Origin
Damascus, OR
Late night in Damascus on Tuesday
Local time
1:13 AM
PDT
Current temp
69°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Damascus, OR to McMinnville, OR
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 12m
Distance
53.2 mi
86 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$11
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 7m
★
6 AM
1h 13m
8 AM
1h 24m
10 AM
1h 17m
12 PM
1h 16m
3 PM
1h 17m
5 PM
1h 24m
8 PM
1h 9m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Damascus, OR
Wikimedia Commons
McMinnville, OR
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Spanning 53.1 miles, the drive from Damascus to McMinnville is a straightforward journey that typically takes about 1 hour and 12 minutes. Because of the relatively short duration, this trip works perfectly as a quick day outing rather than requiring an overnight stay. You will navigate via Highway 212, I-205 South, and I-5 South to reach your destination. Budget approximately $11 for fuel to cover the distance between these two Pacific Coast locales. It is a practical, no-nonsense route that connects the outskirts of the Portland area to the heart of Yamhill County without unnecessary complexity.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 205 | 11.3 mi | 14m |
| I 5 | 9.3 mi | 10m |
| Southeast Highway 212 | 5.8 mi | 10m |
| Newberg-Dundee Bypass | 4.1 mi | 5m |
| Southeast Dayton Bypass | 4 mi | 5m |
| McKay Road Northeast | 3.4 mi | 3m |
| Pacific Highway West | 3.2 mi | 4m |
| Southeast Three Mile Lane | 2.8 mi | 4m |
Longest stretch:
I 205
— 11.3 mi, about 14m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Damascus, OR and McMinnville, OR.
1
Start on OR 212
5.8 mi
·
10 min
·
Southeast Highway 212
Use the left lane.
2
Turn left
0.4 mi
·
51 sec
Toward I 205 South, OR 213 South: Oregon City
Use the left lane.
3
Merge onto I 205; OR 213
11 mi
·
14 min
·
I 205; OR 213
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4
Keep slight left at fork
508 ft
·
6 sec
Toward I 5 South: Salem
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Continue on this road
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
this road
Toward I 5 South: Salem
6
Merge onto I 5
9.1 mi
·
10 min
·
I 5
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit onto I 5
0.2 mi
·
16 sec
·
I 5
Toward Aurora
8
Turn right onto Ehlen Road Northeast
2.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Ehlen Road Northeast
9
Continue on Yergen Road Northeast
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Yergen Road Northeast
10
Continue on McKay Road Northeast
3.4 mi
·
3 min
·
McKay Road Northeast
11
At end of road, turn right onto OR 219
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
River Road Northeast
12
Continue on OR 219
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Northeast Saint Paul Highway
13
Turn left onto OR 18
4.1 mi
·
5 min
·
Newberg-Dundee Bypass
Use the left lane.
14
Take the exit onto OR 18
425 ft
·
13 sec
·
OR 18
15
Merge onto OR 99W; OR 18
3.2 mi
·
4 min
·
Pacific Highway West
16
Turn left onto OR 18; OR 233
4.0 mi
·
5 min
·
Southeast Dayton Bypass
17
Continue on OR 18
2.2 mi
·
3 min
·
Southeast Three Mile Lane
18
Take the exit onto OR 18SP
0.4 mi
·
51 sec
·
OR 18SP
19
Continue on Southeast Three Mile Lane
0.6 mi
·
53 sec
·
Southeast Three Mile Lane
20
Continue on Northeast 3rd Street
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
·
Northeast 3rd Street
21
Turn left onto OR 157
259 ft
·
7 sec
·
Northeast Johnson Street
22
Turn right onto Northeast 2nd Street
0.5 mi
·
51 sec
·
Northeast 2nd Street
23
Turn right onto OR 99W
260 ft
·
10 sec
·
Northeast Baker Street
24
Turn left onto Northeast 3rd Street
193 ft
·
8 sec
·
Northeast 3rd Street
25
Arrive at destination
Northeast 3rd Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
27 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 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 26.6 miles from Damascus, 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 175 decision points cluster between mile 5.8 and 37.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
5.8 mi into trip
|
~10m in
Turn left toward I 205 South, OR 213 South: Oregon City
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the left lane.
Toward I 205 South, OR 213 South: Oregon City
5
6.2 mi into trip
|
~11m in
|
I 205; OR 213
Merge onto I 205; OR 213
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
17.5 mi into trip
|
~25m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 5 South: Salem
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 5 South: Salem
5
18.5 mi into trip
|
~26m in
|
I 5
Merge onto I 5
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
37.9 mi into trip
|
~50m in
|
OR 18 / Newberg-Dundee Bypass
Turn left onto OR 18 / Newberg-Dundee Bypass
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.60 one way
$21.20 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $11.22 | $22.43 |
| premium | $5.59 | $11.71 | $23.42 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.75 | $23.49 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 18.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16 | 0 | $5.59 | $2.55 |
| Efficient EV | 13.3 | 0 | $4.66 | $2.13 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 21.3 | 0 | $7.45 | $3.40 |
Gas CO2
19 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (68% 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
McMinnville, OR
Late night in McMinnville on Tuesday
Local time
1:13 AM
PDT
Current temp
44°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
25 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 12m 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?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive rather than a monotonous interstate cruise. While you utilize portions of the interstate system, the route lacks a high percentage of sustained highway driving, keeping you focused on the transition between local roads and larger thoroughfares. You will spend your time navigating various turns as you move between regions, making the experience feel more like a local commute than a long-haul trek. Since the highway share is 0%, you should be prepared for frequent adjustments and standard road traffic rather than long stretches of open, uninterrupted pavement.
50% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
25 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 11.3 mi on I 205.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 5.8 miles in.
Driving Effort
9/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 53.2 miles you will encounter 17 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 5.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 6.2 miles (I 205; OR 213): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 17.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
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 Damascus, OR to McMinnville, OR, road signs begin pointing toward Aurora along the way.
Aurora
27.6 mi in
|
~37m
|
via I 5
About the Cities
Arriving in McMinnville, OR
Full guide →McMinnville is a city in the Willamette Valley in Oregon. It is the county seat and largest city of Yamhill County.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 12m. Total distance: 53.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 12m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (50%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 11.3 miles on I 205. 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 McMinnville, 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 5.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 6.2 miles (I 205; OR 213): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 17.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at McMinnville, 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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