Origin
Carlton, OR
Late night in Carlton on Sunday
Local time
12:31 AM
PDT
Current temp
43°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Carlton, OR to Portland, OR
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 2m
Distance
36.6 mi
59 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 57m
★
6 AM
1h 2m
8 AM
1h 12m
10 AM
1h 6m
12 PM
1h 5m
3 PM
1h 6m
5 PM
1h 12m
8 PM
0h 59m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Carlton, OR
Ali Alghamdi
Trip Overview
Carlton to Portland is 36.6 miles and takes about 1 hour 2 minutes via Southwest Pacific Highway and I 5, with a fuel budget near $7 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a short, local drive connecting two points within Oregon's Pacific Coast region. Expect a route that involves frequent turns and a mix of driving experiences, with about 21% of the journey on highways. Given its brevity, this trip is ideal for a single-day excursion, offering flexibility in departure and arrival times.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Southwest Pacific Highway | 12.1 mi | 21m |
| I 5 | 5.6 mi | 7m |
| Yamhill-Newberg Highway | 5.5 mi | 7m |
| Northeast Hendricks Road | 3.3 mi | 4m |
| Stadium Freeway | 2.1 mi | 3m |
| East Portland Road | 2 mi | 3m |
| Northeast Kuehne Road | 1.7 mi | 3m |
| Pacific Highway West | 1.4 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Southwest Pacific Highway
— 12.1 mi, about 21m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Carlton, OR and Portland, OR.
1
Start on this road
37 ft
·
7 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left onto East Main Street
0.6 mi
·
59 sec
·
East Main Street
3
Continue on Northeast Hendricks Road
3.3 mi
·
4 min
·
Northeast Hendricks Road
4
Continue on Northeast Kuehne Road
1.7 mi
·
3 min
·
Northeast Kuehne Road
5
Turn straight onto OR 240
5.5 mi
·
7 min
·
Yamhill-Newberg Highway
6
Continue on OR 240
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
·
West Illinois Street
7
Continue on OR 240
0.2 mi
·
38 sec
·
North Main Street
8
Turn left onto East Sherman Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
East Sherman Street
9
Turn right onto North Meridian Street
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
·
North Meridian Street
10
Turn left onto OR 99W; OR 219
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
·
East 1st Street
Use the straight lane.
11
Keep slight left at fork onto OR 99W
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
East Portland Road
Use the left lane.
12
Continue on OR 99W
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Pacific Highway West
13
Continue on OR 99W
12 mi
·
21 min
·
Southwest Pacific Highway
Use the straight lane.
14
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
59 sec
Toward I 5: Portland, Salem
Use the straight / right lanes.
15
Merge onto I 5
5.6 mi
·
7 min
·
I 5
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Keep slight left at fork onto I 405
2.1 mi
·
3 min
·
Stadium Freeway
Exit 299B
Toward I 405 North: City Center
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
17
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
Exit 2B
Toward Everett Street, Glisan Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Turn right onto Northwest Everett Street
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Northwest Everett Street
19
Turn right onto Northwest 8th Avenue
521 ft
·
27 sec
·
Northwest 8th Avenue
20
Turn left onto Northwest Couch Street
0.1 mi
·
32 sec
·
Northwest Couch Street
21
Turn right
110 ft
·
8 sec
22
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
18 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 36.6 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 18.3 miles from Carlton, OR, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 135 decision points cluster between mile 12.1 and 35.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
12.1 mi into trip
|
~19m in
|
OR 99W; OR 219 / East 1st Street
Turn left onto OR 99W; OR 219 / East 1st Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
6
12.3 mi into trip
|
~20m in
|
OR 99W / East Portland Road
Keep slight left at fork onto OR 99W / East Portland Road
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
7
27.8 mi into trip
|
~47m in
Take the exit toward I 5: Portland, Salem
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / right lanes.
Toward I 5: Portland, Salem
8
33.8 mi into trip
|
~56m in
|
I 405 / Stadium Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 405 / Stadium Freeway toward I 405 North: City Center
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Exit 299B
Toward I 405 North: City Center
8
35.9 mi into trip
|
~59m in
Take the exit toward Everett Street, Glisan Street
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 2B
Toward Everett Street, Glisan Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.29 one way
$14.58 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $7.72 | $15.43 |
| premium | $5.59 | $8.06 | $16.11 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.08 | $16.16 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11 | 0 | $3.84 | $1.76 |
| Efficient EV | 9.2 | 0 | $3.20 | $1.46 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 14.6 | 0 | $5.12 | $2.34 |
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (69% 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.
Destination
Portland, OR
Late night in Portland on Sunday
Local time
12:31 AM
PDT
Current temp
45°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
62°F
King City, OR
18 mi in
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
2 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
1h 2m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
This route is characterized as a 'turn-heavy local drive,' meaning you'll be navigating a series of roads and intersections rather than settling into a long stretch of highway. Only 21% of the 36.6 miles are on highways, with the longest uninterrupted segment covering 12.1 miles on Southwest Pacific Highway. You'll likely experience a changing road profile as you transition from local roads to highway segments and back. The frequent turns suggest a need for attentive driving and navigating through more built-up or varied terrain.
Only 21% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 12.1 mi on Southwest Pacific Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 12.1 miles in near OR 99W; OR 219 / East 1st Street.
Driving Effort
8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 36.6 miles you will encounter 13 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 12.1 miles (OR 99W; OR 219 / East 1st Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 12.3 miles (OR 99W / East Portland Road): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 27.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
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 Carlton, OR to Portland, OR, road signs begin pointing toward Salem along the way.
Salem
27.8 mi in
|
~47m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 2m. Total distance: 36.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 2m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 12.1 miles on Southwest Pacific Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 Portland, OR before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 12.1 miles (OR 99W; OR 219 / East 1st Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 12.3 miles (OR 99W / East Portland Road): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 27.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Portland, OR before heading back.
How this page is built
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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