Origin
Elk Plain, WA
Late night in Elk Plain on Tuesday
Local time
2:20 AM
PDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Elk Plain, WA to Kirkland, WA
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 15m
Distance
52.6 mi
85 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$11
one way
EV Charging
Sparse
1 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 10m
★
6 AM
1h 16m
8 AM
1h 28m
10 AM
1h 20m
12 PM
1h 19m
3 PM
1h 21m
5 PM
1h 27m
8 PM
1h 12m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Elk Plain, WA
JOHN CALLERY
Kirkland, WA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Spanning 52.6 miles, this drive from Elk Plain to Kirkland is a straightforward journey through the Pacific Coast region of Washington. Expect to spend about 1 hour and 15 minutes behind the wheel, making this an ideal day trip that doesn't require an overnight stay. With a modest fuel budget of approximately $11, it is a cost-effective route for commuters or casual travelers. You will primarily utilize the Valley Freeway, I-405, and Canyon Road East to navigate between these two points. Since the drive is relatively short, you have plenty of flexibility to plan your departure around your own schedule.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Valley Freeway | 19.7 mi | 24m |
| I 405 | 14.8 mi | 18m |
| 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 |
| Northeast 85th Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Valley Freeway
— 19.7 mi, about 24m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Elk Plain, WA and Kirkland, 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
20 mi
·
24 min
·
Valley Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.8 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 405 North: Bellevue
Use the slight right lane.
11
Merge onto I 405
15 mi
·
18 min
·
I 405
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
Exit 18
Toward Northeast 85th Street, Kirkland
Use the slight right lane.
13
Keep slight left at fork
182 ft
·
6 sec
14
Turn straight onto Northeast 85th Street
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Northeast 85th Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
15
Turn right onto 6th Street
449 ft
·
17 sec
·
6th Street
16
Turn left onto 7th Avenue
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
·
7th Avenue
17
Continue on 7th Avenue
0.3 mi
·
50 sec
·
7th Avenue
18
Continue on 7th Avenue
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
·
7th Avenue
19
Turn right onto 1st Street
399 ft
·
11 sec
·
1st Street
20
Arrive at destination
1st Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
26 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 26.3 miles from Elk Plain, 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 175 decision points cluster between mile 9.4 and 50.8 — 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.
6
35.1 mi into trip
|
~51m in
Take the exit toward I 405 North: Bellevue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 405 North: Bellevue
8
50.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 11m in
Take the exit toward Northeast 85th Street, Kirkland
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 18
Toward Northeast 85th Street, Kirkland
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$11.01 one way
$22.02 round trip
$5.32/gal
25.4 MPG avg
18 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.58 | $11.55 | $23.09 |
| premium | $5.77 | $11.94 | $23.89 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.61 | $23.23 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 18.4 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 | 15.8 | 0 | $5.52 | $2.52 |
| Efficient EV | 13.2 | 0 | $4.60 | $2.10 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 21 | 0 | $7.36 | $3.37 |
Gas CO2
18 kg
EV CO2
6 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
Kirkland, WA
Late night in Kirkland on Tuesday
Local time
2:20 AM
PDT
Current temp
66°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
2 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 15m 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 trip is a highway-focused drive, with 76% of your time spent on major thoroughfares. You will experience a consistent flow as you transition between urban and suburban corridors. The longest uninterrupted stretch occurs on the Valley Freeway, covering 19.7 miles of the total distance. Because the majority of the route consists of high-speed highway driving, you should be prepared for a steady, focused pace rather than a winding backroad experience. The transition between these road types is designed for efficiency, helping you cover the distance quickly.
76% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 19.7 mi on Valley Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Valley Freeway and I 405. 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
9/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 52.6 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 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 Kirkland, WA, road signs begin pointing toward Yakima along the way.
Yakima
14.8 mi in
|
~25m
About the Cities
Arriving in Kirkland, WA
Full guide →Kirkland is a charming city of 93,000 (2019) in King County, Washington, across from Seattle on the east side of Lake Washington.
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 15m. Total distance: 52.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 15m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (76%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 19.7 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 Kirkland, 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. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Kirkland, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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