Origin
Gresham, OR
Night in Gresham on Saturday
Local time
9:14 PM
PDT
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 58m
Distance
78.1 mi
126 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$16
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
Grand Ronde, OR
Felipe Alves
This 78.1-mile journey from Gresham, Oregon, to Grand Ronde, Oregon, is estimated to take about 1 hour and 58 minutes, making it a convenient one-day trip. You'll primarily navigate via Salmon River Highway and Southwest Pacific Highway, with a small portion on I-5. The estimated fuel cost for this drive is around $16. This route offers a turn-heavy local experience, so plan for a more engaged drive. Since it's a manageable distance, you'll have plenty of flexibility to explore along the way without needing an overnight stay.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
39 miles from Gresham, OR
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 3m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Salmon River Highway | 22.7 mi | 31m |
| Southwest Pacific Highway | 12.1 mi | 21m |
| I 5 | 7.4 mi | 10m |
| Banfield Freeway | 6.8 mi | 9m |
| Columbia River Highway | 4.8 mi | 6m |
| Pacific Highway West | 4.6 mi | 6m |
| Newberg-Dundee Bypass | 4.1 mi | 5m |
| Southeast Dayton Bypass | 4 mi | 5m |
Step-by-step road directions between Gresham, OR and Grand Ronde, OR.
Start on this road
Turn right onto Northwest 1st Street
Turn left onto North Main Avenue
Continue on Northwest Fairview Drive
Turn right onto Southeast 223rd Avenue
Turn left onto Northeast Glisan Street
Turn slight right
Turn straight onto Northeast Fairview Parkway
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 84; US 30
Continue on I 84; US 30
Keep slight left at fork
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto I 5
Take the exit
Continue on OR 99W
Continue on OR 99W
Continue on OR 99W
Turn left onto North Springbrook Road
Turn left onto OR 219
Turn right onto OR 18
Take the exit onto OR 18
Merge onto OR 99W; OR 18
Turn left onto OR 18; OR 233
Continue on OR 18
Continue on OR 18
Merge onto OR 18
Turn right onto Grand Ronde Road North
Arrive at destination
Given the 1 hour and 58 minute duration, starting your drive in the morning will allow ample time to reach Grand Ronde without feeling rushed. While there are no designated stops mentioned, keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially during the longer 22.7-mile stretch on Salmon River Highway, as services might be less frequent. This route's 'turn-heavy' profile means you'll want to be well-rested and focused behind the wheel. Planning your departure time can help you avoid any potential local traffic congestion.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
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 17 miles or 26m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 39 miles or 1h 3m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 42m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Grand Ronde, OR than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Gresham, OR so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Gresham, OR
This is one driving day of about 78.1 miles and 1h 58m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
39 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 17 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 39 miles from Gresham, OR, 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.
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 23.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn right onto Northwest 1st Street
Navigation decision point
Merge onto I 84; US 30 / Columbia River Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork toward I 5 South: Salem, OMSI, City Center
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork toward I 5 South: Beaverton, Salem
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward OR 99W South: Tigard, Newberg, McMinnville, Lincoln City
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$15.56 one way
$31.12 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $16.47 | $32.93 |
| premium | $5.59 | $17.19 | $34.38 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $17.24 | $34.49 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$16
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$41–$66
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 27.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 23.4 | 0 | $8.20 | $3.75 |
| Efficient EV | 19.5 | 0 | $6.83 | $3.12 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 31.2 | 0 | $10.93 | $5.00 |
Gas CO2
27 kg
EV CO2
9 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Night in Gresham on Saturday
Local time
9:14 PM
PDT
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Destination
Night in Grand Ronde on Saturday
Local time
9:14 PM
PDT
Current temp
64°F
Unavailable
62°F
King City, OR
39 mi in
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
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.
Expect a drive with a significant number of turns, characteristic of local roads, as only 19% of this route is on highways. The longest continuous stretch you'll encounter is 22.7 miles on Salmon River Highway. This suggests a route that winds through varied terrain, likely requiring your attention more than a straight interstate cruise. As you transition between Salmon River Highway, Southwest Pacific Highway, and I-5, you'll notice changes in road type and driving pace.
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Northwest 1st Street.
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 78.1 miles you will encounter 19 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: near the start (Northwest 1st Street): Navigation decision point; at 3.8 miles (I 84; US 30 / Columbia River Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 15.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Gresham, OR and Grand Ronde, OR, road signs point toward Portland, Omsi, City Center, Salem, Newberg and Mcminnville - among others.
Portland
Omsi
City Center
Salem
Newberg
Mcminnville
Lincoln City
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.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 58m. Total distance: 78.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 58m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
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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