Origin
Federal Way, WA
Late night in Federal Way on Tuesday
Local time
2:03 AM
PDT
Current temp
66°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Federal Way, WA to Belfair, 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 4m
Distance
45 mi
72 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 0m
★
6 AM
1h 5m
8 AM
1h 15m
10 AM
1h 8m
12 PM
1h 7m
3 PM
1h 9m
5 PM
1h 15m
8 PM
1h 2m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Belfair, WA
Boko Shots
Trip Overview
This straightforward 45-mile drive from Federal Way, WA to Belfair, WA takes approximately 1 hour and 4 minutes and is perfectly suited for a day trip. Primarily utilizing WA 16 and I-5, with a brief segment on Southwest Lake Flora Road, this route offers a convenient connection between the Pacific Coast regions of Washington. With a fuel cost estimated at $9, this short journey is budget-friendly. The highway-focused profile means you'll spend most of your time on faster-paced roads, making it an efficient option for getting from point A to point B without extensive planning. It's an easy excursion with no overnight stays required.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| WA 16 | 19.4 mi | 24m |
| I 5 | 8.8 mi | 10m |
| Southwest Lake Flora Road | 6.5 mi | 9m |
| Northeast State Route 3 | 1.9 mi | 3m |
| Pacific Highway South | 1.8 mi | 3m |
| Bethel Burley Road Southeast | 1 mi | 1m |
| Southeast Lider Road | 1 mi | 1m |
| Southwest Lider Road | 0.8 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
WA 16
— 19.4 mi, about 24m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Federal Way, WA and Belfair, WA.
1
Start on this road
24 ft
·
7 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left onto South 312th Street
158 ft
·
5 sec
·
South 312th Street
3
Turn left onto WA 99
1.8 mi
·
3 min
·
Pacific Highway South
4
Turn left onto 16th Avenue South
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
16th Avenue South
5
Turn left onto WA 18
497 ft
·
13 sec
·
State Route 18
Use the left lane.
6
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
Toward I 5 North, I 5 South: Seattle, Tacoma
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
Toward I 5 South: Tacoma
8
Merge onto I 5
7.5 mi
·
9 min
·
I 5
Use the slight left lane.
9
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
I 5
10
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Exit 132B
Toward WA 16 West: Gig Harbor, Bremerton
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi
·
45 sec
Toward WA 16 West: Union Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Merge onto WA 16
19 mi
·
24 min
·
WA 16
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
49 sec
Toward Mullenix Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Turn left onto Southeast Mullenix Road
0.4 mi
·
45 sec
·
Southeast Mullenix Road
Use the straight / left lanes.
15
At end of road, turn right onto Bethel Burley Road Southeast
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Bethel Burley Road Southeast
16
Turn left onto Southeast Lider Road
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Southeast Lider Road
17
Continue on Southwest Lider Road
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Southwest Lider Road
18
At end of road, turn left onto Glenwood Road Southwest
0.4 mi
·
40 sec
·
Glenwood Road Southwest
Use the left lane.
19
Turn straight onto Southwest Lake Flora Road
2.9 mi
·
4 min
·
Southwest Lake Flora Road
20
Enter roundabout onto Southwest Lake Flora Road
25 ft
·
0 sec
·
Southwest Lake Flora Road
21
Continue on Southwest Lake Flora Road
3.6 mi
·
5 min
·
Southwest Lake Flora Road
22
At end of road, turn left onto WA 3
0.6 mi
·
52 sec
·
State Highway 3 Southwest
Use the left lane.
23
Continue on WA 3
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
·
Northeast State Route 3
24
Enter roundabout onto WA 3
123 ft
·
1 sec
·
Northeast State Route 3
25
Continue on WA 3
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Northeast State Route 3
26
Arrive at destination
WA 3
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
23 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 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 22.5 miles from Federal Way, 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 185 decision points cluster between mile 2.4 and 42.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
2.4 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Take the exit toward I 5 North, I 5 South: Seattle, Tacoma
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 5 North, I 5 South: Seattle, Tacoma
8
11.6 mi into trip
|
~17m in
Take the exit toward WA 16 West: Gig Harbor, Bremerton
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.
Exit 132B
Toward WA 16 West: Gig Harbor, Bremerton
7
12.2 mi into trip
|
~18m in
Keep slight left at fork toward WA 16 West: Union Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward WA 16 West: Union Avenue
6
32.1 mi into trip
|
~43m in
Take the exit toward Mullenix Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward Mullenix Road
7
42.5 mi into trip
|
~1h in
|
WA 3 / State Highway 3 Southwest
At end of road, turn left onto WA 3 / State Highway 3 Southwest
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.42 one way
$18.84 round trip
$5.32/gal
25.4 MPG avg
16 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.58 | $9.88 | $19.75 |
| premium | $5.77 | $10.22 | $20.44 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.94 | $19.87 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 15.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 13.5 | 0 | $4.73 | $2.16 |
| Efficient EV | 11.3 | 0 | $3.94 | $1.80 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 18 | 0 | $6.30 | $2.88 |
Gas CO2
16 kg
EV CO2
5 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
Belfair, WA
Late night in Belfair on Tuesday
Local time
2:03 AM
PDT
Current temp
44°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
22 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 4m 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 highway-focused experience for about 68% of this 45-mile trip. You'll navigate stretches of I-5 and WA 16, offering consistent speeds for much of the journey. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 19.4 miles on WA 16, allowing for a good period of steady driving. While predominantly highway, the inclusion of Southwest Lake Flora Road suggests a potential shift to more local road conditions as you approach your destination. This mix provides a balanced driving experience, transitioning from open highway to potentially more winding routes.
68% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
26 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 19.4 mi on WA 16.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on WA 16 and I 5. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2.4 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 45 miles you will encounter 18 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 2.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 11.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 12.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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.
Between Federal Way, WA and Belfair, WA, road signs point toward Tacoma and Bremerton.
Tacoma
2.4 mi in
|
~5m
Bremerton
11.6 mi in
|
~17m
About the Cities
Starting in Federal Way, WA
Full guide →Federal Way is a city in King County on the Puget Sound of Washington State. It is the home of the Pacific Bonsai Museum and Rhododendron Species Botanical Gardens. With a population of 96,000 (2016), Federal Way is one of Seattle's largest suburbs.
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 4m. Total distance: 45 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 4m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (68%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 19.4 miles on WA 16. 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 Belfair, 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 2.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 11.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 12.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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 Belfair, 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.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Belfair, WA
More trips to Belfair, WA
Explore more options from Federal Way, WA or browse trips ending in Belfair, WA.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse WA road trips.