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Trip from Sterling Heights, MI to Dryden, MI

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

Drive Time

44m

Distance

31.1 mi

50 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$5

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 11 min
4 AM
0h 41m ★
6 AM
0h 45m
8 AM
0h 52m
10 AM
0h 47m
12 PM
0h 47m
3 PM
0h 48m
5 PM
0h 52m
8 PM
0h 43m

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 Sterling Heights, MI, MI

Sterling Heights, MI

fish socks

Downtown Dryden, MI, MI

Dryden, MI

Roberto Gonzalez

Trip Overview

This 31.1-mile drive from Sterling Heights, MI, to Dryden, MI, is a straightforward journey that can easily be completed in about 44 minutes. With no highway driving, it’s a local road experience perfect for a single day trip, so no overnight stays are necessary. Budgeting around $5 for fuel should cover this short excursion. The route primarily utilizes M 53, Dryden Road, and North Van Dyke Road, offering a glimpse into the Midwest's local landscape. This trip is ideal for a quick getaway or an easy commute between these two Michigan communities.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
M 53 24.2 mi 30m
Dryden Road 3.3 mi 8m
North Van Dyke Road 1.8 mi 2m
Van Dyke Avenue 1.3 mi 2m
17 Mile Road 0.2 mi <1m
New Bradford Boulevard 0.2 mi <1m
East Main Street <0.1 mi <1m
Fanning Road <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: M 53 — 24.2 mi, about 30m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Sterling Heights, MI and Dryden, MI.

1

Start on 17 Mile Road

0.2 mi · 26 sec · 17 Mile Road
2

Turn right onto Fanning Road

225 ft · 13 sec · Fanning Road
3

Turn right onto New Bradford Boulevard

0.2 mi · 42 sec · New Bradford Boulevard
4

At end of road, turn right onto M 53

1.3 mi · 2 min · Van Dyke Avenue
Use the right lane.
5

Keep slight right at fork onto M 53

24 mi · 30 min · M 53
Toward M 53 North: Imlay City Use the right lane.
6

Turn left onto M 53

1.8 mi · 2 min · North Van Dyke Road
Use the straight lane.
7

Turn left onto Dryden Road

3.3 mi · 8 min · Dryden Road
Use the left lane.
8

Continue on East Main Street

526 ft · 14 sec · East Main Street
9

Arrive at destination

East Main Street

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 6

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 27.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

5
0.2 mi into trip | ~0m in | Fanning Road

Turn right onto Fanning Road

Navigation decision point

4
0.2 mi into trip | ~0m in | New Bradford Boulevard

Turn right onto New Bradford Boulevard

Navigation decision point

6
0.4 mi into trip | ~1m in | M 53 / Van Dyke Avenue

At end of road, turn right onto M 53 / Van Dyke Avenue

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.
7
1.7 mi into trip | ~3m in | M 53

Keep slight right at fork onto M 53 toward M 53 North: Imlay City

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane. Toward M 53 North: Imlay City
6
27.6 mi into trip | ~36m in | Dryden Road

Turn left onto Dryden Road

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$4.86 one way

$9.72 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 11 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $5.34 $10.68
premium $4.89 $5.98 $11.97
diesel $5.61 $6.87 $13.73

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$5

Estimated CO2 emission: 10.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 9.3 0 $3.27 $1.49
Efficient EV 7.8 0 $2.72 $1.24
EV Truck/SUV 12.4 0 $4.35 $1.99

Gas CO2

11 kg

EV CO2

4 kg (64% 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 17, 2026

Origin

Sterling Heights, MI

Late night in Sterling Heights on Sunday

Local time

2:04 AM

EDT

Current temp

52°F

Widespread Fog

NNE 2 mph 2% chance Live forecast

Dense Fog Advisory

Dense Fog Advisory issued April 17 at 2:41AM CDT until April 19 at 8:00AM CDT by NWS Marquette MI

Dense Fog Advisory

Dense Fog Advisory issued April 17 at 2:51AM EDT until April 17 at 10:00AM EDT by NWS Gaylord MI

Destination

Dryden, MI

Late night in Dryden on Sunday

Local time

2:04 AM

EDT

Current temp

42°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

10 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

44m 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 turn-heavy local drive on this route, with 0% highway share. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 24.2 miles along M 53. As you transition from Sterling Heights to Dryden, the roads will feel more like navigating through communities rather than open highway travel. This means you'll be making more frequent turns and adjustments, so staying attentive is key. The character of the drive is consistent, focusing on local connectivity rather than high-speed transit.

Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
9 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 24.2 mi on M 53.

How Hard Is This Drive?

4/10

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near Fanning 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 44m drive. You will face about 6 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (Fanning Road): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (New Bradford Boulevard): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (M 53 / Van Dyke Avenue): Lane positioning matters here.

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 Sterling Heights, MI to Dryden, MI, road signs begin pointing toward M 53 North: Imlay City along the way.

M 53 North: Imlay City

1.7 mi in | ~3m | via M 53

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 44m. Total distance: 31.1 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

44m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

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

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.

Scenic Drive

Mostly surface roads route profile.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 24.2 miles on M 53. 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: at 0.2 miles (Fanning Road): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (New Bradford Boulevard): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (M 53 / Van Dyke Avenue): Lane positioning matters here.

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