How far is Iron Mountain, MI from Detroit, MI?

The driving distance from Iron Mountain, MI to Detroit, MI is about 486.4 miles (782.8 km), with a travel time of about 07h 24m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 346.6 miles (557.8 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 14h 49m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM CDT.
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
486.43 mi
07h 24m
Flight
346.57 mi
557.75 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Iron Mountain.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
346.57 mi
Kilometers
557.75 km
Flight Time
00h 41m

Driving Distance

Road route
486.43 mi
Kilometers
782.83 km
Drive Time
07h 24m

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 07h 24m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Detroit
Thu, Apr 23, 4:04 AM EDT
Return by in Iron Mountain
Thu, Apr 23, 10:29 AM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Iron Mountain
2026-04-22T19:40
Arrive Detroit
Thu, Apr 23, 3:04 AM CDT
Route Timing
07h 24m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM CDT
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
2:25 PM to 3:55 PM EDT

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

Leave by
9:10 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 08h 00m at the destination.
Back in Iron Mountain
8:00 PM CDT
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
Vanderbilt
MI

Village in Otsego County, Michigan, United States

From Iron Mountain
242.8 mi
03h 42m
To Detroit
243.6 mi
03h 42m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
66°F
Wednesday

Sunny

Starts
Wed, Apr 22 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
0 to 10 mph E
Destination
69°F
Wednesday

Sunny

Starts
Wed, Apr 22 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
6 mph NNE

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Iron Mountain and Detroit.

  1. 1

    Start on East Ludington Street

    35 m · 7 sec · East Ludington Street

  2. 2

    Turn right onto South Stephenson Avenue

    1.9 mi · 2 min · South Stephenson Avenue

  3. 3

    Continue on US-2/US-141

    5.2 mi · 6 min · US-2/US-141

  4. 4

    Continue on Murray Road

    2.2 mi · 2 min · Murray Road

  5. 5

    Turn straight onto Eighth Avenue

    20.4 mi · 24 min · Eighth Avenue

  6. 6

    Continue straight

    22 mi · 28 min

  7. 7

    Turn left onto North Lincoln Road

    2.1 mi · 3 min · North Lincoln Road

  8. 8

    Continue on US-2/US-41/M-35

    46 mi · 55 min · US-2/US-41/M-35

  9. 9

    Continue on West Lakeshore Drive

    88.4 mi · 1 hr 44 min · West Lakeshore Drive

  10. 10

    Continue on US 2

    3.2 mi · 4 min · US 2

  11. 11

    Continue on US-2 West

    2455 ft · 46 sec · US-2 West

  12. 12

    Take the exit slight right toward I 75 South: Mackinac Bridge

    1819 ft · 44 sec

  13. 13

    Merge slight left

    94.1 mi · 1 hr 37 min

  14. 14

    Keep slight left to continue on I 75: Saginaw, Detroit

    124.2 mi · 2 hr 7 min

  15. 15

    Keep slight left

    11 mi · 12 min

  16. 16

    Keep slight left

    63 mi · 1 hr 8 min

  17. 17

    Keep slight left to continue on Walter P. Chrysler Freeway

    1.2 km · 1 min · Walter P. Chrysler Freeway

  18. 18

    Take the exit slight right toward Jefferson Avenue East

    1185 ft · 29 sec

  19. 19

    Turn straight onto Chrysler Drive

    41 m · 9 sec · Chrysler Drive

  20. 20

    Turn right onto East Congress Street

    2674 ft · 2 min · East Congress Street

  21. 21

    Turn right onto Woodward Avenue

    137 m · 19 sec · Woodward Avenue

  22. 22

    Turn right onto Cadillac Square

    39 m · 4 sec · Cadillac Square

  23. 23

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Cadillac Square

Car Route Details

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

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
23 steps
7 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
3
1 merges, 2 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
4.7 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
I 75
198 mi · 41%
I 75 South
94.4 mi · 19%
West Lakeshore Drive
88.4 mi · 18%
US-2/US-41/M-35
46 mi · 9%
Eighth Avenue
42.4 mi · 9%
US-2/US-141
5.19 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

I 75

Keep slight left to continue on I 75: Saginaw, Detroit

124 mi · 02h 07m

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
07h 24m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
14h 50m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+139.8 mi
346.6 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Vanderbilt
03h 42m from Iron Mountain
Leave By
9:10 PM CDT
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving Iron Mountain and Sunny near Detroit.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Iron Mountain to Detroit?

The road trip is about 486.4 miles (782.8 km) and usually takes 07h 24m 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?

Vanderbilt is a useful midpoint, sitting about 242.8 miles from Iron Mountain and 243.6 miles from Detroit.

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

The direct path is about 346.6 miles (557.8 km), while the road route adds roughly 139.8 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 CDT. 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 $64.71 one way or $129.42 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 152.5 kg one way.

Do you cross a time zone on this route?

Yes. There is about a 1 hour time difference between Iron Mountain and Detroit, so arrival and return times should be read in local time.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Sunny around Iron Mountain and Sunny near Detroit.

Stop Ideas Near Vanderbilt

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

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

BUS

Walloon Lake, Michigan

26 mi away
Hwy 131 & Hwy 75
BUS

Boyne City, Michigan

30 mi away
1000 East Division St.
BUS

Petoskey, Michigan

35 mi away
301 West Mitchell St.
BUS

Alanson, MI

35 mi away
7640 Burr Avenue

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Iron Mountain and Detroit. Straight-line distance: 346.57 mi (557.75 km).

Iron Mountain

#1 Iron Mountain

City in Dickinson County, Michigan, USA

Population7,268
Coordinates45.8202300, -88.0659600
Altitude347
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: East Ludington Street (-88.065959, 45.820309)
End: Cadillac Square (-83.04575, 42.331399)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 783 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)16h 12m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)12h 09m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)09h 43m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)08h 06m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)06h 56m
80 mph (129 km/h)06h 04m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
17.16 gal
64.97 L · about $64.71
Round trip
$129.42
34.32 gal · 129.94 L
Estimated CO2
152.5 kg one way
Round trip: 305 kg / 672 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $64.71 $129.42
Mid-grade $4.25 $72.98 $145.96
Premium $4.65 $79.86 $159.73
Diesel $5.30 $91.02 $182.03

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 23, 2026

Please keep in mind that there is a 1 hour time gap between Iron Mountain, MI and Detroit, MI. The current time in Iron Mountain is 19:40:06, although it is 20:40:06 in Detroit.

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.