Next 7 departures
- TueOct 13
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 57–66°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Detroit7 AM EDT Mostly sunny66°F Flint8 AM EDT Mostly sunny66°F Bay City8:45 AM EDT Mostly sunny64°F West Branch9:30 AM EDT Partly sunny61°F Otsego Lake10:15 AM EDT Scattered light rain showers62°F Mackinaw City11:15 AM EDT Scattered light rain showers57°F - WedOct 14
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 50–60°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Detroit7 AM EDT Chance of light rain60°F Flint8 AM EDT Mostly cloudy58°F Bay City8:45 AM EDT Mostly cloudy55°F West Branch9:30 AM EDT Partly sunny52°F Otsego Lake10:15 AM EDT Mostly cloudy50°F Mackinaw City11:15 AM EDT Mostly cloudy54°F - ThuOct 15
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 43–52°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Detroit7 AM EDT Mostly cloudy52°F Flint8 AM EDT Chance of light rain48°F Bay City8:45 AM EDT Slight chance of light rain49°F West Branch9:30 AM EDT Mostly cloudy43°F Otsego Lake10:15 AM EDT Partly sunny45°F Mackinaw City11:15 AM EDT Partly sunny51°F - FriOct 16
HighLight rain showers likely near Mackinaw City around 11:15 AM EDT. Also at 1 other checkpoint.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Detroit7 AM EDT Chance of light rain53°F Flint8 AM EDT Chance of light rain50°F Bay City8:45 AM EDT Chance of light rain49°F West Branch9:30 AM EDT Chance of light rain showers48°F Otsego Lake10:15 AM EDT Light rain showers likely46°F Mackinaw City11:15 AM EDT Light rain showers likely51°F - SatOct 17
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 33–45°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Detroit7 AM EDT Mostly sunny37°F Flint8 AM EDT Mostly sunny33°F Bay City8:45 AM EDT Sunny35°F West Branch9:30 AM EDT Sunny35°F Otsego Lake10:15 AM EDT Mostly sunny38°F Mackinaw City11:15 AM EDT Mostly sunny45°F - SunOct 18
CautionGusts to 36 mph near Mackinaw City around 11:15 AM EDT.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Detroit7 AM EDT Sunny37°F Flint8 AM EDT Sunny35°F Bay City8:45 AM EDT Sunny36°F West Branch9:30 AM EDT Mostly sunny39°F Otsego Lake10:15 AM EDT Mostly sunny45°F Mackinaw City11:15 AM EDT Partly sunny52°F - MonOct 19
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 43–54°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Detroit7 AM EDT Mostly sunny43°F Flint8 AM EDT Partly sunny43°F Bay City8:45 AM EDT Mostly sunny44°F West Branch9:30 AM EDT Partly sunny46°F Otsego Lake10:15 AM EDT Partly sunny47°F Mackinaw City11:15 AM EDT Partly sunny54°F
The worst conditions expected at any checkpoint, timed to when you would reach it driving without stops. Levels use Road Travel’s driving-risk scale.
The route, stop by stop
Checkpoints in order, with driving time from Detroit (no stops) and elevation. The forecast above is timed to these.
- Detroit, MIStart 599 ftelevation
- Flint, MIMile 69 · 1 h 4 min 726 ftelevation
- Bay City, MIMile 112 · 1 h 43 min 593 ftelevation
- West Branch, MIMile 163 · 2 h 26 min 955 ftelevation
- Otsego Lake, MIMile 224 · 3 h 17 min 1,412 ftelevation
- Mackinaw City, MIMile 289 · 4 h 14 min 597 ftelevation
Typical weather by month
Average daily highs and lows, and days with an inch or more of snow, at Detroit, Flint and Mackinaw City.
| Month | Detroit Detroit Metro station · 631 ft | Flint 679 ft | Mackinaw City Cheboygan station · 588 ft | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High / low °F | Snow days | High / low °F | Snow days | High / low °F | Snow days | |
| Jan | 32° / 19° | 4.3 | 30° / 16° | 4.6 | 27° / 11° | 9.3 |
| Feb | 35° / 21° | 3.6 | 33° / 16° | 3.3 | 29° / 10° | 6.5 |
| Mar | 46° / 29° | 1.9 | 43° / 24° | 1.4 | 38° / 18° | 3.9 |
| Apr | 59° / 39° | 0.5 | 56° / 35° | 0.5 | 49° / 30° | 1.8 |
| May | 70° / 50° | 0 | 68° / 46° | 0 | 62° / 41° | 0 |
| Jun | 80° / 60° | 0 | 78° / 56° | 0 | 72° / 52° | 0 |
| Jul | 84° / 64° | 0 | 82° / 60° | 0 | 77° / 58° | 0 |
| Aug | 81° / 63° | 0 | 79° / 59° | 0 | 77° / 57° | 0 |
| Sep | 74° / 56° | 0 | 73° / 51° | 0 | 70° / 50° | 0 |
| Oct | 62° / 44° | 0 | 60° / 40° | 0 | 56° / 39° | 0.1 |
| Nov | 49° / 34° | 0.6 | 47° / 30° | 0.4 | 44° / 30° | 3.0 |
| Dec | 37° / 25° | 2.7 | 35° / 22° | 2.7 | 33° / 21° | 8.0 |
NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020: DETROIT METRO AP (USW00094847, 631 ft); FLINT 7W (USC00202851, 679 ft); CHEBOYGAN (USC00201492, 588 ft). Snow days are days with at least 1 inch of new snow. “—” means the station does not publish that normal.
Road conditions
Closures and chain rules change by the hour, so we link to the official reports for Michigan rather than repeat them.
- Michigan · MDOTMDOT Mi Drive
Check the official National Weather Service forecast and each state's road report before you leave.
Get alerts timed to where you’ll be when you get there
Road Travel plans the drive from Detroit to Mackinaw City with the forecast at every stretch for the hour you’ll reach it, then warns you about weather ahead while you drive.
Questions about this drive
How long is the drive from Detroit to Mackinaw City?
289 miles, about 4 hours of driving without stops, by way of I-75. Fuel, food and rest stops add to that.
What is the highest point on the drive?
Otsego Lake, at 1,412 ft. It comes at mile 224, about 3 h 17 min of driving after you leave Detroit.
How cold is Mackinaw City in January?
The nearest long-term NOAA station, Cheboygan (588 ft), averages a high of 27°F and a low of 11°F in January (1991–2020 normals).