Current temp
43°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Clinton Township, MI
Afternoon
in Clinton Township on Saturday
Local time
3:50 PM
EDT
Current temp
49°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
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
6 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
1h 48m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route is characterized as a 'turn-heavy local drive,' meaning you'll be making frequent turns rather than cruising on open highways. With a 0% highway share, you'll stay on local roads for the entire 81.4 miles. The longest continuous stretch you'll encounter is 44.5 miles on Van Dyke Road. This journey offers a consistent local driving experience from start to finish.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 44.5 mi on Van Dyke Road.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 72.7 miles in.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 48m drive. You will face about 9 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 72.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 73.1 miles (M 59 / Hall Road): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 77.2 miles (Romeo Plank Road): 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.
Between Cass City, MI and Clinton Township, MI, road signs point toward M 59: Mount Clemens and Pontiac.
M 59: Mount Clemens
72.7 mi in|~1h 32m
Pontiac
72.7 mi in|~1h 32m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 48m. Total distance: 81.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
The longest stretch is about 44.5 miles on Van Dyke Road. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 72.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 73.1 miles (M 59 / Hall Road): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 77.2 miles (Romeo Plank Road): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Clinton Township, MI before heading back.
