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Trip from Flint, MI to South Lyon, MI

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

Drive Time

55m

Distance

46.4 mi

75 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 13 min
4 AM
0h 51m ★
6 AM
0h 55m
8 AM
1h 4m
10 AM
0h 58m
12 PM
0h 58m
3 PM
0h 59m
5 PM
1h 4m
8 PM
0h 53m

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 southwestern Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan

South Lyon, MI

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Flint to South Lyon is 46.4 miles and takes about 55 minutes via US 23, I-96, and I-75, with a fuel budget near $7 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This straightforward trip stays within Michigan, traversing the Midwest region. Expect a drive that is primarily on highways, making it a quick and efficient journey. It’s a good option if you need to get from point A to point B without much fuss, perfect for a day trip or as a segment of a larger Midwest adventure.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
US 23 30.9 mi 33m
I 96 4.3 mi 4m
I 75 2.1 mi 2m
Chevrolet-Buick Freeway 2.1 mi 2m
Pontiac Trail 2 mi 3m
North Lafayette Street 1 mi 2m
Kent Lake Road 0.9 mi 1m
South Grand Traverse Street 0.3 mi <1m
Longest stretch: US 23 — 30.9 mi, about 33m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Flint, MI and South Lyon, MI.

1

Start on this road

93 ft · 11 sec · this road
2

Turn uturn onto M 21

0.3 mi · 47 sec · East Court Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
3

Turn left onto South Grand Traverse Street

0.3 mi · 41 sec · South Grand Traverse Street
4

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 26 sec
5

Merge onto I 69

2.1 mi · 2 min · Chevrolet-Buick Freeway
6

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 39 sec
Exit 133 Toward I 75, US 23: Detroit, Saginaw
7

Keep slight left at fork

0.6 mi · 1 min
Toward I 75 South, US 23 South: Detroit
8

Merge onto I 75; US 23

2.1 mi · 2 min · I 75; US 23
9

Keep slight right at fork onto US 23

31 mi · 33 min · US 23
Toward US 23: Ann Arbor
10

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 41 sec
Toward I 96 East: Detroit
11

Keep slight left at fork

0.6 mi · 37 sec
Toward I 96 East: Detroit
12

Merge onto I 96

4.3 mi · 4 min · I 96
13

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 26 sec
Exit 153 Toward Kent Lake Road, South Lyon Use the slight right lane.
14

Turn left onto Grand River Avenue

212 ft · 8 sec · Grand River Avenue
15

Turn right onto Kent Lake Road

0.9 mi · 1 min · Kent Lake Road
16

Turn left onto Silver Lake Road

0.2 mi · 26 sec · Silver Lake Road
17

Turn right onto Pontiac Trail

2.0 mi · 3 min · Pontiac Trail
18

Continue on North Lafayette Street

1.0 mi · 2 min · North Lafayette Street
19

Turn right onto West Lake Street

29 ft · 0 sec · West Lake Street
20

Arrive at destination

West Lake Street

Where to Stop

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

Downtown Lake Fenton, MI, MI

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Lake Fenton, 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

Lake Fenton, MI

Fuel and coffee

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

Hartland, MI

Meal break

The midpoint is around 23.2 miles from Flint, 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 17

5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 42 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

9
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | M 21 / East Court Street

Turn uturn onto M 21 / East Court Street

Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / left lanes.
6
2.9 mi into trip | ~4m in

Take the exit toward I 75, US 23: Detroit, Saginaw

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

Exit 133 Toward I 75, US 23: Detroit, Saginaw
6
3.2 mi into trip | ~5m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 75 South, US 23 South: Detroit

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward I 75 South, US 23 South: Detroit
5
6 mi into trip | ~8m in | US 23

Keep slight right at fork onto US 23 toward US 23: Ann Arbor

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

Toward US 23: Ann Arbor
8
42 mi into trip | ~47m in

Take the exit toward Kent Lake Road, South Lyon

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 153 Toward Kent Lake Road, South Lyon

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$7.25 one way

$14.51 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 16 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $7.96 $15.93
premium $4.89 $8.93 $17.86
diesel $5.61 $10.24 $20.49

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$7

Estimated CO2 emission: 16.2 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 13.9 0 $4.87 $2.23
Efficient EV 11.6 0 $4.06 $1.86
EV Truck/SUV 18.6 0 $6.50 $2.97

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 18, 2026

Origin

Flint, MI

Late night in Flint on Sunday

Local time

2:02 AM

EDT

Current temp

64°F

Showers And Thunderstorms

SW 14 mph 81% chance Live forecast

Flash Flood Watch

Flash Flood Watch issued April 18 at 3:10AM EDT until April 19 at 8:00AM EDT by NWS Gaylord MI

Flood Watch

Flood Watch issued April 18 at 3:10AM EDT until April 19 at 8:00AM EDT by NWS Gaylord MI

Destination

South Lyon, MI

Late night in South Lyon on Sunday

Local time

2:02 AM

EDT

Current temp

67°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

3 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

55m 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 route is predominantly a highway-focused drive, with 85% of the journey utilizing major roadways like US 23, I-96, and I-75. You'll encounter a longest uninterrupted stretch of 30.9 miles on US 23, offering a consistent pace. The profile suggests a smooth, high-speed experience for most of the 46.4 miles. While primarily highway, be prepared for the transitions between these major routes as you progress towards South Lyon.

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: 30.9 mi on US 23.

How Hard Is This Drive?

9/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 23 and I 96. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near M 21 / East Court Street.

Driving Effort 9/10

Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a short but busy drive. With 17 decision points packed into just 46.4 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 55m.

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. Lane positioning matters here; at 2.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 3.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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.

Between Flint, MI and South Lyon, MI, road signs point toward Saginaw and Lyon.

Saginaw

2.9 mi in | ~4m

Lyon

42 mi in | ~47m

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 55m. Total distance: 46.4 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

55m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

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

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (85%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 30.9 miles on US 23. 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 South Lyon, 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: near the start (M 21 / East Court Street): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach. Lane positioning matters here; at 2.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 3.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at South Lyon, 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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