Burbank, WA to Kirkland, WA is 231.5 miles and takes about 4h 21m via US 97, US 12, and I-82, with a fuel budget near $48 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This route primarily sticks to major highways as it moves across Washington State. With 96% of the drive on highways, expect a fairly direct path, making it a solid choice for a single-day trip. You'll spend most of your time on well-maintained roads, covering the distance efficiently. This trip is suitable for those prioritizing arrival time over extensive sightseeing.
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
115.7 miles from Burbank, WA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 7m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US 97
101.4 mi
1h 53m
US 12
70.9 mi
1h 17m
I 82
31 mi
33m
I 182
11.8 mi
12m
Lewis and Clark Trail
6.6 mi
7m
I 405
6.3 mi
7m
Northeast 85th Street
0.7 mi
1m
7th Avenue
0.5 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
US 97
— 101.4 mi, about 1h 53m
Traffic on I-90
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 125 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~2,530 veh/hr typical
· worst 3,416
Quietest
2 AM
~139 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
18.2×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 104 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 Burbank, WA and Kirkland, WA.
1
Start on Fifth Avenue
413 ft·20 sec·Fifth Avenue
2
Turn right onto Fourth Avenue
281 ft·9 sec·Fourth Avenue
3
Turn right onto West Maple Street
320 ft·14 sec·West Maple Street
4
Turn left onto Fifth Avenue
0.3 mi·47 sec·Fifth Avenue
5
Enter roundabout onto WA 124
113 ft·1 sec·State Route 124
6
Continue on WA 124
0.3 mi·22 sec·State Route 124
7
Keep slight left at fork
108 ft·2 sec
8
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·28 sec
9
Merge onto US 12
6.6 mi·7 min·Lewis and Clark Trail
10
Keep slight left at fork onto I 182; US 12
12 mi·12 min·I 182; US 12
Toward I 182, US 12Use the straight lane.
11
Keep slight right at fork onto US 12
71 mi·1 hr 17 min·US 12
Toward I 82 West, US 12 West: Prosser, Yakima
12
Continue on I 82; US 97
31 mi·33 min·I 82; US 97
13
Keep slight left at fork onto US 97
101 mi·1 hr 53 min·US 97
Toward I 90 WestUse the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
0.2 mi·27 sec
Exit 10Toward I 405: Renton, EverettUse the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Keep slight right at fork
0.5 mi·59 sec
Toward I 405 North: Everett, BellevueUse the slight right lane.
16
Merge onto I 405
6.3 mi·7 min·I 405
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Take the exit
0.4 mi·50 sec
Exit 18Toward Northeast 85th Street, KirklandUse the slight right lane.
18
Keep slight left at fork
182 ft·6 sec
19
Turn straight onto Northeast 85th Street
0.7 mi·1 min·Northeast 85th Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
20
Turn right onto 6th Street
449 ft·17 sec·6th Street
21
Turn left onto 7th Avenue
0.1 mi·15 sec·7th Avenue
22
Continue on 7th Avenue
0.3 mi·50 sec·7th Avenue
23
Continue on 7th Avenue
0.1 mi·18 sec·7th Avenue
24
Turn right onto 1st Street
399 ft·11 sec·1st Street
25
Arrive at destination
1st Street
Trip Plan
Given the 4h 21m estimated drive time, starting in the morning is recommended to allow ample daylight. The longest stretch without an exit is over 100 miles on US 97, so ensure you have sufficient fuel before embarking on that segment. While the total drive is manageable in a single day, consider a brief stop around the halfway point for a break. The fuel cost is estimated at $48, so factor that into your budget. With only one recommended stop, you have flexibility in pacing yourself.
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 115.7 miles from Burbank, WA, or about 2h 7m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 101.4 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 51 miles or 57m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 115.7 miles or 2h 7m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 30m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Kirkland, WA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Burbank, 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 Burbank, WA
This is one driving day of about 231.5 miles and 4h 21m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 51 miles from Burbank, 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 US 97 for about 101.4 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 21
5 decision points cluster between mile 7.6 and 229.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
7.6 mi into trip|~9m in|I 182; US 12
Keep slight left at fork onto I 182; US 12 toward I 182, US 12
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight lane.
Toward I 182, US 12
7
121.3 mi into trip|~2h 13m in|US 97
Keep slight left at fork onto US 97 toward I 90 West
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 90 West
8
222.7 mi into trip|~4h 7m in
Take the exit toward I 405: Renton, Everett
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 10
Toward I 405: Renton, Everett
8
222.9 mi into trip|~4h 7m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 405 North: Everett, Bellevue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 405 North: Everett, Bellevue
8
229.7 mi into trip|~4h 16m in
Take the exit toward Northeast 85th Street, Kirkland
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 18
Toward Northeast 85th Street, Kirkland
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$49.53 one way
$99.05 round trip
$5.43/gal25.4 MPG avg81 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$5.68
$51.77
$103.54
premium
$5.89
$53.69
$107.38
diesel
$6.28
$57.20
$114.40
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$50
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$75–$100
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 81 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-19.
Driving Electric?
About $24 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
69.5
0
$24.31
$11.11
Efficient EV
57.9
0
$20.26
$9.26
EV Truck/SUV
92.6
1
$32.41
$14.82
Gas CO2
81 kg
EV CO2
27 kg (67% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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 Oct 19, 2026
Origin
Burbank, WA
Afternoon
in Burbank on Friday
Local time
3:11 PM
PDT
Current temp
40°F
Mostly Cloudy
N 2 mph2% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Kirkland, WA
Afternoon
in Kirkland on Friday
Local time
3:11 PM
PDT
Current temp
46°F
Cloudy
NE 1 mph3% chanceLive 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
6 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
4h 21m 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...
7 mi from route
~18 min detour
Free
near mile 223.5
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is predominantly highway, with 96% of the 231.5 miles spent on major roads like US 97, US 12, and I-82. You'll encounter a significant stretch of 101.4 miles on US 97 without needing to exit. Expect consistent cruising speeds for most of the trip. The highway profile means you'll notice frequent exit signs as you approach and navigate through populated areas, contrasting with the more open stretches.
96% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
25 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 101.4 mi on US 97.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 97 and US 12. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 7.6 miles in near I 182; US 12.
Driving Effort8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 21 significant decision points across 231.5 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 7.6 miles (I 182; US 12): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 121.3 miles (US 97): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 222.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
2,653 ft159 ft
Total Climb
2,760 ft
Total Descent
2,974 ft
Highest Point
2,653 ft
~157.9 mi in
Elevation Range
2,494 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Burbank, WA to Kirkland, WA, road signs begin pointing toward Yakima along the way.
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 21m. Total distance: 231.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 21m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (96%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 101.4 miles on US 97. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 14 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.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Kirkland, WA before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
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 14 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 7.6 miles (I 182; US 12): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 121.3 miles (US 97): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 222.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Klondike Gold Rush - Seattle Unit National Historical Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 4.4 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 8.7 hours — manageable with a long break at Kirkland, WA, but most travelers stay overnight.
