How far is Grand Rapids, MI from Ironwood, MI?

The driving distance from Grand Rapids, MI to Ironwood, MI is about 547.8 miles (881.6 km), with a travel time of about 10h 37m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 327.1 miles (526.4 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 21h 15m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM EDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
547.79 mi
10h 37m
Flight
327.12 mi
526.45 km direct

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Grand Rapids.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
327.12 mi
Kilometers
526.45 km
Flight Time
00h 39m

Driving Distance

Road route
547.79 mi
Kilometers
881.59 km
Drive Time
10h 37m

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 10h 37m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Ironwood
Fri, Apr 17, 2:45 PM CDT
Return by in Grand Rapids
Sat, Apr 18, 2:23 AM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Grand Rapids
2026-04-17T05:07
Arrive Ironwood
Fri, Apr 17, 3:45 PM EDT
Route Timing
10h 37m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM EDT
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
3:38 PM to 5:08 PM CDT

Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.

Leave by
2:44 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 08h 00m at the destination.
Back in Grand Rapids
8:00 PM EDT
Overnight-style route

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
Brevort
MI

Township in Mackinac County, Michigan

From Grand Rapids
273.5 mi
05h 18m
To Ironwood
274.3 mi
05h 18m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
75°F
Friday

Partly Sunny

Starts
Fri, Apr 17 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
2 to 8 mph SSE
Destination
71°F
Friday

Partly Sunny then Showers And Thunderstorms Likely

Starts
Fri, Apr 17 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
15 mph S

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Grand Rapids and Ironwood.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Grand Rapids and Ironwood.

  1. 1

    Start on Fulton Street West

    1431 ft · 59 sec · Fulton Street West

  2. 2

    Turn left onto Market Avenue Southwest

    943 ft · 34 sec · Market Avenue Southwest

  3. 3

    Take the ramp right toward US 131 North: Cadillac

    944 ft · 23 sec

  4. 4

    Merge slight left

    94.8 mi · 1 hr 36 min

  5. 5

    Take the exit slight right toward M 55 East: Lake City

    2181 ft · 55 sec

  6. 6

    Turn right onto East M-55 Highway

    1.5 mi · 2 min · East M-55 Highway

  7. 7

    Continue on West Watergate Road

    4.6 mi · 6 min · West Watergate Road

  8. 8

    Continue on West Blue Road

    1.5 mi · 2 min · West Blue Road

  9. 9

    Turn left onto South Morey Road

    3.5 mi · 5 min · South Morey Road

  10. 10

    Continue on Lakeshore Drive

    1149 ft · 19 sec · Lakeshore Drive

  11. 11

    Continue on South Shore Drive

    688 ft · 12 sec · South Shore Drive

  12. 12

    Continue on Lake Shore Drive

    1.1 km · 1 min · Lake Shore Drive

  13. 13

    Continue on Main Street

    2727 ft · 51 sec · Main Street

  14. 14

    Turn right onto West Houghton Lake Road

    17.9 mi · 24 min · West Houghton Lake Road

  15. 15

    Continue on West Lake City Road

    2.4 mi · 3 min · West Lake City Road

  16. 16

    Take the ramp left toward US 127 North: Grayling

    1855 ft · 45 sec

  17. 17

    Merge slight left

    18.3 mi · 18 min

  18. 18

    Merge slight right

    94.2 mi · 1 hr 38 min

  19. 19

    Take the exit slight right toward US 2: Manistique, Escanaba

    1913 ft · 1 min

  20. 20

    Merge slight left onto US-2 West

    1.1 km · 1 min · US-2 West

  21. 21

    Continue on US 2

    3.2 mi · 4 min · US 2

  22. 22

    Continue on US-2 West

    61.5 mi · 1 hr 11 min · US-2 West

  23. 23

    Turn right

    17.3 mi · 21 min

  24. 24

    Turn sharp left onto M-28

    35.1 mi · 42 min · M-28

  25. 25

    Continue on Cedar Street

    836 ft · 29 sec · Cedar Street

  26. 26

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward East Munising

    59 m · 11 sec · East Munising

  27. 27

    Exit the roundabout onto East Munising

    2.2 mi · 5 min · East Munising

  28. 28

    Continue on M-28

    35.8 mi · 42 min · M-28

  29. 29

    Continue on Cherry Creek Road

    1.8 mi · 3 min · Cherry Creek Road

  30. 30

    Turn right onto County Road 480

    12.5 mi · 19 min · County Road 480

  31. 31

    Continue on Rail Street

    1945 ft · 36 sec · Rail Street

  32. 32

    Turn right onto Division Street

    153 m · 11 sec · Division Street

  33. 33

    Turn right onto West Main Street

    134 m · 13 sec · West Main Street

  34. 34

    Turn left onto North Teal Lake Avenue

    2772 ft · 53 sec · North Teal Lake Avenue

  35. 35

    Turn left onto US Highway 41

    2.7 mi · 4 min · US Highway 41

  36. 36

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward the route

    25 m · 5 sec

  37. 37

    Exit the roundabout

    1.4 km · 2 min

  38. 38

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward the route

    27 m · 5 sec

  39. 39

    Exit the roundabout

    40.1 mi · 52 min

  40. 40

    Turn left

    59.4 mi · 1 hr 9 min

  41. 41

    Continue straight

    19.1 mi · 23 min

  42. 42

    Turn right onto US 2 West

    11.4 mi · 14 min · US 2 West

  43. 43

    Turn left onto Douglas Boulevard

    2244 ft · 38 sec · Douglas Boulevard

  44. 44

    Continue on East Frederick Street

    139 m · 13 sec · East Frederick Street

  45. 45

    Turn left onto North Suffolk Street

    145 m · 10 sec · North Suffolk Street

  46. 46

    Turn right onto East Ayer Street

    141 m · 22 sec · East Ayer Street

  47. 47

    Turn right onto North Lowell Street

    30 m · 4 sec · North Lowell Street

  48. 48

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · North Lowell Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Grand Rapids and Ironwood.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Long-distance drive

This route is long enough that fuel, rest stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single maneuver.

Directions
48 steps
23 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
14
4 merges, 10 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
8.8 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
US 127 North
113 mi · 21%
US 131 North
95 mi · 17%
M-28
70.9 mi · 13%
US Highway 41
62.8 mi · 11%
US-2 West
62.1 mi · 11%
West Houghton Lake Road
17.9 mi · 3%
Longest Stretch

US 131 North

Merge slight left

94.8 mi · 01h 36m

Route Summary

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

Trip Read

Better with a longer stop

This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.

Drive Time
10h 37m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
21h 16m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+220.7 mi
327.1 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Brevort
05h 18m from Grand Rapids
Leave By
2:44 PM EDT
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Partly Sunny leaving Grand Rapids and Partly Sunny then Showers And Thunderstorms Likely near Ironwood.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Grand Rapids to Ironwood?

The road trip is about 547.8 miles (881.6 km) and usually takes 10h 37m in normal driving conditions.

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

This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Brevort is a useful midpoint, sitting about 273.5 miles from Grand Rapids and 274.3 miles from Ironwood.

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

The direct path is about 327.1 miles (526.4 km), while the road route adds roughly 220.7 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 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM EDT. Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $72.89 one way or $145.79 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 171.8 kg one way.

Do you cross a time zone on this route?

Yes. There is about a 1 hour time difference between Grand Rapids and Ironwood, so arrival and return times should be read in local time.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Partly Sunny around Grand Rapids and Partly Sunny then Showers And Thunderstorms Likely near Ironwood.

Stop Ideas Near Brevort

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

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

BUS

St. Ignace, Michigan

29 mi away
448 North State St.
BUS

Mackinaw City, Michigan

36 mi away
102 South Huron Ave.
BUS

Pellston, Michigan

56 mi away
110 North US Highway 131
BUS

Cheboygan, MI

61 mi away
309 East State Street

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Grand Rapids and Ironwood. Straight-line distance: 327.12 mi (526.45 km).

Grand Rapids

#1 Grand Rapids

The second most populous city in Michigan.

Population200,031
Coordinates42.9633600, -85.6680900
Altitude195
CountryUnited States
Ironwood

#2 Ironwood

City in Michigan, United States

Population4,814
Coordinates46.4546700, -90.1710100
Altitude459
CountryUnited States
Start: Grand Rapids (-85.66809, 42.96336)
End: Ironwood (-90.17101, 46.45467)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 882 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)18h 15m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)13h 41m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)10h 57m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)09h 07m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)07h 49m
80 mph (129 km/h)06h 50m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
19.33 gal
73.17 L · about $72.89
Round trip
$145.79
38.66 gal · 146.34 L
Estimated CO2
171.8 kg one way
Round trip: 343.6 kg / 758 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $72.89 $145.79
Mid-grade $4.25 $82.21 $164.42
Premium $4.65 $89.96 $179.92
Diesel $5.30 $102.53 $205.05

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 17, 2026

Please keep in mind that there is a 1 hour time gap between Grand Rapids, MI and Ironwood, MI. The current time in Grand Rapids is 05:07:55, although it is 04:07:55 in Ironwood.

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.