Waters End Cafe
Around the midpoint, short detour
Gaylord, Michigan
Hours: 8 am–6 pm
Visit websiteCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jul 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
6h 38m
Distance
360.1 mi
580 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$53
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Flint, MI
Wikimedia Commons
Brampton, MI
fish socks
Flint to Brampton is 360.1 miles and takes about 6h 38m via I 75 and US-2 West, with a fuel budget near $64 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Michigan, traversing the Midwest region. Given its predominantly highway profile, you can expect a fairly straightforward drive. With only one recommended stop and a manageable duration, this route is well-suited for a single-day excursion if you're looking to cover ground efficiently.
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
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
180.1 miles from Flint, MI
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 3h 7m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 75 | 218.5 mi | 3h 44m |
| US-2 West | 122.9 mi | 2h 25m |
| UAW Freeway | 9.7 mi | 10m |
| Brampton 27.5 Road | 4.4 mi | 10m |
| US 2 | 3.2 mi | 3m |
| East Third Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Michigan 35 | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Saginaw Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 30 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~1,426 veh/hr typical · worst 2,474
Quietest
2 AM
~59 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
24.2×
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 Flint, MI and Brampton, MI.
Start on this road
Turn uturn onto M 21
Turn right onto Saginaw Street
Turn right onto East Third Street
Turn left onto Chavez Drive
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 475
Merge onto I 75; US 23
Keep slight left at fork onto I 75; US 23
Keep slight left at fork onto I 75
Take the exit
Merge onto US 2; I 75 BL
Continue on US 2
Continue on US 2
Turn right onto 186
Turn left onto 186
At end of road, turn left onto M 35
Turn right onto 434
Continue on 434
Arrive at destination
To make the most of this 6h 38m drive, consider an early morning departure to ensure you have ample daylight. With only one recommended stop, plan it strategically for a meal or a stretch break. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially during the 218.5-mile segment on I 75, as services can be spaced out on long highway stretches. The $64 fuel estimate should give you a good baseline for budgeting, but always check current prices. Since this is a single-day trip, you have flexibility to adjust your departure time based on weather or traffic.
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.
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 79 miles or 1h 24m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 180.1 miles or 3h 7m 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 22m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Brampton, MI than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Flint, 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.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Flint, MI
This is one driving day of about 360.1 miles and 6h 38m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
180 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 79 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 180.1 miles from Flint, MI, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before I 75 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 218.5 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Picked by where they fit in your drive — first break, midpoint reset, final stretch.
Best coffee break · around the midpoint
Gaylord, Michigan
Around the midpoint, short detour
Hours: 8 am–6 pm
Boardwalk Coffee & General Store
St Ignace, Michigan
Around the midpoint, short detour
Gaylord, Michigan
Hours: 8 am–6 pm
Visit websiteAround the midpoint, short detour
St Ignace, Michigan
Hours: 7 am–2 pm
+19069846018
Visit websiteAround the midpoint, right off the route
St Ignace, Michigan
Hours: 10 am–6 pm
Near the start, right off the route
Flint, Michigan
Hours: 10 am–5 pm
+18102373450
Visit websiteNear the start, short detour
Flint, Michigan
Hours: 10 am–4 pm
+18107675437
Visit websiteAround the midpoint, short detour
St Ignace, Michigan
Hours: 10 am–5 pm
+19066439161
Visit websiteAround the midpoint, short detour
St Ignace, Michigan
+19066438322
Visit websiteAround the midpoint, short detour
St Ignace, Michigan
Hours: Open 24 hours
+19066438717
Visit websiteNear the start, ~9 min detour
Flint, Michigan
Hours: 12–8 pm
+18104078972
Visit websiteAround the midpoint, ~10 min detour
St Ignace, Michigan
+19066438268
Visit websitePlace data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 360.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn uturn onto M 21 / East Court Street
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
Turn right onto Saginaw Street
Navigation decision point
Take the exit toward US 2: Manistique, Escanaba
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
At end of road, turn left onto M 35 / Michigan 35
Navigation decision point
Turn right onto 434 / N.5 Road
Navigation decision point
Regular Gas
$53.18 one way
$106.36 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.14 | $58.71 | $117.42 |
| premium | $4.72 | $66.86 | $133.72 |
| diesel | $4.80 | $67.99 | $135.99 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$53
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$78–$103
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 126 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $38 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 108 | 1 | $37.81 | $17.28 |
| Efficient EV | 90 | 1 | $31.51 | $14.40 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 144 | 1 | $50.41 | $23.05 |
Gas CO2
126 kg
EV CO2
42 kg (67% 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Morning in Flint on Sunday
Local time
8:52 AM
EDT
Current temp
72°F
Mostly Clear
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 13 at 10:39PM EDT until July 14 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Gaylord MI
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 13 at 10:39PM EDT until July 14 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Gaylord MI
Destination
Morning in Brampton on Sunday
Local time
8:52 AM
EDT
Current temp
74°F
Partly Cloudy
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 13 at 10:39PM EDT until July 14 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Gaylord MI
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 13 at 10:39PM EDT until July 14 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Gaylord 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
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
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.
This route is 98% highway, meaning you'll spend almost the entire 360.1 miles on major roads. The longest continuous stretch you'll encounter is 218.5 miles on I 75. You'll transition to surface roads for the final portion of the drive, which will likely involve more frequent intersections and lower speed limits after you exit the main freeways.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 75 and US-2 West. You will hit about 15 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near M 21 / East Court Street.
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 360.1 miles you will encounter 15 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: near the start (M 21 / East Court Street): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 0.1 miles (Saginaw Street): Navigation decision point; at 229.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Gently rolling terrain
Total Climb
1,046 ft
Total Descent
1,059 ft
Highest Point
1,297 ft
~154.3 mi in
Elevation Range
710 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Flint, MI to Brampton, MI, road signs begin pointing toward Escanaba along the way.
Escanaba
Founded 1818
Flint is an industrial city an hour northwest of Detroit in Michigan. It was the home of many General Motors factories, including the Buick World Headquarters, Flint has fallen on hard times over the past 30 years due to the decline of the American automotive industry. Despite these misfortunes, the city has an outsized history, including decisive roles in the growth of the American labor movement and community schooling and evident in a host of extensive and well-endowed cultural institutions. Flint has seen a dramatic reduction in crime while simultaneously enjoying a revitalizing Downtown and growing colleges and universities are found within the city's limits.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 6h 38m. Total distance: 360.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
6h 38m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (98%). 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.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore more options from Flint, MI or browse trips ending in Brampton, MI.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse MI road trips.