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Trip from Cedar Hills, OR to Medford, OR

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

5h 22m

Distance

270.7 mi

436 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$54

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 40 min
4 AM
5h 10m ★
6 AM
5h 23m
8 AM
5h 50m
10 AM
5h 32m
12 PM
5h 30m
3 PM
5h 34m
5 PM
5h 48m
8 PM
5h 15m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Downtown Cedar Hills, OR, OR

Cedar Hills, OR

Anthony Rahayel

Downtown Medford, OR, OR

Medford, OR

Stephen Leonardi

Trip Overview

This 270.7-mile drive from Cedar Hills to Medford, Oregon, is designed for a single day, taking approximately 5 hours and 22 minutes. You'll spend nearly all your time on highways, with a 99% highway share, making it a focused journey through the Pacific Coast region. The estimated fuel cost for this trip is around $54, and with only one recommended stop, it’s a straightforward drive. This route is best suited for those who prefer efficient travel and want to cover distance quickly. Consider this a practical option if you're looking to get from point A to point B with minimal fuss.

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

135.4 miles from Cedar Hills, OR

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 41m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 5 261.3 mi 5h 5m
Beaverton-Tigard Freeway 6 mi 8m
Court Street 0.7 mi 1m
North Central Avenue 0.5 mi 1m
Crater Lake Highway 0.4 mi <1m
Southwest Lynnridge Avenue 0.3 mi 1m
Southwest Walker Road 0.2 mi <1m
East 4th Street 0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 5 — 261.3 mi, about 5h 5m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Cedar Hills, OR and Medford, OR.

1

Start on Southwest Lynnridge Avenue

0.3 mi · 1 min · Southwest Lynnridge Avenue
2

Turn right onto Southwest Mayfield Avenue

0.1 mi · 35 sec · Southwest Mayfield Avenue
3

Turn left onto Southwest Walker Road

0.2 mi · 33 sec · Southwest Walker Road
4

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 26 sec
Toward OR 217 South Use the right lane.
5

Merge onto OR 217

6.0 mi · 8 min · Beaverton-Tigard Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6

Take the exit

0.5 mi · 43 sec
Toward I 5 South: Salem Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7

Merge onto I 5

261 mi · 5 hr 5 min · I 5
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 46 sec
Toward OR 62: Crater Lake Highway, Medford, Klamath Falls Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Turn right onto OR 62

0.4 mi · 52 sec · Crater Lake Highway
Use the right lane.
10

Turn left onto OR 99

0.7 mi · 1 min · Court Street
Use the left lane.
11

Continue on OR 99

0.5 mi · 1 min · North Central Avenue
Use the straight / left lanes.
12

Turn right onto East 4th Street

0.1 mi · 24 sec · East 4th Street
13

Turn left onto North Fir Street

0.1 mi · 15 sec · North Fir Street
14

Arrive at destination

North Fir Street

Trip Plan

For this efficient 5-hour, 22-minute drive, leaving Cedar Hills in the morning is ideal to maximize daylight and minimize potential traffic delays. With the longest stretch on I-5 being over 260 miles, plan for a single, efficient stop for fuel and a break. The $54 fuel cost is manageable, but it's always wise to start with a full tank. Given the predominantly highway nature, staying alert and aware of changing speed limits as you approach Medford will be key to a smooth arrival.

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 135.4 miles from Cedar Hills, OR, or about 2h 41m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 261.3 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 60 miles or 1h 13m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 135.4 miles or 2h 41m 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 22m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Medford, OR than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Cedar Hills, OR 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 Cedar Hills, OR

This is one driving day of about 270.7 miles and 5h 22m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 60 miles from Cedar Hills, OR.
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 5 for about 261.3 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

city in Oregon, USA

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Drain, OR

135 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

Albany, OR

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 60 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Drain, OR

Meal break

The midpoint is around 135.4 miles from Cedar Hills, OR, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before I 5 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 261.3 miles.

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 11

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.4 and 268.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

5
0.4 mi into trip | ~1m in | Southwest Walker Road

Turn left onto Southwest Walker Road

Navigation decision point

7
0.6 mi into trip | ~2m in

Take the ramp toward OR 217 South

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane. Toward OR 217 South
5
0.8 mi into trip | ~2m in | OR 217 / Beaverton-Tigard Freeway

Merge onto OR 217 / Beaverton-Tigard Freeway

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
6.8 mi into trip | ~10m in

Take the exit toward I 5 South: Salem

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward I 5 South: Salem
7
268.5 mi into trip | ~5h 17m in

Take the exit toward OR 62: Crater Lake Highway, Medford, Klamath Falls

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. Toward OR 62: Crater Lake Highway, Medford, Kla...

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$53.93 one way

$107.85 round trip

$5.06/gal 25.4 MPG avg 95 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $5.36 $57.07 $114.14
premium $5.59 $59.59 $119.17
diesel $5.61 $59.77 $119.53

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$54

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$79–$104

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 94.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $28 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 81.2 1 $28.42 $12.99
Efficient EV 67.7 0 $23.69 $10.83
EV Truck/SUV 108.3 1 $37.90 $17.32

Gas CO2

95 kg

EV CO2

32 kg (66% 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 Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Cedar Hills, OR

Night in Cedar Hills on Saturday

Local time

9:21 PM

PDT

Current temp

49°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Medford, OR

Night in Medford on Saturday

Local time

9:21 PM

PDT

Current temp

55°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

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

5h 22m 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.

What kind of drive is this?

Expect a highway-focused drive for the vast majority of this trip, with 99% of your journey on high-speed roads. The primary artery is I-5, which you'll be on for the longest uninterrupted stretch of 261.3 miles. While the Beaverton-Tigard Freeway and Court Street are part of the initial and final segments, the bulk of the experience is on this major interstate. This means consistent speeds and straightforward navigation, characteristic of a road trip prioritizing direct travel over varied scenery.

99% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 261.3 mi on I 5.

How Hard Is This Drive?

5/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 5 and Beaverton-Tigard Freeway. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.4 miles in near Southwest Walker Road.

Driving Effort 5/10

Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 270.7 miles you will encounter 11 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 0.4 miles (Southwest Walker Road): Navigation decision point; at 0.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 0.8 miles (OR 217 / Beaverton-Tigard Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 22m. Total distance: 270.7 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

5h 22m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (99%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 261.3 miles on I 5. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.

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. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.

The main spots that need attention: at 0.4 miles (Southwest Walker Road): Navigation decision point; at 0.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 0.8 miles (OR 217 / Beaverton-Tigard Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.

Not recommended in a single day. At 5.4 hours each way, a round trip means 10.8 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Medford, OR before the return drive.

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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