Ann Arbor to East Jordan is 244.1 miles and takes about 4h 26m via I 75 and US 23 BUS, with a fuel budget near $43 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Michigan, moving from the Midwest region to another part of the Midwest. Given that it's a single-day drive with a relatively short duration, it's a straightforward option if you're looking to get from point A to point B without an overnight stay. The route is primarily highway, so expect a consistent pace for most of the drive.
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
122 miles from Ann Arbor, MI
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 11m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 75
117.8 mi
1h 57m
US 23 BUS
94.9 mi
1h 41m
West Main Street
12.6 mi
16m
West M-32 Highway
9.8 mi
14m
M 32
3.8 mi
5m
North Main Street
1.2 mi
2m
M 14
1.1 mi
1m
Maple Street
0.9 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
I 75
— 117.8 mi, about 1h 57m
Traffic on I-75
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 30 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~1,811 veh/hr typical
· worst 2,851
Quietest
2 AM
~94 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
19.3×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 52 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Ann Arbor, MI and East Jordan, MI.
1
Start on South State Street
0.3 mi·42 sec·South State Street
2
Turn left onto I 94 BL; US 23 BUS
0.4 mi·1 min·East Huron Street
Use the left lane.
3
Turn right onto US 23 BUS
1.2 mi·2 min·North Main Street
4
Take the ramp onto US 23 BUS
0.2 mi·20 sec·US 23 BUS
Toward M 14 East, US 23: Flint, Detroit
5
Merge onto M 14; US 23 BUS
1.1 mi·1 min·M 14; US 23 BUS
6
Keep left at fork onto US 23 BUS
95 mi·1 hr 41 min·US 23 BUS
Toward US 23 North: FlintUse the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight left at fork onto I 75; US 23
63 mi·1 hr 3 min·I 75; US 23
8
Keep slight left at fork onto I 75
55 mi·54 min·I 75
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi·44 sec
Exit 282Toward M 32: Gaylord, Alpena
10
Turn left onto I 75 BL; M 32
13 mi·16 min·West Main Street
11
At end of road, turn right onto US 131; M 32
0.6 mi·49 sec·North US 131 Highway
12
Turn left onto M 32
9.8 mi·14 min·West M-32 Highway
13
Continue on M 32
3.8 mi·5 min·M 32
14
Continue on M 32
0.9 mi·1 min·Maple Street
15
Turn left onto M 32; C-48
0.3 mi·27 sec·State Street
16
Turn right onto 3rd Street
0.3 mi·1 min·3rd Street
17
Arrive at destination
3rd Street
Trip Plan
For this 4h 26m drive, leaving Ann Arbor in the morning is ideal, giving you plenty of daylight to reach East Jordan. With only one recommended stop and a relatively short distance, you have flexibility in pacing yourself. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially during the 117.8-mile stretch on I 75 where services might be less frequent. The estimated fuel cost is around $43, so budget accordingly before you depart.
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 122 miles from Ann Arbor, MI, or about 2h 11m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 117.8 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 54 miles or 1h in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 122 miles or 2h 11m 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 30m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near East Jordan, MI than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Ann Arbor, 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 Ann Arbor, MI
This is one driving day of about 244.1 miles and 4h 26m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 54 miles from Ann Arbor, 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 117.8 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 13
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.3 and 215.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.3 mi into trip|~0m in|I 94 BL; US 23 BUS / East Huron Street
Turn left onto I 94 BL; US 23 BUS / East Huron Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
4
0.6 mi into trip|~1m in|US 23 BUS / North Main Street
Turn right onto US 23 BUS / North Main Street
Navigation decision point
4
1.9 mi into trip|~4m in|US 23 BUS
Take the ramp onto US 23 BUS toward M 14 East, US 23: Flint, Detroit
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward M 14 East, US 23: Flint, Detroit
7
3.1 mi into trip|~6m in|US 23 BUS
Keep left at fork onto US 23 BUS toward US 23 North: Flint
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward US 23 North: Flint
6
215.6 mi into trip|~3h 45m in
Take the exit toward M 32: Gaylord, Alpena
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 282
Toward M 32: Gaylord, Alpena
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$36.05 one way
$72.10 round trip
$3.75/gal25.4 MPG avg85 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.14
$39.80
$79.59
premium
$4.72
$45.32
$90.64
diesel
$4.80
$46.09
$92.18
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$36
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$61–$86
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 85.4 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $26 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
73.2
0
$25.63
$11.72
Efficient EV
61
0
$21.36
$9.76
EV Truck/SUV
97.6
1
$34.17
$15.62
Gas CO2
85 kg
EV CO2
29 kg (66% 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.
Forecast as of Jul 18, 2026
Origin
Ann Arbor, MI
Morning
in Ann Arbor on Sunday
Local time
6:26 AM
EDT
Current temp
90°F
Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Showers And Thunderstorms Likely
W 9 to 16 mph65% chanceLive forecast
Beach Hazards Statement
Beach Hazards Statement issued July 18 at 8:52AM EDT until July 18 at 10:00PM EDT by NWS Marquette MI
Beach Hazards Statement
Beach Hazards Statement issued July 18 at 6:07AM EDT until July 19 at 5:00AM EDT by NWS Northern Indiana
Destination
East Jordan, MI
Morning
in East Jordan on Sunday
Local time
6:26 AM
EDT
Current temp
81°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
82°F
West Branch, MI
122 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.
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
9 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
4h 26m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Eighty-seven percent of this 244.1-mile drive is on highways, with the longest stretch covering 117.8 miles on I 75. You'll experience mostly highway cruising until you transition to US 23 BUS and then West Main Street for the final portion of your trip. Expect a consistent pace on the interstate, with a noticeable change in road type as you approach your destination.
87% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 117.8 mi on I 75.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 75 and US 23 BUS. You will hit about 13 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.3 miles in near I 94 BL; US 23 BUS / East Huron Street.
Driving Effort5/10
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 244.1 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 0.3 miles (I 94 BL; US 23 BUS / East Huron Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.6 miles (US 23 BUS / North Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.9 miles (US 23 BUS): Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
1,388 ft604 ft
Total Climb
1,040 ft
Total Descent
1,265 ft
Highest Point
1,388 ft
~209.2 mi in
Elevation Range
785 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Ann Arbor, MI and East Jordan, MI, road signs point toward M 32: Gaylord and Alpena.
M 32: Gaylord
215.6 mi in|~3h 45m
Alpena
215.6 mi in|~3h 45m
Detours Along the Way
Tagged by where each one fits in your drive — first break, midpoint, final stretch.
Ann Arbor — often abbreviated as AA or A2 — is a picturesque city surrounding the University of Michigan. It has a strong bent toward the arts, and an attractive and pedestrian-friendly downtown. Visitors enjoy the city's wonderful sidewalk cafe dining, unique shops, lots of bookstores, and abundant cultural opportunities.
Ann Arbor is in Michigan 35 miles (56 km) north of the Ohio border and 45 miles (72 km) west of Detroit, near where the furthest exurban fringes give way to country and small towns. In 2019, the city had a population of about 120,000 people, and thousands of visitors come to town for football games and various festivals.
Top landmarks
•Detroit Observatory — astronomical observatory in Ann Arbor, United States of America
•Kelsey Museum of Archaeology — archaeology museum in Newberry Hall
•Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum — museum in Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 26m. Total distance: 244.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 26m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (87%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 117.8 miles on I 75. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 21 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.3 miles (I 94 BL; US 23 BUS / East Huron Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.6 miles (US 23 BUS / North Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.9 miles (US 23 BUS): Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Possible but tiring. At 4.4 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 8.9 hours — manageable with a long break at East Jordan, MI, but most travelers stay overnight.
