Federal Way, WA to Rock Island, WA is 164.2 miles and takes about 3h 29m via I 90, US 97, and State Route 18, with a fuel budget near $34 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Washington state, moving from the Pacific Coast region eastward. The route is predominantly highway driving, making it a straightforward and efficient journey. With only one recommended stop and a relatively short duration, it's well-suited for a single-day excursion.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
82.1 miles from Federal Way, WA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 40m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 90
59.8 mi
1h 6m
US 97
35.2 mi
44m
State Route 18
24.4 mi
31m
US 2
16.6 mi
22m
WA 970
9.9 mi
12m
State Route 28
8.4 mi
11m
Sunset Highway
4.2 mi
7m
South Peasley Canyon Road
1.8 mi
3m
Longest stretch:
I 90
— 59.8 mi, about 1h 6m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Federal Way, WA and Rock Island, 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
0.5 mi·1 min·Pacific Highway South
4
Turn left onto South 320th Street
1.4 mi·3 min·South 320th Street
Use the straight lane.
5
Continue on South Peasley Canyon Road
1.0 mi·1 min·South Peasley Canyon Road
6
Enter roundabout onto South Peasley Canyon Road
95 ft·1 sec·South Peasley Canyon Road
7
Continue on South Peasley Canyon Road
0.7 mi·1 min·South Peasley Canyon Road
8
Turn left onto West Valley Highway North
334 ft·10 sec·West Valley Highway North
Use the left lane.
9
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·28 sec
Toward WA 18 East, WA 167 North: Renton, North BendUse the right lane.
10
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi·30 sec
Toward WA 18 East
11
Merge onto WA 18
24 mi·31 min·State Route 18
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Continue on WA 18
0.1 mi·8 sec·Snoqualmie Parkway
13
Take the exit
0.6 mi·1 min
Toward I 90 East: Spokane
14
Merge onto I 90
60 mi·1 hr 6 min·I 90
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Take the exit
0.2 mi·32 sec
Toward Cle Elum, Leavenworth
16
Turn left onto WA 970
0.4 mi·33 sec·Sunset Highway
17
At end of road, turn right onto WA 970
0.1 mi·10 sec·WA 970
18
Take the exit onto WA 970
9.8 mi·12 min·WA 970
19
Continue on US 97
35 mi·44 min·US 97
20
Take the exit onto US 97
15 mi·19 min·US 2
21
Enter roundabout onto US 2; US 97
132 ft·5 sec·US 2; US 97
22
Continue on US 2; US 97
1.8 mi·2 min·US 2; US 97
23
Turn right onto WA 28
3.8 mi·7 min·Sunset Highway
24
Keep slight right at fork onto WA 28
8.4 mi·11 min·State Route 28
25
Turn left onto Rock Island Drive
0.3 mi·49 sec·Rock Island Drive
26
Turn right onto Delaware Avenue
0.2 mi·30 sec·Delaware Avenue
27
At end of road, turn left onto Saunders Avenue
0.1 mi·16 sec·Saunders Avenue
28
Arrive at destination
Saunders Avenue
Trip Plan
To make the most of this 1-day trip, consider an early morning departure from Federal Way to maximize daylight hours. The drive is under 3.5 hours, so you won't need to split it, offering flexibility in your start time. With only one suggested stop, you can plan your breaks strategically. Keep an eye on your fuel levels, as the estimated cost is $34, and ensure you refuel before heading into more rural stretches. Pay attention to signs for US 97 and State Route 18 as you approach the latter half of your drive.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 82.1 miles from Federal Way, WA, or about 1h 40m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 59.8 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 36 miles or 49m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 82.1 miles or 1h 40m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 46m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Rock Island, WA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Federal Way, WA so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Federal Way, WA
This is one driving day of about 164.2 miles and 3h 29m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 36 miles from Federal Way, WA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on I 90 for about 59.8 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 20
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 164.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip|~0m in|South 312th Street
Turn left onto South 312th Street
Navigation decision point
5
3.7 mi into trip|~7m in|West Valley Highway North
Turn left onto West Valley Highway North
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
8
3.8 mi into trip|~8m in
Take the ramp toward WA 18 East, WA 167 North: Renton, North Bend
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Toward WA 18 East, WA 167 North: Renton, North...
6
4 mi into trip|~8m in
Keep slight left at fork toward WA 18 East
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward WA 18 East
6
164.1 mi into trip|~3h 29m in|Saunders Avenue
At end of road, turn left onto Saunders Avenue
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$34.37 one way
$68.73 round trip
$5.32/gal25.4 MPG avg58 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$5.58
$36.04
$72.08
premium
$5.77
$37.29
$74.58
diesel
$5.61
$36.25
$72.51
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$34
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$59–$84
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 57.5 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $17 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
49.3
0
$17.24
$7.88
Efficient EV
41.1
0
$14.37
$6.57
EV Truck/SUV
65.7
0
$22.99
$10.51
Gas CO2
57 kg
EV CO2
19 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.
Forecast as of Apr 18, 2026
Origin
Federal Way, WA
Late night
in Federal Way on Sunday
Local time
3:15 AM
PDT
Current temp
68°F
Mostly Sunny
NW 3 mph7% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Rock Island, WA
Late night
in Rock Island on Sunday
Local time
3:15 AM
PDT
Current temp
69°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
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 warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
3h 29m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Klondike Gold Rush - Seattle Unit National Historical Park
National Historical Park
Seattle flourished during and after the Klondike Gold Rush. Merchants supplied people from around the world passing through this port city on their way to a remarkable adventure in the Yukon Territory...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is primarily on highways, with 94% of the route utilizing major roads. You'll experience a longest stretch of 59.8 miles on I 90 before transitioning to US 97 and then State Route 18. Expect to encounter more rural cruising as you move away from the initial interstate segments. The shift from highway to surface roads will occur around the time you transition off of I 90.
94% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
28 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 59.8 mi on I 90.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 90 and US 97. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near South 312th Street.
Driving Effort8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 20 significant decision points across 164.2 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (South 312th Street): Navigation decision point; at 3.7 miles (West Valley Highway North): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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 Rock Island, WA, road signs point toward Cle Elum and Leavenworth.
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.
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 29m. Total distance: 164.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 29m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (94%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 59.8 miles on I 90. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 5 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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 Rock Island, WA before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. There are 5 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (South 312th Street): Navigation decision point; at 3.7 miles (West Valley Highway North): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Klondike Gold Rush - Seattle Unit National Historical Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 3.5 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 7.0 hours — manageable with a long break at Rock Island, WA, but most travelers stay overnight.
