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Trip from Dearborn, MI to Clarkston, MI

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

Drive Time

54m

Distance

46.1 mi

74 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$7

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 14 min
4 AM
0h 50m ★
6 AM
0h 55m
8 AM
1h 4m
10 AM
0h 58m
12 PM
0h 57m
3 PM
0h 58m
5 PM
1h 3m
8 PM
0h 52m

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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city in Wayne County, Michigan, USA

Dearborn, MI

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Clarkston, MI, MI

Clarkston, MI

Clara Alave

Trip Overview

This straightforward 46.1-mile drive from Dearborn to Clarkston, Michigan, will take you about 54 minutes, making it an easy day trip. The route primarily utilizes the North Walter P. Chrysler Freeway and the Edsel Ford Freeway, offering a direct path through the Midwest. With a projected fuel cost of around $7, this trip is quite budget-friendly. The drive is focused on efficient travel, so don't expect extensive scenic detours. It's a practical option for getting from point A to point B within the state without needing an overnight stay.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
North Walter P. Chrysler Freeway 37.5 mi 40m
Edsel Ford Freeway 5.6 mi 7m
North Main Street 0.7 mi 1m
Michigan Avenue 0.6 mi 1m
Detroit Industrial Expressway 0.3 mi <1m
Ortonville Road 0.1 mi <1m
East Washington Street <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: North Walter P. Chrysler Freeway — 37.5 mi, about 40m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Dearborn, MI and Clarkston, MI.

1

Start on US 12

0.6 mi · 1 min · Michigan Avenue
2

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 43 sec
Toward I 94 East: Detroit
3

Merge onto I 94

0.3 mi · 23 sec · Detroit Industrial Expressway
4

Continue on I 94

5.6 mi · 7 min · Edsel Ford Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5

Take the exit

302 ft · 5 sec
Exit 216A Toward I 75: Flint, Toledo Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6

Keep slight left at fork

0.5 mi · 1 min
Toward I 75 North: Flint Use the slight left lane.
7

Merge onto I 75

38 mi · 40 min · North Walter P. Chrysler Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 53 sec
Exit 91 Toward M 15: Clarkston, Davison Use the slight right lane.
9

Turn left onto M 15

0.1 mi · 15 sec · Ortonville Road
Use the left lane.
10

Continue on M 15

0.7 mi · 1 min · North Main Street
11

Turn left onto East Washington Street

84 ft · 2 sec · East Washington Street
Use the left lane.
12

Arrive at destination

East Washington Street

Where to Stop

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

city in Oakland County, Michigan, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Royal Oak, MI

23 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

Detroit, MI

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Royal Oak, MI

Meal break

The midpoint is around 23 miles from Dearborn, 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 8

5 decision points cluster between mile 6.8 and 46 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

8
6.8 mi into trip | ~10m in

Take the exit toward I 75: Flint, Toledo

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

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 216A Toward I 75: Flint, Toledo
7
6.8 mi into trip | ~10m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 75 North: Flint

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left lane. Toward I 75 North: Flint
8
44.8 mi into trip | ~51m in

Take the exit toward M 15: Clarkston, Davison

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

Use the slight right lane. Exit 91 Toward M 15: Clarkston, Davison
6
45.2 mi into trip | ~52m in | M 15 / Ortonville Road

Turn left onto M 15 / Ortonville Road

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
6
46 mi into trip | ~54m in | East Washington Street

Turn left onto East Washington Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$7.21 one way

$14.41 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 16 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $7.91 $15.83
premium $4.89 $8.87 $17.74
diesel $5.61 $10.18 $20.36

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$7

Estimated CO2 emission: 16.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 13.8 0 $4.84 $2.21
Efficient EV 11.5 0 $4.03 $1.84
EV Truck/SUV 18.4 0 $6.45 $2.95

Gas CO2

16 kg

EV CO2

5 kg (69% 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 16, 2026

Origin

Dearborn, MI

Late night in Dearborn on Sunday

Local time

2:00 AM

EDT

Current temp

74°F

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

WSW 13 mph 63% chance Live forecast

Special Weather Statement

Special Weather Statement issued April 16 at 3:21PM EDT by NWS Grand Rapids MI

Flash Flood Warning

Flash Flood Warning issued April 16 at 1:53PM EDT until April 17 at 12:00AM EDT by NWS Gaylord MI

Destination

Clarkston, MI

Late night in Clarkston on Sunday

Local time

2:00 AM

EDT

Current temp

63°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

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

11 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

54m 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?

Expect a predominantly highway-focused experience on this drive, with 94% of the journey taking place on freeways. You'll encounter a longest uninterrupted stretch of 37.5 miles on the North Walter P. Chrysler Freeway, allowing for a steady pace. The route transitions from the North Walter P. Chrysler Freeway to the Edsel Ford Freeway before concluding on North Main Street. While largely a freeway cruise, the final segment on North Main Street might offer a slight change of pace as you approach your destination in Clarkston.

94% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 37.5 mi on North Walter P. Chrysler Freeway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

7/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on North Walter P. Chrysler Freeway and Edsel Ford Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 6.8 miles in.

Driving Effort 7/10

Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a short but busy drive. With 8 decision points packed into just 46.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 54m.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 6.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 6.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 44.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

On the drive from Dearborn, MI to Clarkston, MI, road signs begin pointing toward Toledo along the way.

Toledo

6.8 mi in | ~10m

About the Cities

Starting in Dearborn, MI

Full guide →

Dearborn is a city in Wayne County in the state of Michigan. This article also covers the adjacent community of Dearborn Heights.

City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 54m. Total distance: 46.1 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

54m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

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

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (94%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 37.5 miles on North Walter P. Chrysler Freeway. 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 Clarkston, 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 6.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 6.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 44.8 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 Clarkston, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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