Origin
Grand Mound, WA
Late night in Grand Mound on Sunday
Local time
3:24 AM
PDT
Current temp
44°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Grand Mound, WA to Federal Way, WA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 13m
Distance
58.1 mi
94 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$12
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 8m
★
6 AM
1h 14m
8 AM
1h 26m
10 AM
1h 18m
12 PM
1h 17m
3 PM
1h 19m
5 PM
1h 25m
8 PM
1h 10m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Grand Mound, WA
Siarhei Nester
Trip Overview
Grand Mound, WA to Federal Way, WA is 58.1 miles and takes about 1 hour 13 minutes via I 5, with a fuel budget near $12 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This straightforward drive keeps you within the Pacific Coast region of Washington State. It's a relatively short trip, making it ideal for a single-day journey. You'll primarily be on the interstate, so expect a consistent pace. Plan for this to be a simple transit between two points rather than a destination in itself.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 5 | 54.9 mi | 1h 6m |
| Old Highway 99 Southwest | 1 mi | 1m |
| South 320th Street | 0.8 mi | 2m |
| Pacific Highway South | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| US 12 West | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| South 312th Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 5
— 54.9 mi, about 1h 6m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Grand Mound, WA and Federal Way, WA.
1
Start on this road
292 ft
·
26 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left
99 ft
·
9 sec
3
Turn right onto Old Highway 99 Southwest
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Old Highway 99 Southwest
4
Enter roundabout onto Old Highway 99 Southwest
82 ft
·
4 sec
·
Old Highway 99 Southwest
5
Continue on Old Highway 99 Southwest
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
·
Old Highway 99 Southwest
6
Turn right onto US 12
0.3 mi
·
48 sec
·
US 12 West
Use the right lane.
7
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
Toward I 5 North
8
Merge onto I 5
45 mi
·
53 min
·
I 5
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
10 mi
·
12 min
·
I 5
Use the slight right lane.
10
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
51 sec
Exit 143
Toward Federal Way, South 320th Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Turn left onto South 320th Street
0.8 mi
·
2 min
·
South 320th Street
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
12
Turn right onto WA 99
0.5 mi
·
55 sec
·
Pacific Highway South
13
Turn right onto South 312th Street
158 ft
·
5 sec
·
South 312th Street
Use the right lane.
14
Turn right
24 ft
·
1 sec
15
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
29 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 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 29.1 miles from Grand Mound, 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 125 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 56.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
Turn left
Navigation decision point
5
1 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
US 12 / US 12 West
Turn right onto US 12 / US 12 West
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
6
46.4 mi into trip
|
~57m in
|
I 5
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
8
56.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 9m in
Take the exit toward Federal Way, South 320th Street
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 143
Toward Federal Way, South 320th Street
6
56.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 10m in
|
South 320th Street
Turn left onto South 320th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$12.16 one way
$24.32 round trip
$5.32/gal
25.4 MPG avg
20 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.58 | $12.75 | $25.50 |
| premium | $5.77 | $13.19 | $26.39 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.83 | $25.66 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$12
Estimated CO2 emission: 20.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 17.4 | 0 | $6.10 | $2.79 |
| Efficient EV | 14.5 | 0 | $5.08 | $2.32 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 23.2 | 0 | $8.13 | $3.72 |
Gas CO2
20 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (65% 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
Federal Way, WA
Late night in Federal Way on Sunday
Local time
3:24 AM
PDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
46°F
Lakewood, WA
29 mi in
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
3 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
1h 13m 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 route is overwhelmingly a highway-focused drive, with 97% of the journey on major roadways. You'll experience a long, uninterrupted stretch of 54.9 miles on I 5, offering a consistent cruising speed. While the majority is interstate, there are brief transitions onto Old Highway 99 Southwest and South 320th Street, offering minor variations in scenery and speed limits before you reach your destination. Expect a practical, efficient drive with minimal scenic detours.
97% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 54.9 mi on I 5.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 5 and Old Highway 99 Southwest. You will hit about 12 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in.
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 58.1 miles you will encounter 12 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 0.1 miles: Navigation decision point; at 1 miles (US 12 / US 12 West): Lane positioning matters here; at 46.4 miles (I 5): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Arriving 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 13m. Total distance: 58.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 13m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (97%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 54.9 miles on I 5. 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 Federal Way, 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 0.1 miles: Navigation decision point; at 1 miles (US 12 / US 12 West): Lane positioning matters here; at 46.4 miles (I 5): 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 Federal Way, 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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