This straightforward 73.7-mile drive from Lansing to Clarkston, Michigan, is easily manageable as a single-day trip, taking approximately 1 hour and 25 minutes. You'll primarily be on major highways, with 86% of the journey utilizing them, making it a quick commute within the Midwest. The estimated fuel cost for this relatively short distance is around $12. With no recommended stops, this route is designed for efficient travel, allowing you to reach your destination without needing to break up the journey overnight. It’s a practical option for getting between these two Michigan cities.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 69 BL
38.3 mi
39m
I 75
24.9 mi
26m
East Saginaw Street
7 mi
11m
Saginaw Highway
0.7 mi
1m
North Main Street
0.6 mi
1m
North Larch Street
0.5 mi
1m
East Michigan Avenue
0.4 mi
1m
West Allegan Street
0.2 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 69 BL
— 38.3 mi, about 39m
Traffic on I-69
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 8 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~1,573 veh/hr typical
· worst 1,936
Quietest
1 AM
~98 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
16.1×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 52 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 Lansing, MI and Clarkston, MI.
1
Start on Townsend Street
22 ft·3 sec·Townsend Street
2
Turn right onto West Allegan Street
0.2 mi·32 sec·West Allegan Street
3
Turn left onto Washington Square South
339 ft·11 sec·Washington Square South
4
Enter roundabout onto East Michigan Avenue
20 ft·1 sec·East Michigan Avenue
5
Continue on East Michigan Avenue
0.4 mi·1 min·East Michigan Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
Turn left onto I 96 BL
0.5 mi·1 min·North Larch Street
7
Turn right onto I 69 BL; M 43
1.9 mi·3 min·East Saginaw Street
8
Keep slight left at fork onto I 69 BL
5.0 mi·7 min·East Saginaw Street
9
Continue on I 69 BL
0.7 mi·1 min·Saginaw Highway
10
Take the ramp onto I 69 BL
0.2 mi·27 sec·I 69 BL
11
Keep slight right at fork onto I 69 BL
38 mi·38 min·I 69 BL
12
Take the exit
0.4 mi·48 sec
Toward I 75, US 23: Saginaw, DetroitUse the slight right lane.
13
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi·46 sec
Toward I 75 South, US 23 South: Detroit
14
Merge onto I 75; US 23
1.9 mi·2 min·I 75; US 23
15
Keep slight left at fork onto I 75
23 mi·24 min·I 75
16
Take the exit
0.4 mi·57 sec
Exit 91Toward M 15: Davison, ClarkstonUse the slight right lane.
17
Turn right onto M 15
0.6 mi·1 min·North Main Street
Use the right lane.
18
Turn left onto East Washington Street
84 ft·2 sec·East Washington Street
Use the left lane.
19
Arrive at destination
East Washington Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
The midpoint is around 36.9 miles from Lansing, 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 15
5 decision points cluster between mile 47 and 73.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
47 mi into trip|~54m in
Take the exit toward I 75, US 23: Saginaw, Detroit
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 75, US 23: Saginaw, Detroit
6
47.4 mi into trip|~55m in
Keep slight right 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
8
72.7 mi into trip|~1h 23m in
Take the exit toward M 15: Davison, Clarkston
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 91
Toward M 15: Davison, Clarkston
6
73.1 mi into trip|~1h 24m in|M 15 / North Main Street
Turn right onto M 15 / North Main Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
6
73.7 mi into trip|~1h 25m in|East Washington Street
Turn left onto East Washington Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$12.25 one way
$24.51 round trip
$4.22/gal25.4 MPG avg26 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.60
$13.35
$26.69
premium
$5.18
$15.04
$30.08
diesel
$5.35
$15.52
$31.05
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$12
Estimated CO2 emission: 25.8 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging
· 0 stops
· 65% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
22.1
0
$7.74
$3.54
Efficient EV
18.4
0
$6.45
$2.95
EV Truck/SUV
29.5
0
$10.32
$4.72
Gas CO2
26 kg
EV CO2
9 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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Forecast as of May 10, 2026
Origin
Lansing, MI
Afternoon
in Lansing on Wednesday
Local time
4:53 PM
EDT
Current temp
59°F
Mostly Sunny
WNW 2 to 13 mph1% chanceLive forecast
Freeze Watch
Freeze Watch issued May 10 at 2:28AM EDT until May 11 at 8:00AM EDT by NWS Gaylord MI
Freeze Watch
Freeze Watch issued May 10 at 2:28AM EDT until May 11 at 8:00AM EDT by NWS Gaylord MI
Destination
Clarkston, MI
Afternoon
in Clarkston on Wednesday
Local time
4:53 PM
EDT
Current temp
82°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
83°F
Vernon, MI
37 mi in
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
23 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 25m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a highway-focused drive for the majority of this trip, as 86% of the route is on major roadways. Your longest uninterrupted stretch will be 38.3 miles on I 69 BL, offering a consistent pace. The journey begins on East Saginaw Street before transitioning to I 75, where you'll experience the predictable flow of interstate driving. While not overly complex, the route emphasizes getting you from point A to point B efficiently, with minimal deviations from the main highway system. This ensures a smooth, if not particularly varied, driving experience.
86% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 38.3 mi on I 69 BL.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 69 BL and I 75. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 47 miles in.
Driving Effort7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 73.7 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: at 47 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 47.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 72.7 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
1,073 ft746 ft
Total Climb
375 ft
Total Descent
225 ft
Highest Point
1,073 ft
~68.5 mi in
Elevation Range
328 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Lansing, MI to Clarkston, MI, road signs begin pointing toward Detroit along the way.
Lansing is a pleasant city, and as Michigan's state capital, it is home to many government offices. Downtown Lansing has a historic shopping district amidst the campus of Thomas M. Cooley Law School.
Top landmarks
•Michigan State Capitol — state capitol building of the U.S. state of Michigan
•Boji Tower — building in Lansing, Michigan, United States completed in 1931
•Accident Fund Building — office building and former power plant in Lansing, Michigan, US
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 25m. Total distance: 73.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 25m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (86%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 38.3 miles on I 69 BL. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 6 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 Clarkston, 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 47 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 47.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 72.7 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 Clarkston, MI before heading back.
