Origin
Dearborn, MI
Morning in Dearborn on Monday
Local time
10:24 AM
EDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
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Create accountDrive Time
11h
Distance
579.4 mi
932 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
2-day trip
Fuel Cost
$88
one way
EV Charging
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station data
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Dearborn, MI
fish socks
The drive from Dearborn, MI to Ontonagon, MI covers 579.4 miles and takes about 11h behind the wheel. It usually feels better as a 2-day road trip than as one long push.
The route leans on I 94 East, Detroit Industrial Expressway, Edsel Ford Freeway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is long-distance drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $88.00 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Best split across 2 days
Treat the return leg as its own travel day rather than an afterthought.
Break Rhythm
3 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
289.7 miles from Dearborn, MI
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 5h 30m into the drive .
At 579.4 miles and 11h of driving, this is a route where fuel stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single turn. The main roads are I 94 East and Detroit Industrial Expressway.
At 11h, this is a long-haul route where pacing matters more than any single turn. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way.
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
The route itself is not hard, but at 11h, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 0 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Dearborn, MI to Ontonagon, MI is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 94 East | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Detroit Industrial Expressway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Edsel Ford Freeway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| I 75 | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| I 75 North | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| North Walter P | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| US 2 | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| US-2 West | Unavailable | Refreshing |
Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.
Step-by-step road directions between Dearborn, MI and Ontonagon, MI.
Start on Michigan Avenue
Take the ramp slight right toward I 94 East: Detroit
Merge slight left onto Detroit Industrial Expressway
Continue on Edsel Ford Freeway
Take the exit slight right toward I 75: Flint, Toledo
Keep slight left to continue on I 75 North: Flint
Merge slight left onto North Walter P. Chrysler Freeway
Keep slight left to continue on I 75: Saginaw
Keep slight left
Keep slight left
Take the exit slight right toward US 2: Manistique, Escanaba
Merge slight left onto US-2 West
Continue on US 2
Continue on US-2 West
Turn right
Turn sharp left onto M-28
Continue on Cedar Street
Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward East Munising
Exit the roundabout onto East Munising
Continue on M-28
Continue on Cherry Creek Road
Turn right onto County Road 480
Continue on Rail Street
Turn right onto Division Street
Turn right onto West Main Street
Turn left onto North Teal Lake Avenue
Turn left onto US Highway 41
Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward the route
Exit the roundabout
Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward the route
Exit the roundabout
Turn left
Turn right onto US 45
Continue on Rockland Road
Continue on National Avenue
Continue on Rockland Road
Continue on South Steel Street
Arrive at your destination
Morning Departure
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Evening Departure
This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 127 miles or 2h 24m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 289.7 miles or 5h 30m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Overnight split
Day 1 wrap after about 289.7 miles or 5h 30m
Stop before fatigue turns the last few hours into a grind. You want day two to start fresh, not just resumed.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 9h 52m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Ontonagon, MI than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Dearborn, MI 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.
Pick one backup stop option before the midpoint in case traffic changes your pacing.
Treat this as a 2-day road trip and book the overnight stop before the busiest arrival window.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Dearborn, MI
Aim for roughly 290 miles and 5.5 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Ontonagon, MI
Aim for roughly 290 miles and 5.5 hours of wheel time on this day.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 289.7 mi from Dearborn, MI · 5h 30m into the drive
First major stop
Coffee and fuel
191 mi into the route
Best for: Coffee, fuel, and an easy first stretch
This is a natural early stop once the first hours of the drive are behind you.
Second major stop
Overnight candidate
382 mi into the route
Best for: Hotel check-in, dinner, and a fresh start
This lines up well with a realistic day-end stop if you are breaking the drive into stages.
Find hotels in Flat Rock, MINight 1
290 mi · about 5.5h in
A practical overnight split lands near Dafter, MI after about 290 miles or 5.5 hours of driving.
Find hotelsA short stop after about 127 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 289.7 miles from Dearborn, MI, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Overnight split
Hotel stopFor a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 290 miles or 5.5 hours on the road.
Final-third reset
Rest stopPlan one more short stretch-and-water break in the final third of the drive so the last arrival window feels easier.
The final approach into Ontonagon, MI 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 Ontonagon, MI.
On a multi-day trip, keep the last day a little lighter so you reach Ontonagon, MI with some flexibility left in the schedule.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Regular Gas
$88.00 one way
$176.01 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.25 | $97.02 | $194.03 |
| premium | $4.80 | $109.38 | $218.76 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $128.72 | $257.45 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$88
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$218–$328
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 202.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $61 in charging · 2 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 173.8 | 2 | $60.84 | $27.81 |
| Efficient EV | 144.9 | 1 | $50.70 | $23.18 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 231.8 | 2 | $81.12 | $37.08 |
Gas CO2
203 kg
EV CO2
68 kg (67% less)
Plan for 2 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Morning in Dearborn on Monday
Local time
10:24 AM
EDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
Destination
Morning in Ontonagon on Monday
Local time
10:24 AM
EDT
Current temp
56°F
Unavailable
Along the Route
46°F
Flat Rock, MI
382 mi in
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.
For long drives, weather on day two can matter just as much as conditions at departure, so check the whole travel window rather than only the first day.
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
This is long enough that the arrival forecast matters almost as much as departure conditions. Recheck both ends before you roll.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
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