How far is Flat Rock, MI from Sterling Heights, MI?

The driving distance from Flat Rock, MI to Sterling Heights, MI is about 44.7 miles (71.9 km), with a travel time of about 00h 57m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 36 miles (57.9 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 54m 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
44.65 mi
00h 57m
Flight
36 mi
57.94 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Flat Rock.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
36 mi
Kilometers
57.94 km
Flight Time
00h 04m

Driving Distance

Road route
44.65 mi
Kilometers
71.85 km
Drive Time
00h 57m

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 00h 57m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Sterling Heights
Sat, May 23, 3:29 AM EDT
Return by in Flat Rock
Sat, May 23, 4:27 AM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Flat Rock
2026-05-23T02:32
Arrive Sterling Heights
Sat, May 23, 3:29 AM EDT
Route Timing
00h 57m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
8:00 AM to 10:00 AM EDT
Aim for a morning departure
Arrive between
8:57 AM to 10:57 AM EDT

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

Leave by
4:36 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 03h 00m at the destination.
Back in Flat Rock
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
Detroit
MI

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

From Flat Rock
22.1 mi
00h 28m
To Sterling Heights
22.5 mi
00h 28m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
70°F
Saturday

Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Sat, May 23 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
13 to 17 mph ENE
Destination
70°F
Saturday

Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Sat, May 23 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
12 to 15 mph E

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Flat Rock and Sterling Heights.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Flat Rock and Sterling Heights.

  1. 1

    Start on Seneca Street

    7 m · 6 sec · Seneca Street

  2. 2

    Turn left onto Gibraltar Road

    139 m · 16 sec · Gibraltar Road

  3. 3

    Turn right onto Telegraph Road

    3.5 mi · 6 min · Telegraph Road

  4. 4

    Turn right onto Dix-Toledo Highway

    2.1 mi · 3 min · Dix-Toledo Highway

  5. 5

    Take the ramp left toward I 75 North: Detroit

    1520 ft · 37 sec

  6. 6

    Merge slight left onto Detroit-Toledo Expressway

    1.6 km · 1 min · Detroit-Toledo Expressway

  7. 7

    Continue on Fisher Freeway

    11.1 mi · 12 min · Fisher Freeway

  8. 8

    Keep slight left to continue on Fisher Freeway

    1.7 mi · 2 min · Fisher Freeway

  9. 9

    Take the exit slight left toward I 96 West: Lansing, Michigan Avenue

    3086 ft · 48 sec

  10. 10

    Continue on Jeffries Freeway

    1.5 mi · 2 min · Jeffries Freeway

  11. 11

    Take the exit slight right toward I 94 West, I 94 East: Chicago, Port Huron

    953 ft · 27 sec

  12. 12

    Keep slight right to continue on I 94 East: Port Huron

    1249 ft · 31 sec

  13. 13

    Merge slight left onto Edsel Ford Freeway

    2 mi · 3 min · Edsel Ford Freeway

  14. 14

    Take the exit slight right toward I 75: Flint, Toledo

    92 m · 6 sec

  15. 15

    Keep slight left to continue on I 75 North: Flint

    2575 ft · 1 min

  16. 16

    Merge slight left onto North Walter P. Chrysler Freeway

    7.8 mi · 9 min · North Walter P. Chrysler Freeway

  17. 17

    Take the exit slight right toward I 696: Lansing, Port Huron

    1036 ft · 25 sec

  18. 18

    Keep slight right to continue on I-75 North to I-696 East

    2136 ft · 52 sec · I-75 North to I-696 East

  19. 19

    Continue on Walter P Reuther Freeway

    3.1 mi · 3 min · Walter P Reuther Freeway

  20. 20

    Take the exit slight right toward Mound Road

    1569 ft · 38 sec · I-696 East

  21. 21

    Keep slight left to continue on I-696 East to Northbound Mound Road

    1.2 km · 2 min · I-696 East to Northbound Mound Road

  22. 22

    Turn straight onto Mound Road

    5.9 mi · 9 min · Mound Road

  23. 23

    Turn right onto 17 Mile Road

    1.6 km · 2 min · 17 Mile Road

  24. 24

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · 17 Mile Road

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Flat Rock and Sterling Heights.

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
24 steps
5 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
9
3 merges, 6 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
53.8 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Fisher Freeway
12.8 mi · 29%
North Walter P. Chrysler Freeway
7.84 mi · 18%
Mound Road
6.02 mi · 13%
Telegraph Road
3.48 mi · 8%
Walter P Reuther Freeway
3.08 mi · 7%
Dix-Toledo Highway
2.1 mi · 5%
Longest Stretch

Fisher Freeway

Continue on Fisher Freeway

11.1 mi · 00h 12m

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
00h 57m
Day trip friendly
Same-Day Return
01h 54m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+8.7 mi
36 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Detroit
00h 28m from Flat Rock
Leave By
4:36 PM EDT
Morning start is best
Weather Watch

Showers And Thunderstorms leaving Flat Rock and Showers And Thunderstorms near Sterling Heights.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Flat Rock to Sterling Heights?

The road trip is about 44.7 miles (71.9 km) and usually takes 00h 57m 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?

Detroit is a useful midpoint, sitting about 22.1 miles from Flat Rock and 22.5 miles from Sterling Heights.

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

The direct path is about 36 miles (57.9 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 4:36 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $5.92 one way or $11.84 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 14 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Showers And Thunderstorms around Flat Rock and Showers And Thunderstorms near Sterling Heights.

Stop Ideas Near Detroit

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

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Detroit, 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 Detroit.

RAIL

Detroit

5 mi away
11 West Baltimore Ave.
RAIL

John D. Dingell Transit Center

13 mi away
16121 Michigan Ave.
RAIL

Greenfield Village, Michigan

16 mi away
20900 Oakwood Blvd.
RAIL

Royal Oak station

19 mi away
202 South Sherman Ave.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Flat Rock and Sterling Heights. Straight-line distance: 36 mi (57.94 km).

Photo coming soon

#1 Flat Rock

City in Michigan, United States

Population9,914
Coordinates42.0964300, -83.2918700
Altitude183
CountryUnited States
Sterling Heights

#2 Sterling Heights

The second most populous city in Macomb County, Michigan.

Population131,709
Coordinates42.5803100, -83.0302000
Altitude187
CountryUnited States
Start: Seneca Street (-83.291884, 42.09644)
End: 17 Mile Road (-83.030204, 42.580347)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 72 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)01h 29m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)01h 06m
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
1.57 gal
5.96 L · about $5.92
Round trip
$11.84
3.14 gal · 11.92 L
Estimated CO2
14 kg one way
Round trip: 27.9 kg / 62 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $5.92 $11.84
Mid-grade $4.25 $6.68 $13.35
Premium $4.65 $7.31 $14.61
Diesel $5.30 $8.33 $16.65

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 · May 23, 2026

There is no time difference between Flat Rock and Sterling Heights. The current time is 02:32:26.

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.