Falling Rock Cafe & Bookstore
Near the end, right off the route
Munising, Michigan
+19063873008
Visit websiteCompiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
7h 36m
Distance
404.4 mi
651 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$63
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Frenchtown, MI
Harper Swan
The drive from Flint, MI to Frenchtown, MI covers 404.4 miles and takes about 7h 36m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 75, M-28, US-2 West for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 218.5 miles on I 75. At current regular gas prices, budget about $63.22 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
2 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
202.2 miles from Flint, MI
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 3h 30m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 75 | 218.5 mi | 3h 44m |
| M-28 | 70.9 mi | 1h 23m |
| US-2 West | 62.1 mi | 1h 12m |
| M 77 | 17.3 mi | 20m |
| County Road 480 | 12.5 mi | 18m |
| UAW Freeway | 9.7 mi | 10m |
| US 2 | 3.2 mi | 3m |
| East Munising | 2.2 mi | 4m |
Step-by-step road directions between Flint, MI and Frenchtown, MI.
Start on this road
Turn uturn onto M 21
Turn right onto Saginaw Street
Turn right onto East Third Street
Turn left onto Chavez Drive
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 475
Merge onto I 75; US 23
Keep slight left at fork onto I 75; US 23
Keep slight left at fork onto I 75
Take the exit
Merge onto US 2; I 75 BL
Continue on US 2
Continue on US 2
Turn right onto M 77
Turn sharp left onto M 28
Continue on M 28
Enter roundabout onto M 28
Continue on M 28
Continue on M 28
Continue on CR 551
Turn right onto CR 480
Continue on Rail Street
Turn left onto Division Street
At end of road, turn right onto County Road
Continue on M 28 BUS
Turn left onto South Pine Street
Arrive at 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.
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 89 miles or 1h 34m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 202.2 miles or 3h 30m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 6h 14m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Frenchtown, MI than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Flint, 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.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Flint, MI
This is one driving day of about 404.4 miles and 7h 36m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
202 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.
A short stop after about 89 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 202.2 miles from Flint, MI, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before I 75 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 218.5 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Restaurants, cafes, gas stations and more along your route.
Top Restaurant
Munising, Michigan
Near the end, right off the route
+19063873008
Earl E. Byrds
Munising, Michigan
Miners Pasty Kitchen
Munising, Michigan
Top Coffee Stop
Munising, Michigan
Near the end, right off the route
Gallery Coffee Company
Munising, Michigan
Camper's Grinds
Munising, Michigan
Near the end, right off the route
Munising, Michigan
+19063873008
Visit websiteNear the end, right off the route
Munising, Michigan
Hours: 8 am–2 pm
+19063871414
Visit websiteNear the end, right off the route
Munising, Michigan
Hours: 9 am–6 pm
+19063876200
Visit websiteNear the end, short detour
Ishpeming, Michigan
Hours: 7 am–3 pm
+19062732556
Visit websiteNear the end, short detour
Wetmore, Michigan
Hours: 5 am–12 pm
+19062079956
Visit websiteNear the end, short detour
Ishpeming, Michigan
Hours: Open 24 hours
+19064868122
Visit websiteNear the end, ~9 min detour
Negaunee, Michigan
Hours: 9 am–5 pm
+19064750064
Visit websiteNear the end, ~9 min detour
Negaunee, Michigan
Hours: 7 am–4 pm
+19064758955
Visit websiteNear the end, right off the route
Munising, Michigan
Near the end, right off the route
Munising, Michigan
Hours: 7 am–12 pm
+19063878010
Visit websiteNear the end, right off the route
Munising, Michigan
Hours: 7 am–10 pm
Near the end, short detour
Ishpeming, Michigan
Hours: 8:30 am–3 pm
+19062042800
Visit websiteNear the end, right off the route
Munising, Michigan
Hours: 8 am–8 pm
Around the midpoint, short detour
St Ignace, Michigan
Hours: 7 am–2 pm
+19069846018
Visit websiteNear the end, right off the route
Munising, Michigan
Near the end, short detour
Ishpeming, Michigan
Hours: 6:30 am–5:30 pm
+19062042462
Visit websiteNear the end, right off the route
Marquette, Michigan
Hours: Open 24 hours
+19062505138
Visit websiteAround the midpoint, right off the route
St Ignace, Michigan
Hours: 10 am–6 pm
Near the end, right off the route
Munising, Michigan
+19063872379
Visit websiteNear the start, right off the route
Flint, Michigan
Hours: 10 am–5 pm
+18102373450
Visit websiteNear the start, short detour
Flint, Michigan
Hours: 10 am–4 pm
+18107675437
Visit websiteNear the end, right off the route
Munising, Michigan
Hours: 9 am–6 pm
+19063871900
Visit websiteNear the end, short detour
Ishpeming, Michigan
+19064851882
Visit websiteNear the end, short detour
Ishpeming, Michigan
Hours: 10 am–5 pm
+19064855595
Visit websitePlace data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 347.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn uturn onto M 21 / East Court Street
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
Turn right onto Saginaw Street
Navigation decision point
Take the exit toward US 2: Manistique, Escanaba
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Turn sharp left onto M 28 / M-28
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
Enter roundabout onto M 28 / East Munising
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Regular Gas
$63.22 one way
$126.45 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $69.42 | $138.83 |
| premium | $4.89 | $77.82 | $155.65 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $89.29 | $178.57 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$63
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$88–$113
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 141.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $42 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 121.3 | 1 | $42.46 | $19.41 |
| Efficient EV | 101.1 | 1 | $35.39 | $16.18 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 161.8 | 2 | $56.62 | $25.88 |
Gas CO2
141 kg
EV CO2
47 kg (67% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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
Afternoon in Flint on Saturday
Local time
2:02 PM
EDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Destination
Afternoon in Frenchtown on Saturday
Local time
2:02 PM
EDT
Current temp
32°F
Unavailable
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
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
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
National Lakeshore
Sandstone cliffs, beaches, waterfalls, sand dunes, inland lakes, deep forest, and wild shoreline beckon you to visit Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. The power of Lake Superior shapes the park's coa...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
This is a 7h 36m highway drive covering 404.4 miles, with most of the trip on I 75 and M-28. The longest continuous stretch is about 218.5 miles on I 75.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 75 and M-28. You will hit about 18 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near M 21 / East Court Street.
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 404.4 miles you will encounter 18 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: near the start (M 21 / East Court Street): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 0.1 miles (Saginaw Street): Navigation decision point; at 229.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Flint, MI to Frenchtown, MI, road signs begin pointing toward Escanaba along the way.
Escanaba
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 7h 36m. Total distance: 404.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 2 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
7h 36m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (73%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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