Spanning 120.5 miles, this trek from Basin City to Spokane is a straightforward trip that typically takes about 2 hours and 20 minutes. You can easily complete this journey in a single day, making it an ideal choice for those who prefer to reach their destination without the need for an overnight stay. Expect to spend approximately $25 on fuel, depending on your vehicle's efficiency. Because the route remains within the Pacific Coast region, you won't experience drastic shifts in climate or terrain, but you will transition from the local surroundings of Basin City into the urban center of Spokane. It is a practical, no-nonsense connection that gets you where you need to go efficiently.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
60.3 miles from Basin City, WA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 12m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Thomas S. Foley Memorial Highway
106.9 mi
1h 54m
Road 170
7.2 mi
12m
WA 17
2.6 mi
3m
I 90
1.8 mi
2m
South Lincoln Street
0.4 mi
1m
West 4th Avenue
0.2 mi
<1m
West Freeway Avenue
0.2 mi
<1m
West Main Avenue
0.2 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Thomas S. Foley Memorial Highway
— 106.9 mi, about 1h 54m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Basin City, WA and Spokane, WA.
1
Start on Estella Drive
201 ft·14 sec·Estella Drive
2
Turn left onto First Place
410 ft·20 sec·First Place
3
Turn right onto Loen Drive
0.1 mi·34 sec·Loen Drive
4
At end of road, turn left onto Road 170
7.2 mi·12 min·Road 170
5
Turn right onto WA 17
2.6 mi·3 min·WA 17
6
Take the ramp
0.4 mi·52 sec
7
Merge onto US 395
107 mi·1 hr 54 min·Thomas S. Foley Memorial Highway
8
Merge onto I 90; US 2; US 395
1.8 mi·2 min·I 90; US 2; US 395
9
Take the exit
0.2 mi·31 sec
Toward Maple Street, Lincoln Street, Walnut Street
10
Continue on West 5th Avenue
382 ft·12 sec·West 5th Avenue
11
Turn straight onto West Freeway Avenue
0.2 mi·32 sec·West Freeway Avenue
12
Continue on West 4th Avenue
0.2 mi·31 sec·West 4th Avenue
13
Continue on West 4th Avenue
167 ft·4 sec·West 4th Avenue
14
Continue on South Lincoln Street
0.4 mi·1 min·South Lincoln Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
15
Turn left onto West Main Avenue
0.2 mi·34 sec·West Main Avenue
16
Turn right
26 ft·8 sec
17
Turn left onto South Gorge Trail
157 ft·17 sec·South Gorge Trail
18
Arrive at destination
South Gorge Trail
Trip Plan
Since this is a relatively short trip, you have plenty of flexibility regarding your departure time, though planning for a steady 2-hour and 20-minute window is wise. Because there are no scheduled stops in the plan, you should ensure your tank is ready for the 120.5-mile haul before you head out. Keep in mind that the heavy reliance on local roads means your pace may be dictated by traffic flow rather than open-road speeds. A smart move is to double-check your route map specifically for the turn-heavy sections near Road 170 to ensure you stay on track. By pacing yourself, you can comfortably arrive in Spokane without feeling rushed.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 60.3 miles from Basin City, WA, or about 1h 12m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 106.9 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 27 miles or 36m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 60.3 miles or 1h 12m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 53m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Spokane, WA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Basin City, 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 Basin City, WA
This is one driving day of about 120.5 miles and 2h 20m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 27 miles from Basin City, WA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Thomas S. Foley Memorial Highway for about 106.9 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 11
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 120.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip|~0m in|First Place
Turn left onto First Place
Navigation decision point
5
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|Loen Drive
Turn right onto Loen Drive
Navigation decision point
5
0.2 mi into trip|~1m in|Road 170
At end of road, turn left onto Road 170
Navigation decision point
5
119.2 mi into trip|~2h 15m in
Take the exit toward Maple Street, Lincoln Street, Walnut Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward Maple Street, Lincoln Street, Walnut Str...
5
120.5 mi into trip|~2h 19m in
Turn right
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$25.22 one way
$50.44 round trip
$5.32/gal25.4 MPG avg42 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$5.58
$26.45
$52.90
premium
$5.77
$27.36
$54.73
diesel
$5.61
$26.60
$53.21
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$25
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$50–$75
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 42.2 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $13 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
36.2
0
$12.65
$5.78
Efficient EV
30.1
0
$10.54
$4.82
EV Truck/SUV
48.2
0
$16.87
$7.71
Gas CO2
42 kg
EV CO2
14 kg (67% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
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 Apr 20, 2026
Origin
Basin City, WA
Late night
in Basin City on Tuesday
Local time
1:13 AM
PDT
Current temp
43°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Spokane, WA
Late night
in Spokane on Tuesday
Local time
1:13 AM
PDT
Current temp
62°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
19 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
2h 20m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive that demands your full attention behind the wheel. You will spend the vast majority of your time on the Thomas S. Foley Memorial Highway, which accounts for a 106.9-mile stretch of your journey. While the route utilizes WA 17 and Road 170 to navigate the terrain, only about 4% of the total distance consists of major highway driving. This configuration creates a mix of varied road types that keeps the experience feeling active rather than like a monotonous interstate cruise. Prepare for a road that shifts frequently as you transition between these local connectors.
Only 4% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 106.9 mi on Thomas S. Foley Memorial Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near First Place.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 2h 20m drive. You will face about 11 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 (First Place): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (Loen Drive): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (Road 170): Navigation decision point.
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 106.9 miles on Thomas S. Foley Memorial Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (First Place): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (Loen Drive): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (Road 170): Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Spokane, WA before heading back.
