Origin
Ironwood, MI
Afternoon in Ironwood on Friday
Local time
4:20 PM
CDT
Current temp
35°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Ironwood, MI to Sterling Heights, MI
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
9h 36m
Distance
595.8 mi
959 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
2-day trip
Fuel Cost
$93
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
9h 28m
★
6 AM
9h 37m
8 AM
9h 54m
10 AM
9h 43m
12 PM
9h 41m
3 PM
9h 43m
5 PM
9h 53m
8 PM
9h 31m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Ironwood, MI
Mathias Reding
Sterling Heights, MI
fish socks
Trip Overview
The drive from Ironwood, MI to Sterling Heights, MI covers 595.8 miles and takes about 9h 36m behind the wheel. It usually feels better as a 2-day road trip than as one long push.
The route leans on East Ayer Street, North Suffolk Street, East Frederick Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is long-distance drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $93.15 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
2 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
297.9 miles from Ironwood, MI
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 4h 48m into the drive .
Who Is This Route For?
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 2 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
9h 36m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
Scenic Drive
Long-distance drive route profile.
Drive Character
At 595.8 miles and 9h 36m of driving, this is a route where fuel stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single turn. The main roads are East Ayer Street and North Suffolk Street.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 44 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
East Ayer Street is one of the defining roads on this drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
At 9h 36m, 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.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The route itself is not hard, but at 9h 36m, 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 Ironwood, MI to Sterling Heights, MI is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| East Ayer Street | — | — |
| North Suffolk Street | — | — |
| East Frederick Street | — | — |
| Douglas Boulevard | — | — |
| West Cloverland Drive | — | — |
| Smith Street | — | — |
| the route | — | — |
| Palms Avenue | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
East Ayer Street
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Ironwood, MI and Sterling Heights, MI.
1
Start on North Lowell Street
98 ft
·
10 sec
·
North Lowell Street
2
Turn left onto East Ayer Street
463 ft
·
26 sec
·
East Ayer Street
3
Turn left onto North Suffolk Street
476 ft
·
10 sec
·
North Suffolk Street
4
Turn right onto East Frederick Street
456 ft
·
8 sec
·
East Frederick Street
5
Turn slight left onto Douglas Boulevard
0.4 mi
·
42 sec
·
Douglas Boulevard
6
Turn right onto West Cloverland Drive
12 mi
·
14 min
·
West Cloverland Drive
7
Turn left onto Smith Street
0.1 mi
·
29 sec
·
Smith Street
8
At the end of the road, turn right
78 mi
·
1 hr 31 min
9
Turn right
40 mi
·
52 min
10
Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward the route
92 ft
·
5 sec
·
the route
11
Exit the rotary
0.9 mi
·
1 min
12
Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward Palms Avenue
95 ft
·
6 sec
·
Palms Avenue
13
Exit the roundabout onto Palms Avenue
10 mi
·
14 min
·
Palms Avenue
14
Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward US-41/M-28
115 ft
·
7 sec
·
US-41/M-28
15
Exit the roundabout onto US-41/M-28
0.5 mi
·
45 sec
·
US-41/M-28
16
Enter the roundabout and take exit 1 toward US-41/M-28
102 ft
·
6 sec
·
US-41/M-28
17
Exit the roundabout onto US-41/M-28
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
US-41/M-28
18
Continue on Marquette Bypass
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Marquette Bypass
19
Enter the roundabout and take exit 1 toward Marquette Bypass
108 ft
·
6 sec
·
Marquette Bypass
20
Exit the roundabout onto Marquette Bypass
0.2 mi
·
15 sec
·
Marquette Bypass
21
Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward Marquette Bypass
108 ft
·
1 sec
·
Marquette Bypass
22
Exit the roundabout onto Marquette Bypass
0.5 mi
·
52 sec
·
Marquette Bypass
23
Take the exit slight right
410 ft
·
10 sec
24
Merge slight left onto South Front Street
2.6 mi
·
4 min
·
South Front Street
25
Continue on US-41/M-28
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
US-41/M-28
26
Turn left onto M-28
36 mi
·
42 min
·
M-28
27
Continue on West Munising Avenue
2.2 mi
·
4 min
·
West Munising Avenue
28
Exit the roundabout onto Cedar Street
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
·
Cedar Street
29
Continue on M-28
35 mi
·
41 min
·
M-28
30
Turn sharp right
17 mi
·
20 min
31
At the end of the road, turn left
65 mi
·
1 hr 15 min
32
Take the exit slight right toward I 75 South: Mackinac Bridge
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
·
I 75 South: Mackinac Bridge
33
Merge slight left
94 mi
·
1 hr 37 min
34
Keep slight left to continue on I 75: Saginaw, Detroit
124 mi
·
2 hr 7 min
·
I 75: Saginaw, Detroit
35
Keep slight left
11 mi
·
11 min
36
Keep slight left
37 mi
·
39 min
37
Take the exit slight right toward M 59 East: Utica
0.3 mi
·
47 sec
·
M 59 East: Utica
38
Merge slight left
9.6 mi
·
10 min
39
Take the exit slight right toward Mound Road, Merrill Road
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
·
Mound Road, Merrill Road
40
Continue on Dobry Drive
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
Dobry Drive
41
Turn right onto Mound Road
3.3 mi
·
5 min
·
Mound Road
42
Continue on Mound Road
0.2 mi
·
36 sec
·
Mound Road
43
Turn right onto 17 Mile Road
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
17 Mile Road
44
Arrive at your destination
Trip Plan
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 drive is better paced as a 2-day trip.
Plan roughly 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 297.9 miles from Ironwood, MI, or about 4h 48m into the drive.
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 131 miles or 2h 6m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 297.9 miles or 4h 48m 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 297.9 miles or 4h 48m
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 8h 38m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Sterling Heights, MI than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Ironwood, 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 Ironwood, MI
Aim for roughly 298 miles and 4.8 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Sterling Heights, MI
Aim for roughly 298 miles and 4.8 hours of wheel time on this day.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 131 miles from Ironwood, MI.
This route usually feels better as a 2-day drive than as one long push.
Plan about 2 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 297.9 mi from Ironwood, MI · 4h 48m into the drive
First major stop
Coffee and fuel
197 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
393 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 Boyne City, MIOvernight Options
Night 1
298 mi · about 4.8h in
A practical overnight split lands near McMillan, MI after about 298 miles or 4.8 hours of driving.
Find hotelsPacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 131 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 297.9 miles from Ironwood, 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 298 miles or 4.8 hours on the road.
Arriving in Sterling Heights, MI
The final approach into Sterling Heights, 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 Sterling Heights, MI.
On a multi-day trip, keep the last day a little lighter so you reach Sterling Heights, 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.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$93.15 one way
$186.29 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
209 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $102.27 | $204.54 |
| premium | $4.89 | $114.66 | $229.31 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $131.55 | $263.09 |
Estimated Tolls: $4.00
Mackinac Bridge
$4.00
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$93
Tolls
$4
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$227–$337
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 208.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $63 in charging · 2 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 178.7 | 2 | $62.56 | $28.60 |
| Efficient EV | 149 | 1 | $52.13 | $23.83 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 238.3 | 2 | $83.41 | $38.13 |
Gas CO2
208 kg
EV CO2
70 kg (66% 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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Sterling Heights, MI
Evening in Sterling Heights on Friday
Local time
5:20 PM
EDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
56°F
Flat Rock, MI
197 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
1 hour later
The destination clock does not match departure time, so double-check hotel check-in windows and late arrival plans.
Temperature spread
33 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
9h 36m on the road
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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Ironwood, MI to Sterling Heights, MI covers 595.8 miles and takes about 9h 36m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are East Ayer Street, North Suffolk Street, East Frederick Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.
Yes. This route is usually more comfortable as a 2-day drive. A sensible stopping point is after roughly 298 miles on day one.
The midpoint is about 297.9 miles from Ironwood, MI. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $93.15 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour. This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
Plan about 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
The route itself is not hard, but at 9h 36m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 0 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Ironwood, MI to Sterling Heights, MI is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Ironwood, MI to Sterling Heights, MI does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh 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.
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