This 67.7-mile drive from Yale to Detroit, Michigan, is a straightforward, single-day trip taking about 1 hour and 19 minutes. With no highway driving, expect a more local feel throughout the journey. The estimated fuel cost is around $10, making it an economical option for a quick excursion. Given its short duration, this route is perfectly suited for a day trip, allowing you to easily reach Detroit without the need for an overnight stay. You'll be traveling within the Midwest region for the entirety of your travel.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
33.3 miles from Yale, MI
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 51m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Ford Freeway
15.4 mi
16m
Edsel Ford Freeway
15 mi
19m
Emmett Road
7 mi
10m
Gratiot Avenue
5.9 mi
8m
Memphis Ridge Road
5.5 mi
7m
Kinney Road
4.9 mi
7m
North Main Street
2.8 mi
5m
Walter P. Chrysler Freeway
1.9 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
Ford Freeway
— 15.4 mi, about 16m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Yale, MI and Detroit, MI.
1
Start on M 19
0.3 mi·28 sec·North Main Street
2
Turn straight onto M 19
1.9 mi·2 min·South Brockway Road
3
Continue on M 19
0.9 mi·1 min·Wilkes Road
4
Turn straight onto M 19
7.0 mi·10 min·Emmett Road
Use the straight lane.
5
Continue on M 19
0.6 mi·49 sec·Kinney Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
Continue on M 19
0.5 mi·44 sec·Main Street
7
Continue on M 19
4.3 mi·6 min·Kinney Road
8
Continue on M 19
1.0 mi·1 min·Burnell Road
9
Continue on M 19
1.1 mi·1 min·Memphis Ridge Road
10
Continue on M 19
0.6 mi·1 min·Main Street
11
Continue on M 19
4.4 mi·6 min·Memphis Ridge Road
12
Continue on M 19
2.5 mi·5 min·North Main Street
13
Turn right onto M 19
5.9 mi·8 min·Gratiot Avenue
Use the right lane.
14
Turn left onto M 19
0.4 mi·39 sec·Main Street
Use the left lane.
15
Continue on M 19
1.0 mi·1 min·New Haven Road
16
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·40 sec
Toward I 94 West: Detroit
17
Merge onto I 94
15 mi·16 min·Ford Freeway
18
Continue on I 94
15 mi·19 min·Edsel Ford Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Take the exit
0.9 mi·1 min
Exit 216AToward I 75: Toledo, FlintUse the straight / slight right lanes.
20
Merge onto I 75
1.2 mi·1 min·Walter P. Chrysler Freeway
21
Keep slight left at fork onto I 375
0.7 mi·1 min·Walter P. Chrysler Freeway
Use the straight / right lanes.
22
Take the exit
0.2 mi·28 sec
Toward Jefferson Avenue EastUse the slight right lane.
23
Turn straight onto Chrysler Drive
133 ft·8 sec·Chrysler Drive
24
Turn right onto East Congress Street
0.5 mi·1 min·East Congress Street
Use the left lane.
25
Turn right onto Woodward Avenue
449 ft·19 sec·Woodward Avenue
26
Turn right onto Cadillac Square
126 ft·4 sec·Cadillac Square
27
Arrive at destination
Cadillac Square
Trip Plan
Since this drive is only 67.7 miles and takes just under 1.5 hours, you have a lot of flexibility with your departure time. Leaving Yale in the morning or early afternoon will get you to Detroit with plenty of time to spare. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, as while the estimated cost is low at $10, it's always wise to start with a full tank. Pay attention to local speed limits and potential turns, as the 'turn-heavy' nature of this route requires focus. There are no specific stops recommended, so you can make spontaneous decisions based on your needs as you travel.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 33.3 miles from Yale, MI, or about 51m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 15.4 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 15 miles or 22m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 33.3 miles or 51m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 18m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Detroit, MI than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Yale, MI so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Yale, MI
This is one driving day of about 66.7 miles and 1h 33m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 15 miles from Yale, MI.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Ford Freeway for about 15.4 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 12
5 decision points cluster between mile 25 and 66.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
25 mi into trip|~38m in|M 19 / Gratiot Avenue
Turn right onto M 19 / Gratiot Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
8
63 mi into trip|~1h 26m in
Take the exit toward I 75: Toledo, Flint
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 216A
Toward I 75: Toledo, Flint
6
65.1 mi into trip|~1h 29m in|I 375 / Walter P. Chrysler Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 375 / Walter P. Chrysler Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
65.8 mi into trip|~1h 30m in
Take the exit toward Jefferson Avenue East
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward Jefferson Avenue East
6
66.1 mi into trip|~1h 31m in|East Congress Street
Turn right onto East Congress Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.43 one way
$20.86 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg23 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$11.45
$22.90
premium
$4.89
$12.84
$25.67
diesel
$5.61
$14.73
$29.45
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$10
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$35–$60
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 23.3 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging
· 0 stops
· 65% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
20
0
$7.00
$3.20
Efficient EV
16.7
0
$5.84
$2.67
EV Truck/SUV
26.7
0
$9.34
$4.27
Gas CO2
23 kg
EV CO2
8 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 Apr 15, 2026
Origin
Yale, MI
Night
in Yale on Saturday
Local time
10:52 PM
EDT
Current temp
40°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Detroit, MI
Night
in Detroit on Saturday
Local time
10:52 PM
EDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
47°F
Milton, MI
33 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
9 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 33m 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?
This route is characterized as a 'turn-heavy local drive,' meaning you'll be navigating a series of local roads rather than high-speed highways. With 0% highway share, prepare for frequent turns and a more engaged driving experience as you follow South Brockway Road, Wilkes Road, and Emmett Road. There isn't a designated 'longest stretch' provided, suggesting a continuous series of turns and road segments rather than long, uninterrupted stretches. The character of the road will likely remain consistent as a local, community-focused route.
48% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
27 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 15.4 mi on Ford Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 25 miles in near M 19 / Gratiot Avenue.
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 66.7 miles you will encounter 12 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 25 miles (M 19 / Gratiot Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 63 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 65.1 miles (I 375 / Walter P. Chrysler Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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 Yale, MI to Detroit, MI, road signs begin pointing toward Flint along the way.
Flint
63 mi in|~1h 26m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 33m. Total distance: 66.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 33m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (48%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 15.4 miles on Ford Freeway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 Detroit, 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 25 miles (M 19 / Gratiot Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 63 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 65.1 miles (I 375 / Walter P. Chrysler Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Detroit, MI before heading back.
