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Trip from East Tawas, MI to Clinton Township, MI

Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026

Drive Time

3h 27m

Distance

173 mi

278 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$27

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 36 min
4 AM
3h 16m ★
6 AM
3h 28m
8 AM
3h 52m
10 AM
3h 36m
12 PM
3h 34m
3 PM
3h 38m
5 PM
3h 51m
8 PM
3h 21m

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

Downtown East Tawas, MI, MI

East Tawas, MI

fish socks

Downtown Clinton Township, MI, MI

Clinton Township, MI

fish socks

Trip Overview

The drive from East Tawas, MI to Clinton Township, MI covers 173 miles and takes about 3h 27m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on I 75, North Huron Road, M 59 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 112.3 miles on I 75. At current regular gas prices, budget about $27.05 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

1 planned break

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

Midpoint

86.5 miles from East Tawas, MI

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 48m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 27m. Total distance: 173 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

3h 27m drive, comfortable solo distance.

Drive Character

This is a 3h 27m highway drive covering 173 miles, with most of the trip on I 75 and North Huron Road. The longest continuous stretch is about 112.3 miles on I 75.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 23 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 75 is the longest continuous segment at about 112.3 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 75 and North Huron Road. You will hit about 13 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 39.9 miles in.

Driving Effort 6/10

Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 173 miles you will encounter 13 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 39.9 miles: Navigation decision point; at 115.7 miles (I 75): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 152.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 13 key points

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

5
39.9 mi into trip | ~59m in

Take the ramp toward I 75 South: Saginaw

Navigation decision point

Toward I 75 South: Saginaw
6
115.7 mi into trip | ~2h 19m in | I 75

Keep slight left at fork onto I 75

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
152.6 mi into trip | ~2h 58m in

Take the exit toward M 59 East: Utica

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane. Exit 77A Toward M 59 East: Utica
6
168.8 mi into trip | ~3h 19m in | Romeo Plank Road

Turn right onto Romeo Plank Road

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.
6
171.6 mi into trip | ~3h 24m in | Moravian Drive

Turn right onto Moravian Drive

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight lane.

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between East Tawas, MI and Clinton Township, MI, road signs point toward Saginaw and M 59 East: Utica.

Saginaw

40.2 mi in | ~59m | via I 75

M 59 East: Utica

152.6 mi in | ~2h 58m

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 75 112.3 mi 1h 58m
North Huron Road 26.2 mi 36m
M 59 16 mi 20m
West Huron Road 6.3 mi 8m
East Lake Street 2.7 mi 5m
West M-61 2.4 mi 3m
Cass Avenue 1.6 mi 2m
Romeo Plank Road 1.2 mi 1m
Longest stretch: I 75 — 112.3 mi, about 1h 58m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between East Tawas, MI and Clinton Township, MI.

1

Start on US 23

0.6 mi · 1 min · West Bay Street
2

Continue on US 23

2.7 mi · 5 min · East Lake Street
3

Continue on US 23

26 mi · 36 min · North Huron Road
4

Continue on US 23

0.6 mi · 1 min · Center Road
5

Continue on US 23

6.3 mi · 8 min · West Huron Road
6

Continue on US 23

0.5 mi · 1 min · North Main Street
7

Turn right onto M 61

0.6 mi · 54 sec · West Cedar Street
8

Continue on M 61

2.4 mi · 3 min · West M-61
9

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 42 sec
Toward I 75 South: Saginaw
10

Merge onto I 75

65 mi · 1 hr 7 min · I 75
Toward Saginaw
11

Keep slight left at fork onto I 75; US 23

11 mi · 11 min · I 75; US 23
12

Keep slight left at fork onto I 75

37 mi · 39 min · I 75
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 47 sec
Exit 77A Toward M 59 East: Utica Use the right lane.
14

Merge onto M 59

16 mi · 20 min · M 59
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15

Turn right onto Romeo Plank Road

1.0 mi · 1 min · Romeo Plank Road
Use the right lane.
16

Enter roundabout onto Romeo Plank Road

112 ft · 2 sec · Romeo Plank Road
17

Continue on Romeo Plank Road

0.1 mi · 11 sec · Romeo Plank Road
18

Enter roundabout onto Cass Avenue

123 ft · 2 sec · Cass Avenue
19

Continue on Cass Avenue

1.6 mi · 2 min · Cass Avenue
20

Turn right onto Moravian Drive

1.2 mi · 2 min · Moravian Drive
Use the straight lane.
21

Turn right onto White Oaks Drive

0.2 mi · 52 sec · White Oaks Drive
22

Turn right onto Red Oaks Drive

289 ft · 12 sec · Red Oaks Drive
23

Arrive at destination

Red Oaks Drive

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.

Evening Departure

A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 86.5 miles from East Tawas, MI, or about 1h 48m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 112.3 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 38 miles or 56m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 86.5 miles or 1h 48m in

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

Final approach

Final hour starts around 2h 47m

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 East Tawas, 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.

Day 1

Settle into the route from East Tawas, MI

This is one driving day of about 173 miles and 3h 27m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 38 miles from East Tawas, MI.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on I 75 for about 112.3 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 86.5 mi from East Tawas, MI · 1h 48m into the drive

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Flint, MI

87 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

Skidway Lake, MI

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 38 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Freeland, MI

Meal break

The midpoint is around 86.5 miles from East Tawas, MI, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before I 75 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 112.3 miles.

Arriving in Clinton Township, MI

The final approach into Clinton Township, 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 Clinton Township, MI.

After long uninterrupted mileage, take five minutes before the last urban segment to reset and refocus on exits, merges, and city traffic.

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

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$27.05 one way

$54.09 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 61 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $29.70 $59.39
premium $4.89 $33.29 $66.58
diesel $5.61 $38.20 $76.39

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$27

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$52–$77

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 60.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $18 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 51.9 0 $18.17 $8.30
Efficient EV 43.3 0 $15.14 $6.92
EV Truck/SUV 69.2 0 $24.22 $11.07

Gas CO2

61 kg

EV CO2

20 kg (67% 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

East Tawas, MI

Afternoon in East Tawas on Thursday

Local time

3:22 PM

EDT

Current temp

41°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Clinton Township, MI

Afternoon in Clinton Township on Thursday

Local time

3:22 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

8 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

3h 27m 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 East Tawas, MI to Clinton Township, MI covers 173 miles and takes about 3h 27m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 75, North Huron Road, M 59. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 86.5 miles from East Tawas, MI. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $27.05 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 173 miles you will encounter 13 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: at 39.9 miles: Navigation decision point; at 115.7 miles (I 75): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 152.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Between East Tawas, MI and Clinton Township, MI, road signs point toward Saginaw and M 59 East: Utica.

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