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Trip from Orchard Lake, MI to Detroit, MI

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

Drive Time

39m

Distance

26.6 mi

43 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$4

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 10 min
4 AM
0h 36m ★
6 AM
0h 40m
8 AM
0h 46m
10 AM
0h 42m
12 PM
0h 41m
3 PM
0h 42m
5 PM
0h 46m
8 PM
0h 38m

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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Downtown Orchard Lake, MI, MI

Orchard Lake, MI

Sean Ewing

Downtown Detroit, MI, MI

Detroit, MI

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

This quick 26.6-mile drive from Orchard Lake, MI to Detroit, MI takes approximately 39 minutes and is best suited as a single-day trip. You'll primarily be on major freeways, with 68% of the journey on highways, making it a straightforward commute. The estimated fuel cost for this short hop is around $4, so budget is unlikely to be a major concern. This route stays within the Midwest region and Michigan, offering a familiar landscape for travelers. It's a practical option for getting from the suburbs into the heart of the city without a significant time commitment.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
John C Lodge Freeway 18.2 mi 23m
Northwestern Highway 4 mi 6m
Orchard Lake Road 3.7 mi 6m
West Larned Street 0.2 mi <1m
Woodward Avenue 0.2 mi <1m
Cadillac Square <0.1 mi <1m
West Long Lake Road <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: John C Lodge Freeway — 18.2 mi, about 23m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Orchard Lake, MI and Detroit, MI.

1

Start on West Long Lake Road

61 ft · 5 sec · West Long Lake Road
2

Turn left onto Orchard Lake Road

3.7 mi · 6 min · Orchard Lake Road
Use the left lane.
3

Turn slight left

267 ft · 5 sec
4

Continue on M 10

4.0 mi · 6 min · Northwestern Highway
Use the right lane.
5

Turn straight onto M 10

18 mi · 23 min · John C Lodge Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 45 sec
Exit 1B Toward Larned Street, Downtown Use the slight left lane.
7

Continue on West Larned Street

0.2 mi · 34 sec · West Larned Street
8

Turn left onto Woodward Avenue

0.2 mi · 42 sec · Woodward Avenue
Use the straight lane.
9

Turn right onto Cadillac Square

126 ft · 4 sec · Cadillac Square
10

Arrive at destination

Cadillac Square

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 5

5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 26.6 — 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 | Orchard Lake Road

Turn left onto Orchard Lake Road

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
3
7.7 mi into trip | ~13m in | M 10 / John C Lodge Freeway

Turn straight onto M 10 / John C Lodge Freeway

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
25.9 mi into trip | ~37m in

Take the exit toward Larned Street, Downtown

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

Use the slight left lane. Exit 1B Toward Larned Street, Downtown
5
26.4 mi into trip | ~38m in | Woodward Avenue

Turn left onto Woodward Avenue

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight lane.
4
26.6 mi into trip | ~39m in | Cadillac Square

Turn right onto Cadillac Square

Navigation decision point

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$4.16 one way

$8.32 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 9 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $4.57 $9.13
premium $4.89 $5.12 $10.24
diesel $5.61 $5.87 $11.75

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$4

Estimated CO2 emission: 9.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 8 0 $2.79 $1.28
Efficient EV 6.7 0 $2.33 $1.06
EV Truck/SUV 10.6 0 $3.72 $1.70

Gas CO2

9 kg

EV CO2

3 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 18, 2026

Origin

Orchard Lake, MI

Afternoon in Orchard Lake on Sunday

Local time

12:04 PM

EDT

Current temp

33°F

Partly Cloudy

W 8 to 15 mph 3% chance Live forecast

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 18 at 4:09PM EDT until April 24 at 2:00PM EDT by NWS Northern Indiana

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 18 at 4:09PM EDT until April 25 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Northern Indiana

Destination

Detroit, MI

Afternoon in Detroit on Sunday

Local time

12:04 PM

EDT

Current temp

36°F

Partly Cloudy

W 8 to 15 mph 8% chance Live forecast

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 18 at 4:09PM EDT until April 24 at 2:00PM EDT by NWS Northern Indiana

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 18 at 4:09PM EDT until April 25 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Northern Indiana

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

39m 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?

Expect a highway-focused drive for most of this route. You'll spend a good portion of your time on the John C Lodge Freeway, which accounts for the longest uninterrupted stretch of 18.2 miles. Northwestern Highway and Orchard Lake Road will also play a role in connecting you to the freeway system. The overall feel is one of efficient travel, designed to get you to your destination quickly rather than offering winding scenic byways. It’s a functional drive, prioritizing speed and directness.

68% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
10 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 18.2 mi on John C Lodge Freeway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

4/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on John C Lodge Freeway and Northwestern Highway. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Orchard Lake Road.

Driving Effort 4/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a straightforward 39m drive. You will face about 5 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 (Orchard Lake Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 7.7 miles (M 10 / John C Lodge Freeway): Lane positioning matters here; at 25.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 39m. Total distance: 26.6 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

39m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

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

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (68%). Straightforward navigation.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 18.2 miles on John C Lodge Freeway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

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 (Orchard Lake Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 7.7 miles (M 10 / John C Lodge Freeway): Lane positioning matters here; at 25.9 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 Detroit, 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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