Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
21m
Distance
12.8 mi
21 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Bellingham, WA
Wikimedia Commons
Lawrence, WA
King Zubby
This short 12.8-mile drive from Bellingham to Lawrence, Washington, is a quick 21-minute trip perfect for a single day. You'll navigate via Mount Baker Highway, Sunset Drive, and Lawrence Road, with no significant highway time. With a modest estimated fuel cost of $3, this route offers a straightforward journey. Since it's such a brief distance, you won't need to split it into multiple days, allowing for plenty of flexibility in your schedule. Both your origin and destination are within the Pacific Coast region, so you'll remain in familiar territory throughout.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Mount Baker Highway | 7.6 mi | 10m |
| Sunset Drive | 3 mi | 6m |
| Lawrence Road | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| West Illinois Street | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Meridian Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Broadway | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Dupont Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Bellingham, WA and Lawrence, WA.
Start on Dupont Street
Turn right onto Broadway
Turn left onto Meridian Street
Enter roundabout onto West Illinois Street
Continue on West Illinois Street
Turn right onto Sunset Drive
Continue on WA 542
Enter roundabout onto WA 542
Continue on WA 542
Enter roundabout onto WA 9
Continue on WA 9
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 11.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn right onto Broadway
Navigation decision point
Enter roundabout onto West Illinois Street
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Turn right onto Sunset Drive
Lane positioning matters here
Enter roundabout onto WA 542 / Mount Baker Highway
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Enter roundabout onto WA 9 / Lawrence Road toward WA 9 North: Nooksack, Sumas
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$2.68 one way
$5.36 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.58 | $2.81 | $5.62 |
| premium | $5.77 | $2.91 | $5.81 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.83 | $5.65 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 4.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 75% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3.8 | 0 | $1.34 | $0.61 |
| Efficient EV | 3.2 | 0 | $1.12 | $0.51 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 5.1 | 0 | $1.79 | $0.82 |
Gas CO2
4 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (75% 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Late night in Bellingham on Tuesday
Local time
3:58 AM
PDT
Current temp
56°F
Mostly Sunny
Destination
Late night in Lawrence on Tuesday
Local time
3:58 AM
PDT
Current temp
67°F
Unavailable
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Expect a "turn-heavy local drive" on this route, as indicated by its profile. There's no highway driving involved, meaning you'll be on more winding local roads for the entire 12.8 miles. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 7.6 miles along Mount Baker Highway. This suggests a journey where you'll be making frequent adjustments to your steering rather than cruising on a straight path. The road likely changes character as you transition between Mount Baker Highway, Sunset Drive, and Lawrence Road.
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 Broadway.
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 21m drive. You will face about 7 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 (Broadway): Navigation decision point; at 0.6 miles (West Illinois Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 1.1 miles (Sunset Drive): Lane positioning matters here.
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Bellingham, WA to Lawrence, WA, road signs begin pointing toward Sumas along the way.
Sumas
Bellingham, the "City of Subdued Excitement", is a city of 92,000 people in the northwest region of Washington State. It is the northernmost city in the contiguous 48 states. Situated on Bellingham Bay, you can venture from downtown and in minutes be in rural farmland, the North Cascades or out on the salt waters around the San Juan Islands.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 21m. Total distance: 12.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
21m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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