How far is Highland Park, MI from Detroit, MI?

The driving distance from Highland Park, MI to Detroit, MI is about 7.5 miles (12 km), with a travel time of about 00h 11m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 5.8 miles (9.3 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 00h 22m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EST.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This is an easy same-day return drive. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
7.48 mi
00h 11m
Flight
5.75 mi
9.25 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Highland Park.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
5.75 mi
Kilometers
9.25 km
Flight Time

Driving Distance

Road route
7.48 mi
Kilometers
12.03 km
Drive Time
00h 11m

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 11m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Detroit
Sat, Nov 7, 2:47 PM EST
Return by in Highland Park
Sat, Nov 7, 2:58 PM EST
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Highland Park
2026-11-07T14:36
Arrive Detroit
Sat, Nov 7, 2:47 PM EST
Route Timing
00h 11m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EST
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:11 AM to 7:11 PM EST

This is a short drive, so your comfort window is wide. Traffic and current weather matter more than the clock.

Leave by
8:08 PM EST
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Highland Park
10:00 PM EST
Flexible departure

This departure sits inside the recommended comfort window for the route.

Halfway Point

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

Mid-route stop
Hamtramck
MI

City in Michigan

From Highland Park
3.7 mi
00h 05m
To Detroit
3.7 mi
00h 05m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
52°F
Saturday

Mostly Cloudy

Starts
Sat, Nov 7 6:00 AM EST
Wind
8 to 12 mph NW
Destination
51°F
Saturday

Partly Sunny

Starts
Sat, Nov 7 6:00 AM EST
Wind
9 to 15 mph NW

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

  1. 1

    Start on Gerald Street

    14 m · 9 sec · Gerald Street

  2. 2

    Turn left onto Woodward Avenue

    729 ft · 29 sec · Woodward Avenue

  3. 3

    Turn right onto Davison Service Road

    81 m · 7 sec · Davison Service Road

  4. 4

    Take the ramp straight toward M 8 West

    1501 ft · 37 sec

  5. 5

    Merge slight left onto Davison Freeway

    1203 ft · 19 sec · Davison Freeway

  6. 6

    Take the exit slight left toward M 10 South: Downtown

    1902 ft · 46 sec

  7. 7

    Merge slight right onto John C Lodge Freeway

    5.7 mi · 8 min · John C Lodge Freeway

  8. 8

    Take the exit slight left toward Larned Street, Downtown

    1773 ft · 45 sec

  9. 9

    Continue on West Larned Street

    1024 ft · 34 sec · West Larned Street

  10. 10

    Turn left onto Woodward Avenue

    868 ft · 42 sec · Woodward Avenue

  11. 11

    Turn right onto Cadillac Square

    39 m · 4 sec · Cadillac Square

  12. 12

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Cadillac Square

Car Route Details

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

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Turn-heavy local drive

The route has frequent decision points for its length, so lane choice and turn timing will matter more than cruising speed.

Directions
12 steps
4 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
5
2 merges, 3 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
160 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
John C Lodge Freeway
5.68 mi · 76%
M 10 South
0.36 mi · 5%
Larned Street
0.34 mi · 4%
Woodward Avenue
0.3 mi · 4%
M 8 West
0.28 mi · 4%
Davison Freeway
0.23 mi · 3%
Longest Stretch

John C Lodge Freeway

Merge slight right onto John C Lodge Freeway

5.68 mi · 00h 08m

Route Summary

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

Trip Read

A short regional drive

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

Drive Time
00h 11m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
00h 22m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+1.7 mi
5.8 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Hamtramck
00h 05m from Highland Park
Leave By
8:08 PM EST
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Mostly Cloudy leaving Highland Park and Partly Sunny near Detroit.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

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

The road trip is about 7.5 miles (12 km) and usually takes 00h 11m in normal driving conditions.

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

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Hamtramck is a useful midpoint, sitting about 3.7 miles from Highland Park and 3.7 miles from Detroit.

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

The direct path is about 5.8 miles (9.3 km), while the road route adds roughly 1.7 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 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EST. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 8:08 PM EST.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $1.11 one way or $2.22 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 2.3 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Cloudy around Highland Park and Partly Sunny near Detroit.

Stop Ideas Near Hamtramck

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

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

RAIL

Detroit

3 mi away
11 West Baltimore Ave.
RAIL

Royal Oak station

13 mi away
202 South Sherman Ave.
RAIL

John D. Dingell Transit Center

15 mi away
16121 Michigan Ave.
RAIL

Greenfield Village, Michigan

19 mi away
20900 Oakwood Blvd.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Highland Park and Detroit. Straight-line distance: 5.75 mi (9.25 km).

Photo coming soon

#1 Highland Park

Highland Park is a place in Michigan, United States.

Population0
Coordinates42.4055900, -83.0968700
Altitude194
CountryUnited States
Detroit

#2 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
Start: Gerald Street (-83.096859, 42.405561)
End: Cadillac Square (-83.04575, 42.331399)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 12 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 14m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 11m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 08m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 07m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 06m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 05m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.26 gal
1 L · about $1.11
Round trip
$2.22
0.52 gal · 2 L
Estimated CO2
2.3 kg one way
Round trip: 4.6 kg / 10 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $4.27 $1.11 $2.22
Mid-grade $4.96 $1.29 $2.58
Premium $5.56 $1.45 $2.89
Diesel $6.58 $1.71 $3.42

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 · Nov 07, 2026

There is no time difference between Highland Park and Detroit. The current time is 14:36:04.

Distance to Other Cities

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