Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jul 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 16m
Distance
64.5 mi
104 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Detroit, MI
Wikimedia Commons
Lake Fenton, MI
Kevin Carrera
Detroit, MI to Lake Fenton, MI is 64.5 miles and takes about 1 hour 16 minutes via Walter P. Chrysler Freeway, with a fuel budget near $10 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Michigan, making it a straightforward drive between two points in the Midwest. Most of the route is on highways, so you'll cover ground efficiently. Given the short duration, it's an easy same-day excursion, perfect for a quick getaway or a visit to a friend.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Walter P. Chrysler Freeway | 54.5 mi | 59m |
| East Baldwin Road | 5 mi | 6m |
| Fenton Road | 2.9 mi | 5m |
| South Saginaw Road | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Monroe Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Randolph Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Cadillac Square | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Triple Oak Drive | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 33 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~4,143 veh/hr typical · worst 5,357
Quietest
2 AM
~281 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
14.7×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 52 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Detroit, MI and Lake Fenton, MI.
Start on Cadillac Square
Continue on Cadillac Square
Turn slight left onto M 3
Turn right onto Monroe Street
At end of road, turn left onto Chrysler Drive
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 375
Take the exit
Turn straight onto South Saginaw Road
Turn left onto East Baldwin Road
Turn left onto Fenton Road
Turn right onto Triple Oak Drive
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
32 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.
A short stop after about 14 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 32.3 miles from Detroit, 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.
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 61.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Continue onto Cadillac Square toward M 3 North
Lane positioning matters here
Turn right onto Monroe Street
Lane positioning matters here
At end of road, turn left onto Chrysler Drive
Lane positioning matters here
Merge onto I 375 / Walter P. Chrysler Freeway toward I 75 North: Flint
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Turn left onto Fenton Road
Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$9.53 one way
$19.05 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.14 | $10.52 | $21.03 |
| premium | $4.72 | $11.98 | $23.95 |
| diesel | $4.80 | $12.18 | $24.36 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 22.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 19.4 | 0 | $6.77 | $3.10 |
| Efficient EV | 16.1 | 0 | $5.64 | $2.58 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 25.8 | 0 | $9.03 | $4.13 |
Gas CO2
23 kg
EV CO2
8 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Afternoon in Detroit on Sunday
Local time
1:17 PM
EDT
Current temp
63°F
Mostly Clear
Destination
Afternoon in Lake Fenton on Sunday
Local time
1:17 PM
EDT
Current temp
57°F
Clear
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
This route is predominantly highway driving, with 84% of the 64.5 miles on high-speed roads like the Walter P. Chrysler Freeway. You'll experience a solid stretch of 54.5 miles on the Walter P. Chrysler Freeway before transitioning to surface roads. Expect a fairly continuous highway experience for the majority of your drive, with exits and merges typical of freeway travel.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Walter P. Chrysler Freeway and East Baldwin Road. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Cadillac Square.
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 64.5 miles you will encounter 10 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 0.1 miles (Cadillac Square): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.3 miles (Monroe Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.7 miles (Chrysler Drive): Lane positioning matters here.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
448 ft
Total Descent
165 ft
Highest Point
1,029 ft
~41.5 mi in
Elevation Range
431 ft
“The D” · Founded 1701
Detroit is a major metropolis in the US state of Michigan that has had a profound impact on the world. From the advent of the automotive assembly line to the Motown sound, modern techno and rock music, Detroit continues to shape both American and global culture. The city has seen many of its historic buildings renovated, and is bustling with new developments and attractions that complement its world-class museums and theatres. After a long economic slump and decrease in population, Detroit has developed a reputation for crime and urban decline, but revitalization means that it is an exciting destination filled with technological advance and historic charm.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 16m. Total distance: 64.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 16m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (84%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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