Origin
Eatonville, WA
Late night in Eatonville on Sunday
Local time
4:52 AM
PDT
Current temp
54°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Eatonville, WA to Seattle, WA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 26m
Distance
59.3 mi
95 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$12
one way
EV Charging
Sparse
1 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 20m
★
6 AM
1h 27m
8 AM
1h 40m
10 AM
1h 31m
12 PM
1h 30m
3 PM
1h 32m
5 PM
1h 39m
8 PM
1h 23m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Eatonville, WA
Wikimedia Commons
Seattle, WA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 59.3-mile drive from Eatonville, WA to Seattle, WA is a straightforward trip, estimating around 1 hour and 26 minutes to complete. Primarily utilizing Meridian Avenue East and I-5, with a segment on Valley Freeway, this route offers a mixed driving experience. With a fuel cost estimated at $12, it's an economical option for a single day trip. You'll be traveling within the Pacific Coast region for both your origin and destination, so expect a consistent regional feel throughout. This journey is perfectly suited for a day trip, allowing you to reach your destination without needing an overnight stay.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Meridian Avenue East | 20.1 mi | 31m |
| I 5 | 15.8 mi | 19m |
| Valley Freeway | 13 mi | 16m |
| South Kent Des Moines Road | 2.6 mi | 3m |
| Meridian East | 1.7 mi | 3m |
| Washington Avenue North | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Mashell Avenue North | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| West Willis Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Meridian Avenue East
— 20.1 mi, about 31m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Eatonville, WA and Seattle, WA.
1
Start on Mashell Avenue North
0.3 mi
·
47 sec
·
Mashell Avenue North
2
Turn right onto Lynch Creek Road East
280 ft
·
16 sec
·
Lynch Creek Road East
3
Turn left onto WA 161
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Washington Avenue North
4
Continue on WA 161
16 mi
·
23 min
·
Meridian Avenue East
5
Continue on WA 161
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Meridian East
6
Continue on WA 161
4.0 mi
·
7 min
·
Meridian Avenue East
7
Continue on WA 161
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Meridian East
Use the right lane.
8
Take the ramp
3.0 mi
·
4 min
Toward WA 512 East, WA 161 North: Seattle
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight right at fork
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Toward WA 167 North, WA 410 East: Seattle, Yakima
Use the straight / right lanes.
10
Merge onto WA 167
13 mi
·
16 min
·
Valley Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
Toward WA 516: Des Moines, Willis Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Turn left onto WA 516
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
·
West Willis Street
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
13
Continue on WA 516
2.6 mi
·
3 min
·
South Kent Des Moines Road
Use the left / straight lanes.
14
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
18 sec
15
Continue on this road
0.4 mi
·
49 sec
·
this road
16
Merge onto I 5
16 mi
·
19 min
·
I 5
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
Exit 165
Toward Seneca Street
Use the slight left lane.
18
Turn left onto Seneca Street
323 ft
·
18 sec
·
Seneca Street
19
Turn left onto 5th Avenue
0.1 mi
·
27 sec
·
5th Avenue
Use the straight / left lanes.
20
Turn right onto Madison Street
113 ft
·
9 sec
·
Madison Street
21
Turn left
31 ft
·
2 sec
22
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
30 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 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 29.6 miles from Eatonville, WA, 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 145 decision points cluster between mile 22.7 and 59.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
22.7 mi into trip
|
~37m in
Take the ramp toward WA 512 East, WA 161 North: Seattle
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward WA 512 East, WA 161 North: Seattle
8
25.7 mi into trip
|
~41m in
Keep slight right at fork toward WA 167 North, WA 410 East: Seattle, Yakima
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / right lanes.
Toward WA 167 North, WA 410 East: Seattle, Yaki...
7
39.3 mi into trip
|
~59m in
Take the exit toward WA 516: Des Moines, Willis 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.
Toward WA 516: Des Moines, Willis Street
7
58.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 25m in
Take the exit toward Seneca Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Exit 165
Toward Seneca Street
7
59.1 mi into trip
|
~1h 25m in
|
5th Avenue
Turn left onto 5th Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$12.41 one way
$24.82 round trip
$5.32/gal
25.4 MPG avg
21 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.58 | $13.02 | $26.03 |
| premium | $5.77 | $13.47 | $26.93 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $13.09 | $26.19 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$12
Estimated CO2 emission: 20.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 17.8 | 0 | $6.23 | $2.85 |
| Efficient EV | 14.8 | 0 | $5.19 | $2.37 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 23.7 | 0 | $8.30 | $3.80 |
Gas CO2
21 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (67% 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
Seattle, WA
Late night in Seattle on Sunday
Local time
4:52 AM
PDT
Current temp
49°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
5 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 26m 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?
The drive presents a mixed profile, with 49% of the journey on highways. You'll encounter a significant stretch of 20.1 miles on Meridian Avenue East before merging onto faster roads. The route transitions from local avenues to interstate driving, offering a varied experience behind the wheel. Expect periods of smoother, higher-speed travel interspersed with more urban or local road conditions as you approach Seattle.
49% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 20.1 mi on Meridian Avenue East.
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 22.7 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 59.3 miles you will encounter 14 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 22.7 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 25.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 39.3 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 Eatonville, WA to Seattle, WA, road signs begin pointing toward Yakima along the way.
Yakima
25.7 mi in
|
~41m
About the Cities
Arriving in Seattle, WA
Full guide →Seattle, Washington sits at one of the most beautiful spots in the United States. Occupying a narrow isthmus between the Puget Sound and Lake Washington, it is the biggest city in the Pacific Northwest, with 780,000 people in Seattle and over four million people in the metro area. Seen from above, carpets of evergreen trees, pristine blue waters, and snowy white mountains surround the downtown's metallic skyscrapers, earning the city its nickname The Emerald City. On the ground, you will find a vibrant and cosmopolitan city. Next to the progressive downtown and the freewheeling feel of Capitol Hill, you can find a laid-back atmosphere in the districts to the north and ethnically diverse neighborhoods to the south.
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 26m. Total distance: 59.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 26m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (49%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 20.1 miles on Meridian Avenue East. 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 Seattle, WA 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 22.7 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 25.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 39.3 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 and Mount Rainier National Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Seattle, WA 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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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