Dearborn, MI to Drummond, MI is 364.6 miles and takes about 7h 18m via I 94 East, Detroit Industrial Expressway, and Edsel Ford Freeway, with a fuel budget near $58 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Michigan, moving from the Midwest region to another part of the Midwest. With a profile of mostly surface roads, expect a drive that winds through communities rather than sticking to high-speed highways. It's a manageable single-day trip, but plan for the time it takes to navigate city streets and local routes.
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
2 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
182.3 miles from Dearborn, MI
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 3h 14m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 75
247.6 mi
4h 14m
North Walter P. Chrysler Freeway
57.6 mi
1h 1m
North Huron Shore Drive
40.7 mi
1h
East Channel Road
7.9 mi
13m
Edsel Ford Freeway
5.6 mi
7m
South Townline Road
1.5 mi
3m
DeTour ↔ Drummond Island
1 mi
30m
Michigan Avenue
0.6 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
I 75
— 247.6 mi, about 4h 14m
Traffic on I-75
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 146 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~2,678 veh/hr typical
· worst 3,730
Quietest
2 AM
~154 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
17.4×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 105 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 Dearborn, MI and Drummond, 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 216AToward I 75: Flint, ToledoUse the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi·1 min
Toward I 75 North: FlintUse the slight left lane.
7
Merge onto I 75
58 mi·1 hr 1 min·North Walter P. Chrysler Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork onto I 75
52 mi·56 min·I 75
Toward I 75: Saginaw
9
Keep slight left at fork onto I 75; US 23
63 mi·1 hr 3 min·I 75; US 23
10
Keep slight left at fork onto I 75
132 mi·2 hr 15 min·I 75
11
Take the exit
0.5 mi·1 min
Exit 359Toward M 134: De Tour Village, Drummond Island
12
Turn right onto M 134
41 mi·1 hr·North Huron Shore Drive
13
Turn right onto M 134
0.1 mi·15 sec·Elizabeth Street
14
Keep slight left at fork onto M 134
169 ft·2 sec·Elizabeth Street
15
Continue on M 134
1.0 mi·30 min·DeTour ↔ Drummond Island
16
Continue on M 134
7.9 mi·13 min·East Channel Road
17
Turn left onto South Townline Road
1.5 mi·3 min·South Townline Road
18
Turn right onto East Maxton Road
0.4 mi·1 min·East Maxton Road
19
Turn right onto South Wasnich Road
155 ft·6 sec·South Wasnich Road
20
Arrive at destination
South Wasnich Road
Trip Plan
Since this is a single-day drive of over seven hours, consider an early morning departure from Dearborn to maximize daylight and avoid rush hour traffic. With two planned stops, you can break up the 364.6 miles into manageable segments, perhaps stopping around the halfway point. Keep an eye on your fuel levels, especially as you move away from major highway corridors, and budget around $58 for gas. The mostly surface road profile means you'll encounter more local traffic and varying speed limits, so stay alert and allow a little extra time for potential delays.
Morning Departure
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Evening Departure
This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 182.3 miles from Dearborn, MI, or about 3h 14m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 247.6 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 80 miles or 1h 29m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 182.3 miles or 3h 14m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 5h 20m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Drummond, MI than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Dearborn, 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.
+
Pick one backup stop option before the midpoint in case traffic changes your pacing.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Dearborn, MI
This is one driving day of about 364.6 miles and 7h 18m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Dearborn, MI.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 2 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on I 75 for about 247.6 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 15
5 decision points cluster between mile 6.8 and 312.5 — 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
5
7.3 mi into trip|~11m in|I 75 / North Walter P. Chrysler Freeway
Merge onto I 75 / North Walter P. Chrysler Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
64.9 mi into trip|~1h 13m in|I 75
Keep slight left at fork onto I 75 toward I 75: Saginaw
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I 75: Saginaw
6
312.5 mi into trip|~5h 28m in
Take the exit toward M 134: De Tour Village, Drummond Island
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 359
Toward M 134: De Tour Village, Drummond Island
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$60.82 one way
$121.64 round trip
$4.24/gal25.4 MPG avg128 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.61
$66.10
$132.20
premium
$5.26
$75.49
$150.98
diesel
$6.18
$88.70
$177.39
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$61
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$86–$111
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 127.6 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-12.
Driving Electric?
About $38 in charging
· 1 stop
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
109.4
1
$38.28
$17.50
Efficient EV
91.2
1
$31.90
$14.58
EV Truck/SUV
145.8
1
$51.04
$23.33
Gas CO2
128 kg
EV CO2
43 kg (66% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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 Oct 17, 2026
Origin
Dearborn, MI
Afternoon
in Dearborn on Saturday
Local time
2:26 PM
EDT
Current temp
37°F
Areas Of Frost
N 13 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued October 17 at 3:23AM EDT until October 17 at 8:00AM EDT by NWS Grand Rapids MI
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued October 16 at 1:59PM EDT until October 17 at 8:00AM EDT by NWS Detroit/Pontiac MI
Destination
Drummond, MI
Afternoon
in Drummond on Saturday
Local time
2:26 PM
EDT
Current temp
29°F
Partly Cloudy
N 5 mph8% chanceLive forecast
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued October 17 at 3:23AM EDT until October 17 at 8:00AM EDT by NWS Grand Rapids MI
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued October 16 at 1:59PM EDT until October 17 at 8:00AM EDT by NWS Detroit/Pontiac MI
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
8 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
7h 18m on the road
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route is characterized by its 0% highway share, meaning you'll be on surface roads for the entire 364.6 miles. The drive begins on major expressways like I 94 East, Detroit Industrial Expressway, and Edsel Ford Freeway before transitioning entirely to local thoroughfares. Expect frequent intersections and traffic signals as you move through populated areas. The longest stretch without a specific data point implies a continuous, unbroken drive on these surface roads.
85% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 247.6 mi on I 75.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 75 and North Walter P. Chrysler 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 Effort7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 15 significant decision points across 364.6 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
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 7.3 miles (I 75 / North Walter P. Chrysler Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
1,333 ft591 ft
Total Climb
1,281 ft
Total Descent
1,248 ft
Highest Point
1,333 ft
~234.4 mi in
Elevation Range
741 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Dearborn, MI and Drummond, MI, road signs point toward M 134: De Tour Village and Drummond Island.
Doable as a same-day drive at 7h 18m. Total distance: 364.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 2 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
7h 18m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 247.6 miles on I 75. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 29 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.
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 Drummond, MI before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 2 meaningful breaks. There are 29 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
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 7.3 miles (I 75 / North Walter P. Chrysler Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Not recommended in a single day. At 7.3 hours each way, a round trip means 14.6 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Drummond, MI before the return drive.
