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

The driving distance from Ironwood, MI to Grand Rapids, MI is about 542.9 miles (873.7 km), with a travel time of about 09h 08m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 327.1 miles (526.4 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 18h 17m 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
542.88 mi
09h 08m
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 Ironwood.

Flight Distance

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

Driving Distance

Road route
542.88 mi
Kilometers
873.68 km
Drive Time
09h 08m

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 08m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Grand Rapids
Fri, Apr 17, 12:30 PM EDT
Return by in Ironwood
Fri, Apr 17, 8:39 PM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Ironwood
2026-04-17T02:21
Arrive Grand Rapids
Fri, Apr 17, 11:30 AM CDT
Route Timing
09h 08m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM CDT
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
4:09 PM to 5:39 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
5:42 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
Brevort
MI

Township in Mackinac County, Michigan

From Ironwood
273.5 mi
04h 34m
To Grand Rapids
269.4 mi
04h 34m

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
75°F
Friday

Partly Sunny

Starts
Fri, Apr 17 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
2 to 8 mph SSE

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

  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 right to continue on US 127: Clare, Lansing

    18.3 mi · 18 min

  35. 35

    Take the exit slight right toward M 55 West: Cadillac

    1808 ft · 46 sec

  36. 36

    Turn right onto West Lake City Road

    2.2 mi · 3 min · West Lake City Road

  37. 37

    Continue on East Houghton Lake Road

    17.9 mi · 25 min · East Houghton Lake Road

  38. 38

    Turn left onto Main Street

    2727 ft · 46 sec · Main Street

  39. 39

    Continue on Lake Shore

    1.1 km · 1 min · Lake Shore

  40. 40

    Continue on South Shore Drive

    688 ft · 12 sec · South Shore Drive

  41. 41

    Continue on Lakeshore Drive

    1149 ft · 19 sec · Lakeshore Drive

  42. 42

    Continue on South Morey Road

    3.5 mi · 5 min · South Morey Road

  43. 43

    Turn right onto West Blue Road

    1.5 mi · 2 min · West Blue Road

  44. 44

    Continue on Watergate Road

    4.6 mi · 6 min · Watergate Road

  45. 45

    Continue on East M-55 Highway

    1.9 mi · 3 min · East M-55 Highway

  46. 46

    Take the ramp left

    1 km · 1 min

  47. 47

    Merge slight left

    93.8 mi · 1 hr 35 min

  48. 48

    Take the exit slight left toward I 196 East: Lansing

    1720 ft · 47 sec

  49. 49

    Merge slight right onto Gerald R Ford Freeway

    765 ft · 10 sec · Gerald R Ford Freeway

  50. 50

    Take the exit slight right toward Ottawa Avenue, Downtown

    137 m · 11 sec

  51. 51

    Keep slight right to continue on Downtown

    127 m · 10 sec

  52. 52

    Continue on Ottawa Avenue Northwest

    2177 ft · 1 min · Ottawa Avenue Northwest

  53. 53

    Turn left onto Monroe Center Street Northwest

    801 ft · 31 sec · Monroe Center Street Northwest

  54. 54

    Turn right onto Division Avenue North

    56 m · 11 sec · Division Avenue North

  55. 55

    Turn right onto Fulton Street West

    17 m · 2 sec · Fulton Street West

  56. 56

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Fulton Street West

Car Route Details

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

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
56 steps
30 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
23
4 merges, 19 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
10.3 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
East M-55 Highway
96.4 mi · 18%
I 75 South
94.4 mi · 17%
M-28
70.9 mi · 13%
US 127
18.3 mi · 3%
East Houghton Lake Road
17.9 mi · 3%
West Cloverland Drive
11.5 mi · 2%
Longest Stretch

I 75 South

Merge slight left

94.1 mi · 01h 37m

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 08m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
18h 18m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+215.8 mi
327.1 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Brevort
04h 34m from Ironwood
Leave By
5:42 PM CDT
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

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

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

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

The road trip is about 542.9 miles (873.7 km) and usually takes 09h 08m 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 Ironwood and 269.4 miles from Grand Rapids.

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 215.8 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 $72.25 one way or $144.50 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 170.3 kg one way.

Do you cross a time zone on this route?

Yes. There is about a 1 hour time difference between Ironwood and Grand Rapids, 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 Grand Rapids.

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 Ironwood and Grand Rapids. Straight-line distance: 327.12 mi (526.45 km).

Ironwood

#1 Ironwood

City in Michigan, United States

Population4,814
Coordinates46.4546700, -90.1710100
Altitude459
CountryUnited States
Grand Rapids

#2 Grand Rapids

The second most populous city in Michigan.

Population200,031
Coordinates42.9633600, -85.6680900
Altitude195
CountryUnited States
Start: North Lowell Street (-90.170966, 46.454696)
End: West Fulton Street (-85.668092, 42.963219)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 874 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)18h 05m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)13h 34m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)10h 51m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)09h 02m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)07h 45m
80 mph (129 km/h)06h 46m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
19.16 gal
72.52 L · about $72.25
Round trip
$144.50
38.32 gal · 145.04 L
Estimated CO2
170.3 kg one way
Round trip: 340.5 kg / 751 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $72.25 $144.50
Mid-grade $4.25 $81.49 $162.97
Premium $4.65 $89.17 $178.34
Diesel $5.30 $101.62 $203.25

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 Grand Rapids, MI. The current time in Ironwood is 02:21:34, although it is 03:21:34 in Grand Rapids.

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.