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Trip from Ann Arbor, MI to Swartz Creek, MI

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 7m

Distance

56.9 mi

92 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$9

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 16 min
4 AM
1h 2m ★
6 AM
1h 7m
8 AM
1h 18m
10 AM
1h 11m
12 PM
1h 10m
3 PM
1h 12m
5 PM
1h 17m
8 PM
1h 4m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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Downtown Ann Arbor, MI, MI

Ann Arbor, MI

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Swartz Creek, MI, MI

Swartz Creek, MI

Frank Krasznavolgyi

Trip Overview

If you are planning a quick trip from Ann Arbor to Swartz Creek, expect a straightforward journey covering 56.9 miles. You can comfortably complete this drive in about 1 hour and 7 minutes, making it an ideal day trip that doesn't require an overnight stay. Your travel budget remains quite low, with estimated fuel costs hovering around $9. The route stays entirely within the Midwest, keeping you on familiar Michigan roads throughout the duration. Because this is a short, efficient trip, you have plenty of flexibility to plan your schedule based on your own needs rather than worrying about heavy road fatigue.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
US 23 BUS 47.4 mi 50m
Chevrolet-Buick Freeway 3.2 mi 3m
Miller Road 1.4 mi 2m
North Main Street 1.2 mi 2m
M 14 1.1 mi 1m
East Huron Street 0.4 mi 1m
South State Street 0.3 mi <1m
Longest stretch: US 23 BUS — 47.4 mi, about 50m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Ann Arbor, MI and Swartz Creek, 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

47 mi · 50 min · US 23 BUS
Toward US 23 North: Flint Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 33 sec
Toward I 69: Lansing, Port Huron Use the slight right lane.
8

Keep slight right at fork

0.2 mi · 25 sec
Toward I 69: Lansing, Flint, Port Huron
9

Keep slight left at fork

1.0 mi · 2 min
Toward I 69 West: Lansing
10

Merge onto I 69

3.2 mi · 3 min · Chevrolet-Buick Freeway
11

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 58 sec
Exit 129 Toward Miller Road Use the slight right lane.
12

Turn right onto Miller Road

1.4 mi · 2 min · Miller Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
13

Arrive at destination

Miller Road

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

census-designated place in Michigan, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Hartland, MI

28 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

Whitmore Lake, MI

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Hartland, MI

Meal break

The midpoint is around 28.5 miles from Ann Arbor, MI, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 11

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.3 and 55.1 — 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.
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
7
50.4 mi into trip | ~56m in

Take the exit toward I 69: Lansing, Port Huron

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight right lane. Toward I 69: Lansing, Port Huron
7
50.6 mi into trip | ~57m in

Keep slight right at fork toward I 69: Lansing, Flint, Port Huron

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward I 69: Lansing, Flint, Port Huron
7
55.1 mi into trip | ~1h 3m in

Take the exit toward Miller Road

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Exit 129 Toward Miller Road

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$8.90 one way

$17.79 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 20 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $9.77 $19.53
premium $4.89 $10.95 $21.90
diesel $5.61 $12.56 $25.13

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$9

Estimated CO2 emission: 19.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 17.1 0 $5.97 $2.73
Efficient EV 14.2 0 $4.98 $2.28
EV Truck/SUV 22.8 0 $7.97 $3.64

Gas CO2

20 kg

EV CO2

7 kg (65% 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.

Forecast as of Apr 13, 2026

Origin

Ann Arbor, MI

Late night in Ann Arbor on Sunday

Local time

5:54 AM

EDT

Current temp

78°F

Slight Chance Rain Showers

WSW 12 to 17 mph 19% chance Live forecast

Flash Flood Warning

Flash Flood Warning issued April 13 at 5:02AM EDT until April 13 at 9:15AM EDT by NWS Gaylord MI

Special Weather Statement

Special Weather Statement issued April 13 at 3:33AM EDT by NWS Northern Indiana

Destination

Swartz Creek, MI

Late night in Swartz Creek on Sunday

Local time

5:54 AM

EDT

Current temp

42°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

66°F

Hartland, MI

28 mi in

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

36 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

1h 7m on the road

The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

What kind of drive is this?

This is a highway-focused drive, with 89% of your time spent on high-speed roads. You will rely primarily on US 23 BUS, the Chevrolet-Buick Freeway, and Miller Road to get you to your destination. The route features a significant longest stretch of 47.4 miles on US 23 BUS, which allows for consistent, uninterrupted cruising. Behind the wheel, you will notice a transition from the busier corridors near Ann Arbor to the more direct highway segments that characterize the majority of this trip. Expect a practical, utilitarian experience that prioritizes speed and efficiency over winding, scenic detours.

89% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 47.4 mi on US 23 BUS.

How Hard Is This Drive?

8/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 23 BUS and Chevrolet-Buick Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.3 miles in near I 94 BL; US 23 BUS / East Huron Street.

Driving Effort 8/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 56.9 miles you will encounter 11 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 3.1 miles (US 23 BUS): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 50.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

1,019 ft 770 ft

Total Climb

227 ft

Total Descent

318 ft

Highest Point

1,019 ft

~32.5 mi in

Elevation Range

249 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 Swartz Creek, MI, road signs point toward Port Huron and Flint.

Port Huron

50.4 mi in | ~56m

Flint

50.6 mi in | ~57m

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 7m. Total distance: 56.9 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 7m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (89%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 47.4 miles on US 23 BUS. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Swartz Creek, MI before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.

Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.

The main spots that need attention: at 0.3 miles (I 94 BL; US 23 BUS / East Huron Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.1 miles (US 23 BUS): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 50.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Swartz Creek, MI before heading back.

How this page is built

Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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