Black Diamond, WA to Spokane Valley, WA is 282.6 miles and takes about 5h 17m via I 90 and State Route 18, with a fuel budget near $63 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive primarily follows Interstate 90, making it a straightforward trip across Washington state. You'll start in the Pacific Coast region and end in the same region, with the vast majority of your travel on the interstate. Given the relatively short duration and high highway percentage, this route is well-suited for a single-day trip, allowing for a relaxed pace or an early arrival.
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
141.3 miles from Black Diamond, 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
11.6 mi
15m
Maple Valley Black Diamond Road Southeast
5.1 mi
9m
3rd Avenue
1.5 mi
3m
Snoqualmie Parkway
0.1 mi
<1m
North Pines Road
<0.1 mi
<1m
Southeast 231st Street
<0.1 mi
<1m
Lawson 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 63 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
12a6anoon6p11p
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 Black Diamond, WA and Spokane Valley, WA.
1
Start on Lawson Street
59 ft·3 sec·Lawson Street
2
Turn right onto WA 169
0.6 mi·1 min·3rd Avenue
3
Enter roundabout onto WA 169
60 ft·1 sec·3rd Avenue
4
Continue on WA 169
0.2 mi·29 sec·3rd Avenue
5
Enter roundabout onto WA 169
226 ft·11 sec·3rd Avenue
6
Continue on WA 169
0.7 mi·1 min·3rd Avenue
7
Continue on WA 169
2.0 mi·3 min·Maple Valley Black Diamond Road Southeast
8
Enter roundabout onto WA 169
126 ft·3 sec·Maple Valley Black Diamond Road Southeast
9
Continue on WA 169
0.8 mi·1 min·Maple Valley Black Diamond Road Southeast
10
Enter roundabout onto WA 169
106 ft·2 sec·Maple Valley Black Diamond Road Southeast
11
Continue on WA 169
0.4 mi·41 sec·Maple Valley Black Diamond Road Southeast
12
Enter roundabout onto WA 169
112 ft·2 sec·Maple Valley Black Diamond Road Southeast
13
Continue on WA 169
1.8 mi·3 min·Maple Valley Black Diamond Road Southeast
Use the left lane.
14
Turn left onto Southeast 231st Street
130 ft·2 sec·Southeast 231st Street
15
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·38 sec
Toward WA 18 East: North Bend
16
Merge onto WA 18
12 mi·15 min·State Route 18
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Continue on WA 18
0.1 mi·8 sec·Snoqualmie Parkway
18
Take the exit
0.6 mi·1 min
Toward I 90 East: Spokane
19
Merge onto I 90
252 mi·4 hr 32 min·I 90
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
20
Merge onto I 90; US 2; US 395
11 mi·14 min·I 90; US 2; US 395
21
Take the exit
0.4 mi·51 sec
Toward WA 27
22
Turn left onto WA 27
148 ft·11 sec·North Pines Road
Use the straight / left lanes.
23
Arrive at destination
WA 27
Trip Plan
For this 5-hour drive, leaving in the morning is ideal to maximize daylight and arrive at your destination with plenty of time. Since the majority of the route is on I 90, you can easily complete it in one day. Consider refueling before you leave Black Diamond, as the longest stretch without a major exit point is over 263 miles on I 90. While there's only one recommended stop indicated, you may want to plan for additional breaks every couple of hours to stay refreshed, especially during the long interstate segment.
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 141.3 miles from Black Diamond, 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 62 miles or 1h 16m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 141.3 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 20m
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 Black Diamond, 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 Black Diamond, WA
This is one driving day of about 282.6 miles and 5h 17m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 62 miles from Black Diamond, 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 16
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.8 and 19.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.8 mi into trip|~1m in|WA 169 / 3rd Avenue
Enter roundabout onto WA 169 / 3rd Avenue
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
5
3.5 mi into trip|~6m in|WA 169 / Maple Valley Black Diamond Road Southeast
Enter roundabout onto WA 169 / Maple Valley Black Diamond Road Southeast
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
5
4.4 mi into trip|~8m in|WA 169 / Maple Valley Black Diamond Road Southeast
Enter roundabout onto WA 169 / Maple Valley Black Diamond Road Southeast
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
5
6.9 mi into trip|~13m 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
19.2 mi into trip|~30m 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
$55.05 one way
$110.10 round trip
$4.95/gal25.4 MPG avg99 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$5.18
$57.68
$115.35
premium
$5.39
$59.98
$119.96
diesel
$4.80
$53.36
$106.72
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$55
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$80–$105
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 98.9 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $30 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
84.8
1
$29.67
$13.56
Efficient EV
70.7
0
$24.73
$11.30
EV Truck/SUV
113
1
$39.56
$18.09
Gas CO2
99 kg
EV CO2
33 kg (67% 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
Black Diamond, WA
Late night
in Black Diamond on Sunday
Local time
2:56 AM
PDT
Current temp
53°F
Partly Cloudy
SW 0 to 3 mph1% 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 Sunday
Local time
2:56 AM
PDT
Current temp
60°F
Areas Of Smoke
S 5 mph4% 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
7 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 17m 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...
20 mi from route
~49 min detour
Free
near mile 9.7
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
With 97% of the route on highways, you'll spend most of your time on I 90. The longest uninterrupted stretch on this highway is 263.1 miles. You'll begin on Maple Valley Black Diamond Road Southeast and State Route 18 before merging onto I 90. Expect consistent highway cruising for the bulk of the drive, with the transition to surface roads occurring only for the initial and final segments.
97% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
23 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 around 0.8 miles in near WA 169 / 3rd Avenue.
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 17m drive. You will face about 16 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.8 miles (WA 169 / 3rd Avenue): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 3.5 miles (WA 169 / Maple Valley Black Diamond Road Southeast): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 4.4 miles (WA 169 / Maple Valley Black Diamond Road Southeast): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
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: at 0.8 miles (WA 169 / 3rd Avenue): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 3.5 miles (WA 169 / Maple Valley Black Diamond Road Southeast): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 4.4 miles (WA 169 / Maple Valley Black Diamond Road Southeast): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
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 10.6 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.
