Macomb, MI to Bay Mills, MI is 335.7 miles and takes about 6h 10m via I 75 and M 28, with a fuel budget near $59 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Midwest region, traversing Michigan for its entirety. It's a straightforward drive that's primarily on major highways, making it a convenient option if you're looking for an efficient way to get from point A to point B. The route is well-suited for a single day of travel without feeling overly rushed.
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
167.8 miles from Macomb, MI
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 3h 7m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 75
301.8 mi
5h 11m
M 28
7.7 mi
8m
25 Mile Road
6.9 mi
10m
West Lakeshore Drive
3.9 mi
9m
South M-221
2.5 mi
4m
Dutton Road
2.4 mi
3m
East Tienken Road
2.2 mi
4m
Brown Road
2.1 mi
3m
Longest stretch:
I 75
— 301.8 mi, about 5h 11m
Traffic on I-75
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 47 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~1,684 veh/hr typical
· worst 2,462
Quietest
2 AM
~80 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
21.1×
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 Macomb, MI and Bay Mills, MI.
1
Start on this road
31 ft·0 sec·this road
2
Continue on 25 Mile Road
0.9 mi·1 min·25 Mile Road
3
Enter roundabout onto 25 Mile Road
145 ft·4 sec·25 Mile Road
4
Continue on 25 Mile Road
6.0 mi·9 min·25 Mile Road
5
Continue on Runyon Road
0.9 mi·1 min·Runyon Road
6
Enter roundabout onto East Tienken Road
186 ft·4 sec·East Tienken Road
7
Continue on East Tienken Road
0.6 mi·1 min·East Tienken Road
8
Enter roundabout onto East Tienken Road
135 ft·4 sec·East Tienken Road
9
Continue on East Tienken Road
1.6 mi·3 min·East Tienken Road
Use the left lane.
10
Enter roundabout onto West Tienken Road
143 ft·3 sec·West Tienken Road
11
Continue on West Tienken Road
2.1 mi·4 min·West Tienken Road
12
Turn right onto North Adams Road
1.1 mi·1 min·North Adams Road
Use the right lane.
13
Turn left onto Dutton Road
2.4 mi·3 min·Dutton Road
Use the left lane.
14
Continue on Brown Road
1.3 mi·1 min·Brown Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
15
Continue on Brown Road
0.9 mi·1 min·Brown Road
Use the left / straight lanes.
16
Turn slight left
0.1 mi·33 sec
Use the left lane.
17
Turn straight onto Joslyn Road
0.2 mi·27 sec·Joslyn Road
18
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·40 sec
Toward I 75 NorthUse the right lane.
19
Merge onto I 75
27 mi·29 min·I 75
20
Keep slight left at fork onto I 75
52 mi·56 min·I 75
Toward I 75: Saginaw
21
Keep slight left at fork onto I 75; US 23
63 mi·1 hr 3 min·I 75; US 23
22
Keep slight left at fork onto I 75
159 mi·2 hr 42 min·I 75
23
Take the exit
0.4 mi·59 sec
Toward M 28: Newberry, Munising
24
Turn left onto M 28
7.7 mi·8 min·M 28
25
Turn right onto M 221
2.5 mi·4 min·South M-221
26
At end of road, turn left onto West Lakeshore Drive
3.9 mi·9 min·West Lakeshore Drive
27
Turn right onto South Bay Mills Point Road
1.0 mi·3 min·South Bay Mills Point Road
28
Turn slight right onto South North Drive
83 ft·3 sec·South North Drive
29
Arrive at destination
South North Drive
Trip Plan
Given the 6-hour duration, leaving Macomb in the morning is recommended to ensure you arrive with daylight. With only one recommended stop, you have flexibility to choose your break points, but consider a longer pause around the halfway mark. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, as the longest stretch without a major town could be substantial. The $59 fuel estimate is based on current averages, so confirm pricing as you travel. Since this is a single-day drive, you can easily adjust your departure time based on your morning's activities.
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.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 167.8 miles from Macomb, MI, or about 3h 7m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 301.8 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 74 miles or 1h 31m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 167.8 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 4h 57m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Bay Mills, MI than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Macomb, 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 Macomb, MI
This is one driving day of about 335.7 miles and 6h 10m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 74 miles from Macomb, 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 I 75 for about 301.8 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 19
5 decision points cluster between mile 8.4 and 18 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
8.4 mi into trip|~13m in|East Tienken Road
Enter roundabout onto East Tienken Road
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
5
10 mi into trip|~16m in|West Tienken Road
Enter roundabout onto West Tienken Road
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
6
12.1 mi into trip|~20m in|North Adams Road
Turn right onto North Adams Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
13.2 mi into trip|~22m in|Dutton Road
Turn left onto Dutton Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
18 mi into trip|~31m in
Take the ramp toward I 75 North
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward I 75 North
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$49.58 one way
$99.15 round trip
$3.75/gal25.4 MPG avg118 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.14
$54.73
$109.46
premium
$4.72
$62.33
$124.66
diesel
$4.80
$63.39
$126.77
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$50
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$75–$100
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 117.5 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $35 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
100.7
1
$35.25
$16.11
Efficient EV
83.9
0
$29.37
$13.43
EV Truck/SUV
134.3
1
$47.00
$21.48
Gas CO2
117 kg
EV CO2
39 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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Forecast as of Jul 17, 2026
Origin
Macomb, MI
Night
in Macomb on Saturday
Local time
11:27 PM
EDT
Current temp
91°F
Smoke
SSE 1 to 8 mph14% chanceLive forecast
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued July 17 at 6:42AM EDT by NWS Grand Rapids MI
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued July 17 at 5:18AM EDT by NWS Grand Rapids MI
Destination
Bay Mills, MI
Night
in Bay Mills on Saturday
Local time
11:27 PM
EDT
Current temp
71°F
Smoke
SE 5 to 10 mph32% chanceLive forecast
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued July 17 at 6:42AM EDT by NWS Grand Rapids MI
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued July 17 at 5:18AM EDT by NWS Grand Rapids MI
55°F
Edenville, MI
168 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
20 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
6h 10m on the road
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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
You'll spend about 90% of your time on highways, covering 301.8 miles of this route on I 75. This means you'll experience mostly high-speed cruising with frequent exits as you travel north. The transition to surface roads will occur later in the drive, marking the final stretch before you reach Bay Mills. Expect a consistent driving environment for the majority of the trip.
90% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
29 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 301.8 mi on I 75.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 75 and M 28. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 8.4 miles in near East Tienken Road.
Driving Effort7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 19 significant decision points across 335.7 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 8.4 miles (East Tienken Road): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 10 miles (West Tienken Road): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 12.1 miles (North Adams Road): Lane positioning matters here.
Doable as a same-day drive at 6h 10m. Total distance: 335.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
6h 10m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 301.8 miles on I 75. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 29 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 Bay Mills, MI before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. There are 29 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 8.4 miles (East Tienken Road): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 10 miles (West Tienken Road): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 12.1 miles (North Adams Road): Lane positioning matters here.
Not recommended in a single day. At 6.2 hours each way, a round trip means 12.4 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Bay Mills, MI before the return drive.
