How far is Detroit, MI from Highland, MI?

The driving distance from Detroit, MI to Highland, MI is about 44.7 miles (71.9 km), with a travel time of about 01h 02m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 36 miles (58 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 02h 05m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM EDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This route works well as a day trip with time at the destination. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
44.68 mi
01h 02m
Flight
36.01 mi
57.95 km direct

This route works well as a day trip with time at the destination.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Detroit.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
36.01 mi
Kilometers
57.95 km
Flight Time
00h 04m

Driving Distance

Road route
44.68 mi
Kilometers
71.91 km
Drive Time
01h 02m

Gas Cost Calculator

Leave and Arrive Planner

Pick a departure time to see your estimated arrival and same-day return window.

Drive time stays fixed at 01h 02m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Highland
Sun, Apr 19, 3:03 AM EDT
Return by in Detroit
Sun, Apr 19, 4:05 AM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Detroit
2026-04-19T02:00
Arrive Highland
Sun, Apr 19, 3:03 AM EDT
Route Timing
01h 02m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
8:00 AM to 10:00 AM EDT
Aim for a morning departure
Arrive between
9:03 AM to 11:03 AM EDT

A morning start gives you useful time at the destination and keeps the return out of the late evening.

Leave by
4:24 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 03h 00m at the destination.
Back in Detroit
9:30 PM EDT
Morning start is best

You are leaving earlier than the recommended window, which gives you extra margin for breaks and traffic.

Halfway Point

A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.

Mid-route stop
Farmington Hills
MI

The second most populous city in Oakland County, Michigan.

From Detroit
22.3 mi
00h 31m
To Highland
22.4 mi
00h 31m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
50°F
Sunday

Chance Rain Showers

Starts
Sun, Apr 19 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
13 to 17 mph W
Destination
44°F
Sunday

Slight Chance Snow Showers

Starts
Sun, Apr 19 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
13 to 18 mph WNW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Detroit and Highland.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Detroit and Highland.

  1. 1

    Start on Cadillac Square

    95 m · 15 sec · Cadillac Square

  2. 2

    Turn right onto Bates Street

    75 m · 7 sec · Bates Street

  3. 3

    Turn right onto East Congress Street

    649 ft · 38 sec · East Congress Street

  4. 4

    Turn left onto Griswold Street

    635 ft · 26 sec · Griswold Street

  5. 5

    Turn right onto West Jefferson Avenue

    1638 ft · 31 sec · West Jefferson Avenue

  6. 6

    Continue on John C Lodge Freeway

    17.8 mi · 23 min · John C Lodge Freeway

  7. 7

    Take the exit slight left toward I 696 West: Lansing

    2310 ft · 56 sec

  8. 8

    Merge slight left onto Walter P Reuther Freeway

    8.2 mi · 9 min · Walter P Reuther Freeway

  9. 9

    Merge slight right

    8.4 mi · 9 min

  10. 10

    Take the exit slight right toward Milford

    2143 ft · 53 sec

  11. 11

    Turn right onto Milford Road

    4.3 mi · 7 min · Milford Road

  12. 12

    At the end of the road, turn right onto General Motors Road

    1725 ft · 1 min · General Motors Road

  13. 13

    Turn left onto West Huron Street

    837 ft · 36 sec · West Huron Street

  14. 14

    Continue on Peters Road

    2368 ft · 2 min · Peters Road

  15. 15

    At the end of the road, turn right onto West Commerce Street

    132 m · 16 sec · West Commerce Street

  16. 16

    Turn left onto Highland Avenue

    1195 ft · 35 sec · Highland Avenue

  17. 17

    Turn left onto North Milford Road

    3.1 mi · 6 min · North Milford Road

  18. 18

    Turn right

    53 m · 13 sec

  19. 19

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Detroit and Highland.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Highway-focused drive

Most of the mileage stays on named highways, so the important moments are ramps, exits, merges, and the final local approach.

Directions
19 steps
11 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
4
2 merges, 2 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
42.5 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
John C Lodge Freeway
17.8 mi · 40%
Walter P Reuther Freeway
16.6 mi · 37%
Milford Road
4.35 mi · 10%
North Milford Road
3.12 mi · 7%
Peters Road
0.45 mi · 1%
I 696 West
0.44 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

John C Lodge Freeway

Continue on John C Lodge Freeway

17.8 mi · 00h 23m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

A comfortable day-trip route

This route works well as a day trip. You can leave in the morning, spend meaningful time at the destination, and still return the same day.

Drive Time
01h 02m
Day trip friendly
Same-Day Return
02h 06m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+8.7 mi
36 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Farmington Hills
00h 31m from Detroit
Leave By
4:24 PM EDT
Morning start is best
Weather Watch

Chance Rain Showers leaving Detroit and Slight Chance Snow Showers near Highland.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Detroit to Highland?

The road trip is about 44.7 miles (71.9 km) and usually takes 01h 02m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This route works well as a day trip. You can leave in the morning, spend meaningful time at the destination, and still return the same day.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Farmington Hills is a useful midpoint, sitting about 22.3 miles from Detroit and 22.4 miles from Highland.

How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?

The direct path is about 36 miles (58 km), while the road route adds roughly 8.7 extra miles because roads do not follow the straight air line.

When is the best time to leave for this route?

A good departure window is usually 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM EDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 4:24 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $5.96 one way or $11.92 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 14 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Chance Rain Showers around Detroit and Slight Chance Snow Showers near Highland.

Stop Ideas Near Farmington Hills

Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Farmington Hills, so nearby transit and meeting points are shown instead.
Reviewed stop coverage is still thin around this midpoint, so practical transit waypoints are shown on the right.

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Farmington Hills.

RAIL

Birmingham, Michigan

16 mi away
449 South Eton St.
RAIL

Troy Transit Center

17 mi away
1201 Doyle Drive
RAIL

Pontiac Transportation Center

18 mi away
51000 Woodward Avenue
RAIL

Royal Oak station

19 mi away
202 South Sherman Ave.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Detroit and Highland. Straight-line distance: 36.01 mi (57.95 km).

Detroit

#1 Detroit

The twenty-fourth most populous city in the United States and the center of the Detroit metropolitan area.

Population665,369
Coordinates42.3314300, -83.0457500
Altitude183
CountryUnited States
Highland

#2 Highland

Township in Oakland County, Michigan

Population1,250
Coordinates42.6380900, -83.6171700
Altitude309
CountryUnited States
Start: Detroit (-83.04575, 42.33143)
End: Highland (-83.61717, 42.63809)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 72 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)01h 29m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)01h 07m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 53m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 44m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 38m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 33m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
1.58 gal
5.97 L · about $5.96
Round trip
$11.92
3.16 gal · 11.94 L
Estimated CO2
14 kg one way
Round trip: 28.1 kg / 62 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $5.96 $11.92
Mid-grade $4.25 $6.72 $13.44
Premium $4.65 $7.35 $14.71
Diesel $5.30 $8.38 $16.76

Assumes 8.3 L/100 km (about 28.3 MPG). CO2 is an estimate and varies by vehicle, fuel blend, traffic, and terrain.

Prices in Michigan · Apr 19, 2026

There is no time difference between Detroit and Highland. The current time is 02:00:43.

Distance to Other Cities

Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.