Origin
Ellensburg, WA
Late night in Ellensburg on Sunday
Local time
3:32 AM
PDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Ellensburg, WA to Yakima, 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
36 mi
58 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Good
7 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 42m
★
6 AM
0h 46m
8 AM
0h 53m
10 AM
0h 48m
12 PM
0h 48m
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.
Ellensburg, WA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are planning a quick transition between Ellensburg and Yakima, you will cover 36 miles in approximately 39 minutes. This short journey is perfectly suited for a single-day outing, requiring no overnight stays or complex logistics. With an estimated fuel cost of just $8, it is a highly economical route for travelers staying within the Pacific Coast region of Washington. You will rely on a combination of North Main Street, Canyon Road, and I-90 East to navigate between these two cities. Because the trip is quite brief, it offers great flexibility for those looking to move efficiently between these locations without a lengthy time commitment.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 97 | 31.3 mi | 34m |
| North 1st Street | 1.6 mi | 3m |
| Canyon Road | 1 mi | 2m |
| North Main Street | 0.8 mi | 2m |
| I 90 | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Selah Road | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| West 5th Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| South 1st Street | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
US 97
— 31.3 mi, about 34m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Ellensburg, WA and Yakima, WA.
1
Start on West 5th Avenue
216 ft
·
14 sec
·
West 5th Avenue
2
Turn left onto North Main Street
0.8 mi
·
2 min
·
North Main Street
3
Continue on Canyon Road
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Canyon Road
4
Enter roundabout
133 ft
·
11 sec
Toward I 90 East: Spokane, Yakima
5
Continue
0.4 mi
·
55 sec
Toward I 90 East: Spokane, Yakima
6
Merge onto I 90; US 97
0.5 mi
·
30 sec
·
I 90; US 97
7
Take the exit onto US 97
31 mi
·
34 min
·
US 97
Toward I 82 East, US 97 South: Yakima
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
314 ft
·
4 sec
Toward US 12 west, North 1st Street
9
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
10
Continue on WA 823
0.1 mi
·
13 sec
·
Selah Road
11
Continue on North 1st Street
1.6 mi
·
3 min
·
North 1st Street
12
Arrive at destination
South 1st Street
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 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 18 miles from Ellensburg, 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 75 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 34.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
North Main Street
Turn left onto North Main Street
Navigation decision point
6
1.8 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Enter roundabout toward I 90 East: Spokane, Yakima
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 90 East: Spokane, Yakima
7
2.7 mi into trip
|
~6m in
|
US 97
Take the exit onto US 97 toward I 82 East, US 97 South: Yakima
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 I 82 East, US 97 South: Yakima
5
34 mi into trip
|
~41m in
Take the exit toward US 12 west, North 1st Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 12 west, North 1st Street
5
34.1 mi into trip
|
~41m in
Keep slight left at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.53 one way
$15.07 round trip
$5.32/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.58 | $7.90 | $15.80 |
| premium | $5.77 | $8.18 | $16.35 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.95 | $15.90 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.6 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 | 10.8 | 0 | $3.78 | $1.73 |
| Efficient EV | 9 | 0 | $3.15 | $1.44 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 14.4 | 0 | $5.04 | $2.30 |
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
Yakima, WA
Late night in Yakima on Sunday
Local time
3:32 AM
PDT
Current temp
46°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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
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?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive that demands your full attention behind the wheel. Unlike a monotonous interstate slog, this route features zero highway share, meaning you will be navigating local roads rather than high-speed thoroughfares. The road’s personality is defined by its technical nature, keeping you engaged as you transition through the landscape. Since there are no long, uninterrupted highway stretches, the drive feels dynamic and requires consistent focus on the road ahead. It is a straightforward yet active 36-mile experience that moves away from the typical high-speed corridor feel.
88% 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: 31.3 mi on US 97.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 97 and North 1st Street. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near North Main Street.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 45m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (North Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.8 miles: Roundabout - know your exit number before entering. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.7 miles (US 97): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 45m. Total distance: 36 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 (88%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 31.3 miles on US 97. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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: near the start (North Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.8 miles: Roundabout - know your exit number before entering. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.7 miles (US 97): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Yakima, 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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