Gresham to Grants Pass is 257.5 miles and takes about 5h 15m via I 5, I 205, and Southeast Foster Road, with a fuel budget near $51 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Oregon, moving you from the Pacific Coast region down through more inland areas. With 96% of the route on highways, expect a fairly direct and efficient trip. It's a manageable one-day drive, perfect if you want to get to your destination without needing an overnight stop.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
128.7 miles from Gresham, OR
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 41m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 5
229.6 mi
4h 28m
I 205
16.6 mi
21m
Southeast Foster Road
3.6 mi
7m
West Powell Boulevard
2.7 mi
6m
OR 99
1 mi
2m
Southeast Jenne Road
0.9 mi
2m
Northwest 4th Street
0.7 mi
1m
Southeast 174th Avenue
0.5 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
I 5
— 229.6 mi, about 4h 28m
Traffic on I-5
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 38 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~1,763 veh/hr typical
· worst 2,120
Quietest
1 AM
~160 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
11×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 52 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Gresham, OR and Grants Pass, OR.
1
Start on this road
118 ft·10 sec·this road
2
At end of road, turn right onto US 26
2.7 mi·6 min·West Powell Boulevard
3
Continue on US 26
0.1 mi·29 sec·Southeast Powell Boulevard
4
Turn left onto Southeast 174th Avenue
0.5 mi·1 min·Southeast 174th Avenue
Use the left lane.
5
Continue on Southeast Jenne Road
0.9 mi·2 min·Southeast Jenne Road
6
At end of road, turn right onto Southeast Foster Road
3.6 mi·7 min·Southeast Foster Road
Use the straight lane.
7
Take the ramp onto Southeast 94th Avenue
0.3 mi·48 sec·Southeast 94th Avenue
Toward I 205 South: Oregon City, SalemUse the left / straight lanes.
8
Merge onto I 205
17 mi·21 min·I 205
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight left at fork
508 ft·6 sec
Toward I 5 South: SalemUse the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on this road
0.9 mi·1 min·this road
Toward I 5 South: Salem
11
Merge onto I 5
230 mi·4 hr 28 min·I 5
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit onto OR 99
1.0 mi·2 min·OR 99
Toward OR 99: Redwood Highway, Grants Pass, City CenterUse the straight / left / right lanes.
13
Turn right onto Northwest Savage Street
0.1 mi·27 sec·Northwest Savage Street
14
Turn left onto Northwest Washington Boulevard
0.3 mi·36 sec·Northwest Washington Boulevard
15
Continue on Northwest 4th Street
0.7 mi·1 min·Northwest 4th Street
16
Turn right onto Southwest H Street
196 ft·8 sec·Southwest H Street
17
Arrive at destination
Southwest H Street
Trip Plan
For this 5h 15m drive, leaving in the morning should give you ample time to reach Grants Pass before dark. Since it's a single-day trip, you have flexibility with stops. The longest stretch without a major road change is over 200 miles, so plan for at least one fuel or rest break. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially as you approach the southern end of your journey, as services can be more spread out in certain sections. The estimated fuel cost is around $51, which can help with budgeting.
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 128.7 miles from Gresham, OR, or about 2h 41m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 229.6 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 57 miles or 1h 17m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 128.7 miles or 2h 41m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 18m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Grants Pass, OR than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
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 257.5 miles and 5h 15m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 57 miles from Gresham, OR.
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 5 for about 229.6 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 11
5 decision points cluster between mile 2.8 and 255.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
2.8 mi into trip|~6m in|Southeast 174th Avenue
Turn left onto Southeast 174th Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
4.2 mi into trip|~9m in|Southeast Foster Road
At end of road, turn right onto Southeast Foster Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
8
7.9 mi into trip|~17m in|Southeast 94th Avenue
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
Use the left / straight lanes.
Toward I 205 South: Oregon City, Salem
7
24.8 mi into trip|~40m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 5 South: Salem
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 5 South: Salem
7
255.4 mi into trip|~5h 9m in|OR 99
Take the exit onto OR 99 toward OR 99: Redwood Highway, Grants Pass, City Center
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
Toward OR 99: Redwood Highway, Grants Pass, Cit...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$45.63 one way
$91.26 round trip
$4.50/gal25.4 MPG avg90 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.82
$48.86
$97.73
premium
$5.04
$51.11
$102.23
diesel
$4.80
$48.62
$97.24
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$46
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$71–$96
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 90.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $27 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
77.3
0
$27.04
$12.36
Efficient EV
64.4
0
$22.53
$10.30
EV Truck/SUV
103
1
$36.05
$16.48
Gas CO2
90 kg
EV CO2
30 kg (67% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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 Jul 18, 2026
Origin
Gresham, OR
Night
in Gresham on Saturday
Local time
11:59 PM
PDT
Current temp
54°F
Mostly Clear
WNW 2 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Red Flag Warning
Red Flag Warning issued July 17 at 10:38PM PDT until July 18 at 10:00PM PDT by NWS Pendleton OR
Destination
Grants Pass, OR
Night
in Grants Pass on Saturday
Local time
11:59 PM
PDT
Current temp
55°F
Patchy Smoke
ESE 2 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Red Flag Warning
Red Flag Warning issued July 17 at 10:38PM PDT until July 18 at 10:00PM PDT by NWS Pendleton OR
52°F
Springfield, OR
129 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
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
5h 15m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
You'll spend most of your time on highways, with 96% of the 257.5 miles covered on them. The longest continuous stretch on a highway is 229.6 miles on I 5. You'll transition from highway cruising to surface roads, specifically Southeast Foster Road, after the main interstate portion. Expect to notice a significant number of exits and lane changes as you navigate through urban and suburban areas before hitting the more open highway.
96% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 229.6 mi on I 5.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 5 and I 205. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 2.8 miles in near Southeast 174th Avenue.
Driving Effort6/10
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 257.5 miles you will encounter 11 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 2.8 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.
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
•Charles and Fae Olson House — historic house in Gresham, Oregon, USA
•Dr. Herbert H. Hughes House — historic house in Gresham, Oregon, USA
•Emanuel and Christina Anderson House — historic house in Gresham, Oregon, USA
Grants Pass is a city in Southern Oregon.
The slogan for the city is “It’s the Climate,” and nothing could fit the town better. Grants Pass has been known in the winter to receive sun, rain, and snow all on the same day! Its climate is very similar to that of nearby Medford in Jackson County.
One of Grants Pass’ greatest achievements is being one of the most caffeinated cities in Southern Oregon. It is home to the originators of Dutch Bros. and stickers adorn almost every car’s bumper or window.
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 15m. Total distance: 257.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 15m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (96%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 229.6 miles on I 5. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 24 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 Grants Pass, OR 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 24 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
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.
Not recommended in a single day. At 5.3 hours each way, a round trip means 10.5 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Grants Pass, OR before the return drive.
