This 287.8-mile journey from Auburn, WA to Spokane Valley, WA is designed for a single day of travel, taking approximately 4 hours and 28 minutes. You'll navigate primarily local roads, with a 0% highway share, making it a turn-heavy drive. Expect to spend around $60 on fuel for this trip. While it's a manageable day trip, there's one recommended stop to break up the drive. Both your origin and destination are within the Pacific Coast region, so you'll stay within Washington state for the entire route.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
144.1 miles from Auburn, WA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 42m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 90
263.1 mi
4h 46m
State Route 18
23.2 mi
29m
A Street Southeast
0.2 mi
<1m
Auburn Way South
0.2 mi
<1m
Cross Street Southeast
0.1 mi
<1m
Snoqualmie Parkway
0.1 mi
<1m
North Pines Road
<0.1 mi
<1m
East Main Street
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 90
— 263.1 mi, about 4h 46m
Traffic on I-90
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 126 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~1,426 veh/hr typical
· worst 2,032
Quietest
2 AM
~104 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
13.7×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
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Averaged across 52 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Auburn, WA and Spokane Valley, WA.
1
Start on East Main Street
27 ft·5 sec·East Main Street
2
Turn left onto A Street Southeast
0.2 mi·27 sec·A Street Southeast
3
Turn left onto Cross Street Southeast
0.1 mi·27 sec·Cross Street Southeast
4
Turn right onto Auburn Way South
0.2 mi·27 sec·Auburn Way South
5
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·28 sec
Toward WA 18 EastUse the left lane.
6
Merge onto WA 18
23 mi·29 min·State Route 18
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Continue on WA 18
0.1 mi·8 sec·Snoqualmie Parkway
8
Take the exit
0.6 mi·1 min
Toward I 90 East: Spokane
9
Merge onto I 90
252 mi·4 hr 32 min·I 90
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Merge onto I 90; US 2; US 395
11 mi·14 min·I 90; US 2; US 395
11
Take the exit
0.4 mi·51 sec
Toward WA 27
12
Turn left onto WA 27
148 ft·11 sec·North Pines Road
Use the straight / left lanes.
13
Arrive at destination
WA 27
Trip Plan
Given the 4-hour and 28-minute duration and the local road nature, consider an early morning departure from Auburn to maximize daylight and minimize potential traffic delays. With only one recommended stop, you have flexibility in pacing yourself. The estimated fuel cost of $60 is a good baseline, but it's wise to start with a full tank and monitor as you go. A specific tip for this route: pay close attention to posted speed limits as you transition between different local zones, as they can vary significantly.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 144.1 miles from Auburn, WA, or about 2h 42m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 263.1 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 63 miles or 1h 14m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 144.1 miles or 2h 42m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 22m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Spokane Valley, WA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Auburn, WA so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Auburn, WA
This is one driving day of about 288.1 miles and 5h 20m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 63 miles from Auburn, WA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on I 90 for about 263.1 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 10
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 24.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip|~0m in|A Street Southeast
Turn left onto A Street Southeast
Navigation decision point
4
0.3 mi into trip|~1m in|Auburn Way South
Turn right onto Auburn Way South
Navigation decision point
7
0.5 mi into trip|~1m in
Take the ramp toward WA 18 East
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward WA 18 East
5
0.7 mi into trip|~1m in|WA 18 / State Route 18
Merge onto WA 18 / State Route 18
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
24.6 mi into trip|~33m in|I 90
Merge onto I 90
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$56.12 one way
$112.25 round trip
$4.95/gal25.4 MPG avg101 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$5.18
$58.80
$117.60
premium
$5.39
$61.15
$122.30
diesel
$4.80
$54.40
$108.80
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$56
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$81–$106
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 100.8 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $30 in charging
· 1 stop
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
86.4
1
$30.25
$13.83
Efficient EV
72
0
$25.21
$11.52
EV Truck/SUV
115.2
1
$40.33
$18.44
Gas CO2
101 kg
EV CO2
34 kg (66% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Forecast as of Jul 18, 2026
Origin
Auburn, WA
Late night
in Auburn on Monday
Local time
12:43 AM
PDT
Current temp
79°F
Sunny
W 5 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Red Flag Warning
Red Flag Warning issued July 17 at 11:13AM PDT until July 17 at 9:00PM PDT by NWS Spokane WA
Red Flag Warning
Red Flag Warning issued July 17 at 11:13AM PDT until July 17 at 9:00PM PDT by NWS Spokane WA
Destination
Spokane Valley, WA
Late night
in Spokane Valley on Monday
Local time
12:43 AM
PDT
Current temp
90°F
Patchy Smoke
SW 6 mph3% chanceLive forecast
Red Flag Warning
Red Flag Warning issued July 17 at 11:13AM PDT until July 17 at 9:00PM PDT by NWS Spokane WA
Red Flag Warning
Red Flag Warning issued July 17 at 11:13AM PDT until July 17 at 9:00PM PDT by NWS Spokane WA
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
11 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
5h 20m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Klondike Gold Rush - Seattle Unit National Historical Park
National Historical Park
Seattle flourished during and after the Klondike Gold Rush. Merchants supplied people from around the world passing through this port city on their way to a remarkable adventure in the Yukon Territory...
19 mi from route
~48 min detour
Free
near mile 9.9
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Prepare for a very turn-heavy local drive on this route. With a 0% highway share, you won't experience any long stretches of high-speed cruising. Instead, your drive will be characterized by frequent turns and changes in road type as you move through various communities. The longest uninterrupted stretch is not applicable here, as the nature of the route suggests constant engagement with local traffic patterns and signals. This drive will feel more like a series of interconnected local explorations than a straightforward point-to-point transit.
99% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 263.1 mi on I 90.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 90 and State Route 18. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near A Street Southeast.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 5h 20m drive. You will face about 10 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (A Street Southeast): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (Auburn Way South): Navigation decision point; at 0.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
Spokane is the second-largest city in Washington State, and the largest between Seattle and Minneapolis. It is the economic hub of the "Inland Empire", a name used for Eastern Washington and the Idaho Panhandle (pre-dating by nearly a century the use of the same title by a region in Southern California). It is at the north edge of the Palouse, where gently rolling hills of wheat fields end at the Spokane River valley.
This article also includes the suburbs of Liberty Lake and Spokane Valley.
The longest stretch is about 263.1 miles on I 90. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 21 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. There are 21 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (A Street Southeast): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (Auburn Way South): Navigation decision point; at 0.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Klondike Gold Rush - Seattle Unit National Historical Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 5.3 hours each way, a round trip means 10.7 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Spokane Valley, WA before the return drive.
