Origin
Long Lake, MI
Morning in Long Lake on Monday
Local time
7:18 AM
EDT
Current temp
66°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Long Lake, MI to Tawas City, MI
Drive Time
41m
Distance
27.9 mi
45 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
None
0 DC fast
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 38m
★
6 AM
0h 42m
8 AM
0h 49m
10 AM
0h 44m
12 PM
0h 43m
3 PM
0h 44m
5 PM
0h 48m
8 PM
0h 40m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Long Lake, MI
Jacob Postuma
Trip Overview
The drive from Long Lake, MI to Tawas City, MI covers 27.9 miles and takes about 41m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on M 55 West, M 65, State Highway 65 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 14.2 miles on M 55 West. At current regular gas prices, budget about $4.24 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
0 planned breaks
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
13.9 miles from Long Lake, MI
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 20m into the drive .
Drive Character
Expect a 41m drive with frequent turns across 27.9 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 19 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
M 55 West is the longest continuous segment at about 14.2 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 3.7 miles in near West Webb.
Route Complexity
5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 27.9 miles you will encounter 8 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 3.7 miles (West Webb): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 5.7 miles (M 65 / State Highway 65): Navigation decision point; at 12.7 miles (M 55 / M 55 West): Navigation decision point.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 8 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
3.7 mi into trip
|
~6m in
|
West Webb
Keep slight right at fork onto West Webb
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
4
5.7 mi into trip
|
~10m in
|
M 65 / State Highway 65
Turn right onto M 65 / State Highway 65
Navigation decision point
4
12.7 mi into trip
|
~18m in
|
M 55 / M 55 West
Turn left onto M 55 / M 55 West
Navigation decision point
5
27.5 mi into trip
|
~40m in
|
US 23 / East Lake Street
At end of road, turn right onto US 23 / East Lake Street
Navigation decision point
4
27.8 mi into trip
|
~41m in
Turn right
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| M 55 West | 14.2 mi | 21m |
| M 65 | 4.4 mi | 5m |
| State Highway 65 | 2.5 mi | 3m |
| Long Lake Road | 2.2 mi | 3m |
| Putnam Road | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| West Webb | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| West Esmond Road | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Hemlock Street | 0.6 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
M 55 West
— 14.2 mi, about 21m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Long Lake, MI and Tawas City, MI.
1
Start on Long Lake Road
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
Long Lake Road
2
Continue on North Wilson Creek Road
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
·
North Wilson Creek Road
3
Continue on Wilson Creek
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
·
Wilson Creek
4
Continue on Long Lake Road
0.5 mi
·
51 sec
·
Long Lake Road
5
Continue on West Webb
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
West Webb
6
Keep slight right to continue on West Webb
492 ft
·
10 sec
·
West Webb
7
Continue on Putnam Road
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Putnam Road
8
Turn left onto West Esmond Road
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
West Esmond Road
9
Continue on West Main Street
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
·
West Main Street
10
Turn right onto State Highway 65
0.5 mi
·
49 sec
·
State Highway 65
11
Continue on M 65
4.4 mi
·
5 min
·
M 65
12
Continue on State Highway 65
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
State Highway 65
13
Turn left onto M 55 West
14 mi
·
21 min
·
M 55 West
14
Continue on Hemlock Street
0.6 mi
·
53 sec
·
Hemlock Street
15
At the end of the road, turn right onto East Lake Street
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
·
East Lake Street
16
Turn left
118 ft
·
6 sec
17
Turn right
82 ft
·
4 sec
18
Turn right
95 ft
·
7 sec
19
Arrive at your destination
Trip Plan
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 13.9 miles from Long Lake, MI, or about 20m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 14.2 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 27.9 miles or 41m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 13.9 miles or 20m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 34m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Tawas City, MI than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Long Lake, 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 Long Lake, MI
This is one driving day of about 27.9 miles and 41m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Long Lake, MI.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.
The longest stretch is on M 55 West for about 14.2 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 13.9 mi from Long Lake, MI · 20m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
14 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 27.9 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 13.9 miles from Long Lake, MI, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Tawas City, MI
The final approach into Tawas City, 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 Tawas City, MI.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.24 one way
$8.48 round trip
$3.86/gal
25.4 MPG avg
10 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.25 | $4.67 | $9.34 |
| premium | $4.80 | $5.27 | $10.53 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $6.20 | $12.40 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$4
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$29–$54
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 9.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8.4 | 0 | $2.93 | $1.34 |
| Efficient EV | 7 | 0 | $2.44 | $1.12 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 11.2 | 0 | $3.91 | $1.79 |
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (70% 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.
Destination
Tawas City, MI
Morning in Tawas City on Monday
Local time
7:18 AM
EDT
Current temp
61°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
5 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
41m 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 Long Lake, MI to Tawas City, MI covers 27.9 miles and takes about 41m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are M 55 West, M 65, State Highway 65. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 13.9 miles from Long Lake, MI. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $4.24 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 27.9 miles you will encounter 8 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 3.7 miles (West Webb): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 5.7 miles (M 65 / State Highway 65): Navigation decision point; at 12.7 miles (M 55 / M 55 West): Navigation decision point.
The route from Long Lake, MI to Tawas City, MI does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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