Origin
Dearborn, MI
Late night in Dearborn on Sunday
Local time
4:01 AM
EDT
Current temp
61°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Dearborn, 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 28m
Distance
76.3 mi
123 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$12
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 22m
★
6 AM
1h 29m
8 AM
1h 43m
10 AM
1h 34m
12 PM
1h 32m
3 PM
1h 34m
5 PM
1h 42m
8 PM
1h 25m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Dearborn, MI
Wikimedia Commons
Swartz Creek, MI
Frank Krasznavolgyi
Trip Overview
If you are planning a trip from Dearborn to Swartz Creek, you are looking at a straightforward 76.3-mile journey through the Michigan Midwest. Expect to spend about 1 hour and 28 minutes behind the wheel, making this an ideal candidate for a single-day excursion. You will rely heavily on the North Walter P. Chrysler Freeway, the Edsel Ford Freeway, and I-75 to complete the trek. With an estimated fuel cost of $12, this route is quite budget-friendly for a quick getaway. Because the distance is relatively short, there is no need for an overnight stay, allowing you to reach your destination comfortably in one go.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| North Walter P. Chrysler Freeway | 57.6 mi | 1h 1m |
| Edsel Ford Freeway | 5.6 mi | 7m |
| I 75 | 4.9 mi | 5m |
| Chevrolet-Buick Freeway | 3.2 mi | 3m |
| Miller Road | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| Michigan Avenue | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Detroit Industrial Expressway | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
North Walter P. Chrysler Freeway
— 57.6 mi, about 1h 1m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Dearborn, MI and Swartz Creek, 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
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
4.9 mi
·
5 min
·
I 75
Toward I 75: Saginaw
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
Toward I 69: Lansing, Port Huron
Use the slight right lane.
10
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
Toward I 69: Lansing, Flint, Port Huron
11
Keep slight left at fork
1.0 mi
·
2 min
Toward I 69 West: Lansing
12
Merge onto I 69
3.2 mi
·
3 min
·
Chevrolet-Buick Freeway
13
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
58 sec
Exit 129
Toward Miller Road
Use the slight right lane.
14
Turn right onto Miller Road
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Miller Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
15
Arrive at destination
Miller Road
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
38 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 17 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 38.2 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 125 decision points cluster between mile 6.8 and 74.5 — 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
7
69.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 18m 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
70.1 mi into trip
|
~1h 19m 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
74.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 25m 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
$11.93 one way
$23.86 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
27 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $13.10 | $26.19 |
| premium | $4.89 | $14.68 | $29.37 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $16.85 | $33.69 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$12
Estimated CO2 emission: 26.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 22.9 | 0 | $8.01 | $3.66 |
| Efficient EV | 19.1 | 0 | $6.68 | $3.05 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 30.5 | 0 | $10.68 | $4.88 |
Gas CO2
27 kg
EV CO2
9 kg (67% 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.
Destination
Swartz Creek, MI
Late night in Swartz Creek on Sunday
Local time
4:01 AM
EDT
Current temp
74°F
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
SSW 15 mph
29% chance
Live forecast
Flood Watch
Flood Watch issued April 12 at 1:40PM EDT until April 15 at 8:00AM EDT by NWS Grand Rapids MI
Flood Watch
Flood Watch issued April 12 at 1:14PM EDT until April 15 at 8:00AM EDT by NWS Gaylord MI
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
13 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 28m 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 trip is a quintessential highway-focused drive, with 94% of your time spent on major thoroughfares. You will quickly settle into a rhythm on the interstate, especially during the longest uninterrupted stretch of 57.6 miles along the North Walter P. Chrysler Freeway. The experience is consistent and efficient, prioritizing speed and directness over winding scenic detours. While you won't encounter technical local roads, you should prepare for the steady pace of high-traffic transit corridors. It is a no-frills, utilitarian route designed to get you from point A to point B with minimal fuss.
94% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 57.6 mi on North Walter P. Chrysler Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
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
10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 76.3 miles you will encounter 12 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 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 69.8 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
1,102 ft
591 ft
Total Climb
568 ft
Total Descent
370 ft
Highest Point
1,102 ft
~43.6 mi in
Elevation Range
511 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
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 Swartz Creek, MI, road signs point toward Toledo, Port Huron and Flint.
Toledo
6.8 mi in
|
~10m
Port Huron
69.8 mi in
|
~1h 18m
Flint
70.1 mi in
|
~1h 19m
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 1h 28m. Total distance: 76.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 28m 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 57.6 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 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 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 69.8 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 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.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
More trips to Swartz Creek, MI
Explore more options from Dearborn, MI or browse trips ending in Swartz Creek, MI.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse MI road trips.