Origin
Elk Plain, WA
Late night in Elk Plain on Tuesday
Local time
2:11 AM
PDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Elk Plain, WA to Renton, 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
54m
Distance
36.5 mi
59 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Sparse
1 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 50m
★
6 AM
0h 55m
8 AM
1h 4m
10 AM
0h 58m
12 PM
0h 57m
3 PM
0h 58m
5 PM
1h 3m
8 PM
0h 52m
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 planning to travel from Elk Plain to Renton, expect a straightforward 36.5-mile journey that typically takes about 54 minutes to complete. This trip is perfectly suited for a single-day excursion, as it is efficient enough to manage without any overnight stops. You will primarily navigate via Canyon Road East, WA 512, and the Valley Freeway as you transition between these Pacific Coast locations. Budgeting roughly $8 for fuel covers the expenses for the entire drive. Because the route is compact and direct, it serves as a reliable connection rather than a complex expedition, making it ideal for those who value predictability and speed over long-distance exploration.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Valley Freeway | 20.1 mi | 25m |
| Canyon Road East | 6.2 mi | 11m |
| WA 512 | 5.5 mi | 6m |
| Rainier Avenue South | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| 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 |
Longest stretch:
Valley Freeway
— 20.1 mi, about 25m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Elk Plain, WA and Renton, 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
·
25 min
·
Valley Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on WA 167
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Rainier Avenue South
Use the left lane.
11
Turn right
39 ft
·
2 sec
12
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
18 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 36.5 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 18.3 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 85 decision points cluster between mile 0.9 and 15.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.9 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
38th Avenue East
Turn left onto 38th Avenue East
Navigation decision point
4
1.9 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
208th Street East
At end of road, turn right onto 208th Street East
Navigation decision point
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.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.64 one way
$15.28 round trip
$5.32/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.58 | $8.01 | $16.02 |
| premium | $5.77 | $8.29 | $16.58 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.06 | $16.12 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11 | 0 | $3.83 | $1.75 |
| Efficient EV | 9.1 | 0 | $3.19 | $1.46 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 14.6 | 0 | $5.11 | $2.34 |
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (69% 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
Renton, WA
Late night in Renton on Tuesday
Local time
2:11 AM
PDT
Current temp
67°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
1 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
54m 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 36.5-mile trek is a highway-focused drive, with 70% of your time spent on major thoroughfares. You will experience a mix of regional roads like Canyon Road East and WA 512 before settling into the primary highway transit. The most significant portion of your time behind the wheel involves a 20.1-mile stretch on the Valley Freeway, which provides the longest uninterrupted segment of the trip. Expect a transition from the local character of Elk Plain to the more connected highway infrastructure leading into Renton. Overall, the experience is functional and consistent, prioritizing efficient movement through the Pacific Coast region.
70% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 20.1 mi on Valley Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Valley Freeway and Canyon Road East. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.9 miles in near 38th Avenue East.
Driving Effort
6/10
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 36.5 miles you will encounter 8 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 0.9 miles (38th Avenue East): Navigation decision point; at 1.9 miles (208th Street East): Navigation decision point; at 9.4 miles (WA 512): 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 Renton, WA, road signs begin pointing toward Yakima along the way.
Yakima
14.8 mi in
|
~25m
About the Cities
Arriving in Renton, WA
Full guide →Renton is a city in King County, Washington south of Bellevue and north of Kent. It is a quiet suburb of Seattle at the base of Lake Washington. Renton is primarily known as the site of the Boeing 737 plant, where the popular commercial jetliner is built. Renton is also notable for being the resting place of rock legend Jimi Hendrix. Its relatively inexpensive property prices make it a solid choice of stay while visiting Seattle, and the downtown area has many quiet charms of its own.
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 54m. Total distance: 36.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
54m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (70%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 20.1 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 Renton, 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 0.9 miles (38th Avenue East): Navigation decision point; at 1.9 miles (208th Street East): Navigation decision point; at 9.4 miles (WA 512): 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 Renton, 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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