Origin
Rochester Hills, MI
Late night in Rochester Hills on Monday
Local time
3:55 AM
EDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Rochester Hills, MI to Ludington, MI
Drive Time
4h 32m
Distance
249 mi
401 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$38
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
4h 19m
★
6 AM
4h 33m
8 AM
4h 59m
10 AM
4h 42m
12 PM
4h 39m
3 PM
4h 43m
5 PM
4h 58m
8 PM
4h 25m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Rochester Hills, MI
fish socks
Ludington, MI
fish socks
Trip Overview
The drive from Rochester Hills, MI to Ludington, MI covers 249 miles and takes about 4h 32m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Downhill Lane, Dressler Lane, South Livernois Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $37.82 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
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
124.5 miles from Rochester Hills, MI
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 16m into the drive .
Drive Character
Expect a 4h 32m drive with frequent turns across 249 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 32 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Downhill Lane is one of the defining roads on this drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way.
Route Complexity
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
This is a straightforward 4h 32m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Rochester Hills, MI to Ludington, MI is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Downhill Lane | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Dressler Lane | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| South Livernois Road | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| West Hamlin Road | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Crooks Road | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| M 59 West | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| I 75 North | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| I 75 | Unavailable | Refreshing |
Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.
Longest stretch:
Downhill Lane
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Rochester Hills, MI and Ludington, MI.
1
Start on Dickson Lane
0.2 mi
·
53 sec
·
Dickson Lane
2
At the end of the road, turn right onto Downhill Lane
377 ft
·
18 sec
·
Downhill Lane
3
Turn right onto Dressler Lane
197 ft
·
14 sec
·
Dressler Lane
4
Turn left onto South Livernois Road
0.3 mi
·
27 sec
·
South Livernois Road
5
Enter the roundabout and take exit 1 toward West Hamlin Road
16 ft
·
West Hamlin Road
6
Exit the roundabout onto West Hamlin Road
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
West Hamlin Road
7
Turn left onto Crooks Road
0.4 mi
·
38 sec
·
Crooks Road
8
Take the ramp right toward M 59 West: Pontiac
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
M 59 West: Pontiac
9
Merge slight left
2.6 mi
·
2 min
10
Take the exit slight right toward I 75 North: Flint
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
I 75 North: Flint
11
Merge slight left
33 mi
·
35 min
12
Keep slight left to continue on I 75: Saginaw
4.9 mi
·
5 min
·
I 75: Saginaw
13
Take the exit slight right toward I 69: Lansing, Port Huron
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
·
I 69: Lansing, Port Huron
14
Keep slight right to continue on I 69: Lansing, Flint, Port Huron
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
·
I 69: Lansing, Flint, Port Huron
15
Keep slight left to continue on I 69 West: Lansing
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
I 69 West: Lansing
16
Merge slight left onto Chevrolet-Buick Freeway
43 mi
·
43 min
·
Chevrolet-Buick Freeway
17
Take the exit slight right toward US 127: Clare, Lansing
0.4 mi
·
25 sec
·
US 127: Clare, Lansing
18
Keep slight left
0.6 mi
·
40 sec
19
Keep slight left
0.6 mi
·
40 sec
20
Merge slight left
7.2 mi
·
7 min
21
Take the exit slight right toward I 96 WEST: Grand Rapids
0.3 mi
·
29 sec
·
I 96 WEST: Grand Rapids
22
Keep slight left to continue on I 96 WEST: Grand Rapids
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
I 96 WEST: Grand Rapids
23
Merge slight left
52 mi
·
55 min
24
Keep slight right to continue on I 96 West, M 37 North: Muskegon
37 mi
·
39 min
·
I 96 West, M 37 North: Muskegon
25
Take the exit slight right toward US 31 North: Muskegon, Ludington
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
US 31 North: Muskegon, Ludington
26
Merge slight left
56 mi
·
57 min
27
Take the exit slight right toward US 31 Business: Ludington
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
US 31 Business: Ludington
28
Turn left onto South Pere Marquette Highway
3.2 mi
·
4 min
·
South Pere Marquette Highway
29
At the end of the road, turn left onto West US Highway 10
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
West US Highway 10
30
Continue on East Ludington Avenue
1.3 mi
·
3 min
·
East Ludington Avenue
31
Turn left
112 ft
·
7 sec
32
Arrive at your destination
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 124.5 miles from Rochester Hills, MI, or about 2h 16m into the drive.
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 80 miles or 1h 27m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 124.5 miles or 2h 16m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 43m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Ludington, MI than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Rochester Hills, 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 Rochester Hills, MI
This is one driving day of about 249 miles and 4h 32m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Rochester Hills, 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.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 124.5 mi from Rochester Hills, MI · 2h 16m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
125 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 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 124.5 miles from Rochester Hills, MI, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Ludington, MI
The final approach into Ludington, 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 Ludington, 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
$37.82 one way
$75.64 round trip
$3.86/gal
25.4 MPG avg
87 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.25 | $41.69 | $83.39 |
| premium | $4.80 | $47.01 | $94.01 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $55.32 | $110.64 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$38
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$63–$88
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 87.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $26 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 74.7 | 0 | $26.15 | $11.95 |
| Efficient EV | 62.3 | 0 | $21.79 | $9.96 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 99.6 | 1 | $34.86 | $15.94 |
Gas CO2
87 kg
EV CO2
29 kg (67% less)
Plan for 0 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
Ludington, MI
Late night in Ludington on Monday
Local time
3:55 AM
EDT
Current temp
--
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
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Road read
4h 32m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Rochester Hills, MI to Ludington, MI covers 249 miles and takes about 4h 32m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Downhill Lane, Dressler Lane, South Livernois Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 124.5 miles from Rochester Hills, MI. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $37.82 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. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
This is a straightforward 4h 32m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Rochester Hills, MI to Ludington, MI is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Rochester Hills, MI to Ludington, MI does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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