How far is Ironwood, MI from Detroit, MI?

The driving distance from Ironwood, MI to Detroit, MI is about 600.2 miles (966 km), with a travel time of about 09h 41m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 452.4 miles (728 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 19h 23m 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
600.24 mi
09h 41m
Flight
452.36 mi
728 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Ironwood.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
452.36 mi
Kilometers
728 km
Flight Time
00h 54m

Driving Distance

Road route
600.24 mi
Kilometers
965.99 km
Drive Time
09h 41m

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 09h 41m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Detroit
Fri, Apr 17, 1:01 PM EDT
Return by in Ironwood
Fri, Apr 17, 9:43 PM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Ironwood
2026-04-17T02:20
Arrive Detroit
Fri, Apr 17, 12:01 PM CDT
Route Timing
09h 41m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM CDT
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
4:42 PM to 6:12 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
4:36 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 08h 00m at the destination.
Back in Ironwood
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
Saint Ignace
MI

City in Michigan, USA

From Ironwood
299.6 mi
04h 50m
To Detroit
300.6 mi
04h 50m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
71°F
Friday

Partly Sunny then Showers And Thunderstorms Likely

Starts
Fri, Apr 17 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
15 mph S
Destination
68°F
Friday

Partly Sunny

Starts
Fri, Apr 17 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
8 mph WNW

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

  1. 1

    Start on North Lowell Street

    30 m · 10 sec · North Lowell Street

  2. 2

    Turn left onto East Ayer Street

    141 m · 26 sec · East Ayer Street

  3. 3

    Turn left onto North Suffolk Street

    145 m · 10 sec · North Suffolk Street

  4. 4

    Turn right onto East Frederick Street

    139 m · 8 sec · East Frederick Street

  5. 5

    Turn slight left onto Douglas Boulevard

    2244 ft · 42 sec · Douglas Boulevard

  6. 6

    Turn right onto West Cloverland Drive

    11.5 mi · 15 min · West Cloverland Drive

  7. 7

    Turn left onto Smith Street

    618 ft · 29 sec · Smith Street

  8. 8

    At the end of the road, turn right

    78.3 mi · 1 hr 31 min

  9. 9

    Turn right

    40.1 mi · 52 min

  10. 10

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward the route

    28 m · 5 sec

  11. 11

    Exit the rotary

    1.4 km · 2 min

  12. 12

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward Palms Avenue

    29 m · 6 sec · Palms Avenue

  13. 13

    Exit the roundabout onto Palms Avenue

    10.2 mi · 14 min · Palms Avenue

  14. 14

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward US-41/M-28

    35 m · 7 sec · US-41/M-28

  15. 15

    Exit the roundabout onto US-41/M-28

    2883 ft · 45 sec · US-41/M-28

  16. 16

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 1 toward US-41/M-28

    31 m · 6 sec · US-41/M-28

  17. 17

    Exit the roundabout onto US-41/M-28

    1.6 mi · 2 min · US-41/M-28

  18. 18

    Continue on Marquette Bypass

    1 mi · 1 min · Marquette Bypass

  19. 19

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 1 toward Marquette Bypass

    33 m · 6 sec · Marquette Bypass

  20. 20

    Exit the roundabout onto Marquette Bypass

    882 ft · 15 sec · Marquette Bypass

  21. 21

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward Marquette Bypass

    33 m · 1 sec · Marquette Bypass

  22. 22

    Exit the roundabout onto Marquette Bypass

    2760 ft · 52 sec · Marquette Bypass

  23. 23

    Take the exit slight right

    125 m · 10 sec

  24. 24

    Merge slight left onto South Front Street

    2.6 mi · 4 min · South Front Street

  25. 25

    Continue on US-41/M-28

    1.6 mi · 3 min · US-41/M-28

  26. 26

    Turn left onto M-28

    35.8 mi · 42 min · M-28

  27. 27

    Continue on West Munising Avenue

    2.2 mi · 5 min · West Munising Avenue

  28. 28

    Exit the roundabout onto Cedar Street

    838 ft · 23 sec · Cedar Street

  29. 29

    Continue on M-28

    35.1 mi · 42 min · M-28

  30. 30

    Turn sharp right

    17.3 mi · 21 min

  31. 31

    At the end of the road, turn left

    65.1 mi · 1 hr 16 min

  32. 32

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

    1819 ft · 44 sec

  33. 33

    Merge slight left

    94.1 mi · 1 hr 37 min

  34. 34

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

    124.2 mi · 2 hr 7 min

  35. 35

    Keep slight left

    11 mi · 12 min

  36. 36

    Keep slight left

    63 mi · 1 hr 8 min

  37. 37

    Keep slight left to continue on Walter P. Chrysler Freeway

    1.2 km · 1 min · Walter P. Chrysler Freeway

  38. 38

    Take the exit slight right toward Jefferson Avenue East

    1185 ft · 29 sec

  39. 39

    Turn straight onto Chrysler Drive

    41 m · 9 sec · Chrysler Drive

  40. 40

    Turn right onto East Congress Street

    2674 ft · 2 min · East Congress Street

  41. 41

    Turn right onto Woodward Avenue

    137 m · 19 sec · Woodward Avenue

  42. 42

    Turn right onto Cadillac Square

    39 m · 4 sec · Cadillac Square

  43. 43

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Cadillac Square

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Ironwood 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
43 steps
28 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
18
2 merges, 16 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
7.2 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
I 75
198 mi · 33%
I 75 South
94.4 mi · 16%
M-28
70.9 mi · 12%
West Cloverland Drive
11.5 mi · 2%
Palms Avenue
10.2 mi · 2%
US-41/M-28
3.79 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
09h 41m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
19h 24m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+147.8 mi
452.4 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Saint Ignace
04h 50m from Ironwood
Leave By
4:36 PM CDT
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Partly Sunny then Showers And Thunderstorms Likely leaving Ironwood 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 Ironwood to Detroit?

The road trip is about 600.2 miles (966 km) and usually takes 09h 41m 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?

Saint Ignace is a useful midpoint, sitting about 299.6 miles from Ironwood and 300.6 miles from Detroit.

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

The direct path is about 452.4 miles (728 km), while the road route adds roughly 147.8 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 $79.87 one way or $159.74 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 188.2 kg one way.

Do you cross a time zone on this route?

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

What should you check before leaving?

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

Stop Ideas Near Saint Ignace

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

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

BUS

St. Ignace, Michigan

448 North State St.
BUS

Mackinaw City, Michigan

9 mi away
102 South Huron Ave.
BUS

Cheboygan, MI

32 mi away
309 East State Street
BUS

Pellston, Michigan

35 mi away
110 North US Highway 131

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Ironwood and Detroit. Straight-line distance: 452.36 mi (728 km).

Ironwood

#1 Ironwood

City in Michigan, United States

Population4,814
Coordinates46.4546700, -90.1710100
Altitude459
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: North Lowell Street (-90.170966, 46.454696)
End: Cadillac Square (-83.04575, 42.331399)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 966 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)19h 59m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)15h 00m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)12h 00m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)10h 00m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)08h 34m
80 mph (129 km/h)07h 29m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
21.18 gal
80.18 L · about $79.87
Round trip
$159.74
42.36 gal · 160.36 L
Estimated CO2
188.2 kg one way
Round trip: 376.5 kg / 830 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $79.87 $159.74
Mid-grade $4.25 $90.08 $180.16
Premium $4.65 $98.57 $197.14
Diesel $5.30 $112.34 $224.68

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 Ironwood, MI and Detroit, MI. The current time in Ironwood is 02:20:24, although it is 03:20:24 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.