Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 6, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
3h 59m
Distance
175.6 mi
283 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$34
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Gresham, OR
Wikimedia Commons
Florence, OR
Efrem Efre
The drive from Gresham, OR to Florence, OR covers 175.6 miles and takes about 3h 59m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 5, Highway 126, I 205 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 71.1 miles on I 5. At current regular gas prices, budget about $34.03 one way before food or hotel costs.
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
87.8 miles from Gresham, OR
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 53m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 5 | 71.1 mi | 1h 22m |
| Highway 126 | 42.6 mi | 59m |
| I 205 | 16.6 mi | 21m |
| Albany-Junction City Highway | 8.3 mi | 11m |
| Territorial Road | 4.4 mi | 6m |
| Suttle Road | 3.8 mi | 6m |
| Southeast Foster Road | 3.6 mi | 7m |
| Highway 99E | 3.5 mi | 5m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 28 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~3,069 veh/hr typical · worst 3,591
Quietest
2 AM
~263 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
11.7×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 105 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Gresham, OR and Florence, OR.
Start on this road
At end of road, turn right onto US 26
Continue on US 26
Turn left onto Southeast 174th Avenue
Continue on Southeast Jenne Road
At end of road, turn right onto Southeast Foster Road
Take the ramp onto Southeast 94th Avenue
Merge onto I 205
Keep slight left at fork
Continue on this road
Merge onto I 5
Take the exit
Turn right onto OR 228
Turn left onto OR 99E
Continue on OR 99E
Continue on OR 99E
Continue on OR 99E
Continue on OR 99
Continue on OR 99
Turn right onto OR 36
Continue on OR 36
Continue on OR 36
Turn left onto Applegate Trail
At end of road, turn left onto Territorial Road
Continue on Territorial Highway
Turn right onto Suttle Road
At end of road, turn right onto OR 126
Turn left onto OR 126
Turn right onto Spruce Street
Turn left onto 18th Street
Turn right
Arrive at destination
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.
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 39 miles or 56m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 87.8 miles or 1h 53m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 14m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Florence, OR than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Gresham, OR 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 Gresham, OR
This is one driving day of about 175.6 miles and 3h 59m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
88 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.
A short stop after about 39 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 87.8 miles from Gresham, OR, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before I 5 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 71.1 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
5 decision points cluster between mile 2.8 and 24.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn left onto Southeast 174th Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
At end of road, turn right onto Southeast Foster Road
Lane positioning matters here
Take the ramp onto Southeast 94th Avenue toward I 205 South: Oregon City, Salem
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Merge onto I 205
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork toward I 5 South: Salem
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$34.03 one way
$68.07 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.20 | $35.96 | $71.93 |
| premium | $5.44 | $37.59 | $75.18 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $38.71 | $77.42 |
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: 61.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $18 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 52.7 | 0 | $18.44 | $8.43 |
| Efficient EV | 43.9 | 0 | $15.37 | $7.02 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 70.2 | 0 | $24.58 | $11.24 |
Gas CO2
61 kg
EV CO2
21 kg (66% 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Evening in Gresham on Saturday
Local time
7:36 PM
PDT
Current temp
57°F
Slight Chance Light Rain
Destination
Evening in Florence on Saturday
Local time
7:36 PM
PDT
Current temp
56°F
Chance Light Rain
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
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
175.6 mi in 3h 59m, mostly highway — 71.1 mi of that is on I 5.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 5 and Highway 126. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2.8 miles in near Southeast 174th Avenue.
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 18 significant decision points across 175.6 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: at 2.8 miles (Southeast 174th Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.2 miles (Southeast Foster Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 7.9 miles (Southeast 94th Avenue): Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
620 ft
Total Descent
893 ft
Highest Point
525 ft
~138 mi in
Elevation Range
502 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Gresham, OR to Florence, OR, road signs begin pointing toward Brownsville along the way.
Brownsville
Founded 1905
Gresham is the fourth largest city within the state of Oregon, with a population of 114,000 in 2020. It's the home of an annual jazz festival. It is a part of the Portland Metropolitan Area and is generally considered a Portland suburb. The downtown area of Gresham can be easily missed by those driving along W Powell Blvd, but has a handful of restaurants and shops to offer, as well as Main City Park.
Top landmarks
Founded 1893
Florence is a city on the Central Oregon Coast.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 59m. Total distance: 175.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 59m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (79%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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