Origin
Elk Plain, WA
Night in Elk Plain on Saturday
Local time
11:01 PM
PDT
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Elk Plain, WA to Kent, WA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
45m
Distance
29.4 mi
47 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Sparse
1 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 42m
★
6 AM
0h 46m
8 AM
0h 53m
10 AM
0h 48m
12 PM
0h 47m
3 PM
0h 49m
5 PM
0h 53m
8 PM
0h 43m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Elk Plain, WA
JOHN CALLERY
Trip Overview
If you are looking for a quick commute between Elk Plain and Kent, this 29.4-mile trip is an efficient way to traverse the Pacific Coast region. Expect to spend about 45 minutes on the road, making this a perfect candidate for a single-day journey. With a fuel budget of approximately $6, it is an economical drive that requires no overnight stops. You will primarily utilize a combination of Canyon Road East, WA 512, and the Valley Freeway to reach your destination. Because the route is straightforward and relatively short, it offers great flexibility for your schedule. Whether you are heading out for business or a quick visit, this drive is a practical and budget-friendly way to connect two points within Washington state.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Valley Freeway | 13 mi | 16m |
| Canyon Road East | 6.2 mi | 11m |
| WA 512 | 5.5 mi | 6m |
| 224th Street East | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| 208th Street East | 0.8 mi | 2m |
| 38th Avenue East | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Wright Road East | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| West Willis Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Valley Freeway
— 13 mi, about 16m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Elk Plain, WA and Kent, WA.
1
Start on 224th Street East
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
224th Street East
2
Turn left onto 38th Avenue East
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
38th Avenue East
3
Continue on Wright Road East
0.3 mi
·
47 sec
·
Wright Road East
4
At end of road, turn right onto 208th Street East
0.8 mi
·
2 min
·
208th Street East
5
Turn left onto Canyon Road East
6.2 mi
·
11 min
·
Canyon Road East
6
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
45 sec
Toward WA 512 East: Puyallup
7
Merge onto WA 512
5.5 mi
·
6 min
·
WA 512
Use the straight / right lanes.
8
Keep slight right at fork
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Toward WA 167 North, WA 410 East: Seattle, Yakima
Use the straight / right lanes.
9
Merge onto WA 167
13 mi
·
16 min
·
Valley Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
Toward WA 516: Des Moines, Willis Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Turn right onto WA 516
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
·
West Willis Street
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
12
Enter roundabout onto 4th Avenue South
238 ft
·
5 sec
·
4th Avenue South
13
Continue on 4th Avenue South
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
4th Avenue South
14
Turn right onto West Gowe Street
0.1 mi
·
24 sec
·
West Gowe Street
15
Turn left onto 2nd Avenue South
10 ft
·
0 sec
·
2nd Avenue South
16
Arrive at destination
2nd Avenue South
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 125 decision points cluster between mile 9.4 and 28.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
9.4 mi into trip
|
~18m in
|
WA 512
Merge onto WA 512
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
8
14.8 mi into trip
|
~25m 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...
5
15.5 mi into trip
|
~26m in
|
WA 167 / Valley Freeway
Merge onto WA 167 / Valley Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
28.5 mi into trip
|
~43m 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
6
28.8 mi into trip
|
~43m in
|
WA 516 / West Willis Street
Turn right onto WA 516 / West Willis Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.15 one way
$12.31 round trip
$5.32/gal
25.4 MPG avg
10 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.58 | $6.45 | $12.91 |
| premium | $5.77 | $6.68 | $13.35 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.49 | $12.98 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8.8 | 0 | $3.09 | $1.41 |
| Efficient EV | 7.4 | 0 | $2.57 | $1.18 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 11.8 | 0 | $4.12 | $1.88 |
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (70% 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
Kent, WA
Night in Kent on Saturday
Local time
11:01 PM
PDT
Current temp
47°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
12 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
45m 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 29.4-mile drive is a highway-focused trek, with 63% of the journey spent on major thoroughfares. You will experience a mix of regional roads and faster highway segments, providing a balanced feel behind the wheel. The most significant portion of the trip is a 13-mile stretch on the Valley Freeway, which serves as the backbone of your travel. As you transition from the local connectors like Canyon Road East onto WA 512 and finally the freeway, the pace of the drive shifts from local traffic to more consistent highway speeds. It is a functional, efficient route designed to get you to Kent with minimal complexity.
63% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 13 mi on Valley Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Valley Freeway and Canyon Road East. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 9.4 miles in near WA 512.
Driving Effort
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 12 decision points packed into just 29.4 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 45m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 9.4 miles (WA 512): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 14.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 15.5 miles (WA 167 / Valley Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. 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 Elk Plain, WA to Kent, WA, road signs begin pointing toward Yakima along the way.
Yakima
14.8 mi in
|
~25m
About the Cities
Arriving in Kent, WA
Full guide →Kent is the fourth largest city in King County in the Puget Sound region of Washington State, between Seattle and Tacoma.
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 45m. Total distance: 29.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
45m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (63%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 13 miles on Valley Freeway. 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 Kent, 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 9.4 miles (WA 512): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 14.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 15.5 miles (WA 167 / Valley Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Klondike Gold Rush - Seattle Unit National Historical 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 Kent, 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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