Lansing to Comins is 189.8 miles and takes about 3 hours 28 minutes via US 127, with a fuel budget near $30 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Michigan, traversing the Midwest region from start to finish. Given its relatively short duration and mostly highway profile, this route is an excellent option for a single-day trip. You'll find it a straightforward drive, mostly on main roads, making it a practical choice for getting from point A to point B without much fuss.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
94.9 miles from Lansing, MI
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 40m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US 127
136.3 mi
2h 19m
South Down River Road
17.1 mi
19m
South Mount Tom Road
8.2 mi
11m
North Abbe Road
5.6 mi
6m
Park Road
5 mi
5m
Ryno Road
4.5 mi
5m
I 75
3.8 mi
3m
Cripps Road
3 mi
3m
Longest stretch:
US 127
— 136.3 mi, about 2h 19m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Lansing, MI and Comins, 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
1.8 mi·3 min·East Saginaw Street
8
Turn left onto North Homer Street
515 ft·16 sec·North Homer Street
9
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·28 sec
Toward US 127 North
10
Merge onto US 127
136 mi·2 hr 19 min·US 127
11
Merge onto I 75
3.8 mi·3 min·I 75
12
Take the exit onto BL I 75
1.0 mi·2 min·BL I 75
Toward I 75 Business Loop, M 72: Downtown Grayling, Traverse City
13
Turn sharp right onto M 72
0.5 mi·34 sec·Huron Street
14
Continue on M 72
17 mi·19 min·South Down River Road
15
Continue on M 72
5.0 mi·5 min·Park Road
16
Continue on M 72
3.0 mi·3 min·Cripps Road
17
Continue on M 72
4.5 mi·5 min·Ryno Road
18
Continue on M 72
1.0 mi·1 min·West 8th Street
19
Turn left onto M 33; M 72
0.5 mi·1 min·North Morenci Avenue
20
Continue on M 33; M 72
8.2 mi·11 min·South Mount Tom Road
21
Turn left onto M 33
5.6 mi·6 min·North Abbe Road
22
Arrive at destination
M 33
Trip Plan
This is a manageable 1-day drive, so you can leave Lansing mid-morning and still arrive in Comins with plenty of daylight. The longest stretch without a significant change in road type is 136.3 miles on US 127, so plan your fuel stops accordingly, though the total fuel cost is estimated at just $30. Given the single stop suggested, you can easily break up the drive whenever needed for a quick rest. Pay attention as you transition off US 127 onto South Down River Road and South Mount Tom Road, as the driving environment will change.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 94.9 miles from Lansing, MI, or about 1h 40m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 136.3 miles.
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 42 miles or 46m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 94.9 miles or 1h 40m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 45m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Comins, MI than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Lansing, 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 Lansing, MI
This is one driving day of about 189.8 miles and 3h 28m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 42 miles from Lansing, MI.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on US 127 for about 136.3 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 14
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 144.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip|~0m in|West Allegan Street
Turn right onto West Allegan Street
Navigation decision point
5
0.2 mi into trip|~0m in|Washington Square South
Turn left onto Washington Square South
Navigation decision point
5
0.2 mi into trip|~0m in|East Michigan Avenue
Enter roundabout onto East Michigan Avenue
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
5
143.3 mi into trip|~2h 30m in|BL I 75
Take the exit onto BL I 75 toward I 75 Business Loop, M 72: Downtown Grayling, Traverse City
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 75 Business Loop, M 72: Downtown Grayl...
5
144.4 mi into trip|~2h 32m in|M 72 / Huron Street
Turn sharp right onto M 72 / Huron Street
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$29.67 one way
$59.35 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg66 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$32.58
$65.16
premium
$4.89
$36.53
$73.05
diesel
$5.61
$41.91
$83.81
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$30
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$55–$80
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 66.4 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $20 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
56.9
0
$19.93
$9.11
Efficient EV
47.5
0
$16.61
$7.59
EV Truck/SUV
75.9
0
$26.57
$12.15
Gas CO2
66 kg
EV CO2
22 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.
Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026
Origin
Lansing, MI
Late night
in Lansing on Sunday
Local time
1:56 AM
EDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Comins, MI
Late night
in Comins on Sunday
Local time
1:56 AM
EDT
Current temp
39°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
42°F
Mount Pleasant, MI
95 mi in
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
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
8 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
3h 28m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
You'll spend about 74% of your time on the highway, which translates to a smooth 136.3-mile stretch on US 127. After this long highway segment, you'll transition to surface roads like South Down River Road and South Mount Tom Road. Expect a change from consistent highway speeds to more rural cruising as you get closer to Comins.
74% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 136.3 mi on US 127.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 127 and South Down River Road. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near West Allegan Street.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 3h 28m drive. You will face about 14 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (West Allegan Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (Washington Square South): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (East Michigan Avenue): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Lansing, MI and Comins, MI, road signs point toward M 72: Downtown Grayling and Traverse City.
M 72: Downtown Grayling
143.3 mi in|~2h 30m|via BL I 75
Traverse City
143.3 mi in|~2h 30m|via BL I 75
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 28m. Total distance: 189.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
The longest stretch is about 136.3 miles on US 127. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (West Allegan Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (Washington Square South): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (East Michigan Avenue): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
Possible but tiring. At 3.5 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 7.0 hours — manageable with a long break at Comins, MI, but most travelers stay overnight.
