Gresham, OR to La Pine, OR is 176.7 miles and takes about 4h 18m via The Dalles-California Highway, Warm Springs Highway, and Mount Hood Highway, with a fuel budget near $35 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip takes you from the Pacific Coast region to another part of the Pacific Coast, spanning across Oregon. Expect a more local driving experience with frequent turns and changes in scenery. With its manageable distance and duration, this route is well-suited for a single day of travel.
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
88.3 miles from Gresham, OR
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 7m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
The Dalles-California Highway
52.1 mi
1h 9m
Warm Springs Highway
46.7 mi
1h 4m
Mount Hood Highway
39.6 mi
56m
Northwest Warm Springs Highway
13.3 mi
19m
Old Bend Redmond Highway
6.6 mi
11m
Southwest Canal Boulevard
6.3 mi
12m
Bend Parkway
5.5 mi
9m
McKenzie-Bend Highway
2 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
The Dalles-California Highway
— 52.1 mi, about 1h 9m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Gresham, OR and La Pine, OR.
1
Start on this road
118 ft·14 sec·this road
2
At end of road, turn left onto US 26
1.3 mi·3 min·West Powell Boulevard
3
Take the ramp onto US 26
0.2 mi·21 sec·US 26
4
Merge onto US 26
0.5 mi·49 sec·Southeast Mount Hood Highway
5
Continue on US 26
8.9 mi·12 min·Mount Hood Highway
6
Continue on US 26
0.9 mi·2 min·Pioneer Boulevard
7
Continue on US 26
31 mi·43 min·Mount Hood Highway
8
Continue on US 26
47 mi·1 hr 4 min·Warm Springs Highway
9
Continue on US 26
13 mi·19 min·Northwest Warm Springs Highway
10
Continue on US 26; US 97
222 ft·7 sec·4th Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
11
Continue on US 26; US 97
1.0 mi·3 min·Southwest 4th Street
12
Continue on US 26; US 97
26 mi·37 min·The Dalles-California Highway
13
Turn right onto US 97 Business
503 ft·14 sec·Southwest Veterans Way
14
Turn left onto Southwest Canal Boulevard
0.3 mi·47 sec·Southwest Canal Boulevard
Use the left lane.
15
Enter roundabout onto Southwest Canal Boulevard
60 ft·1 sec·Southwest Canal Boulevard
16
Continue on Southwest Canal Boulevard
1.4 mi·3 min·Southwest Canal Boulevard
17
Enter roundabout onto Southwest Canal Boulevard
112 ft·2 sec·Southwest Canal Boulevard
18
Continue on Southwest Canal Boulevard
0.8 mi·1 min·Southwest Canal Boulevard
19
Enter roundabout onto Southwest Canal Boulevard
125 ft·2 sec·Southwest Canal Boulevard
20
Continue on Southwest Canal Boulevard
3.8 mi·6 min·Southwest Canal Boulevard
21
Continue on Old Bend Redmond Highway
3.5 mi·6 min·Old Bend Redmond Highway
22
Enter roundabout onto Old Bend Redmond Highway
121 ft·2 sec·Old Bend Redmond Highway
23
Continue on Old Bend Redmond Highway
3.1 mi·5 min·Old Bend Redmond Highway
24
Enter roundabout onto US 20
276 ft·3 sec·McKenzie-Bend Highway
25
Continue on US 20
0.7 mi·1 min·McKenzie-Bend Highway
26
Enter roundabout onto US 20
130 ft·1 sec·McKenzie-Bend Highway
27
Continue on US 20
0.4 mi·36 sec·McKenzie-Bend Highway
28
Enter roundabout onto US 20
118 ft·1 sec·McKenzie-Bend Highway
29
Continue on US 20
0.8 mi·57 sec·McKenzie-Bend Highway
30
Turn straight onto US 20; US 97 Business
439 ft·13 sec·Northeast 3rd Street
31
Turn left onto Empire Avenue
0.2 mi·20 sec·Empire Avenue
32
Take the exit
0.3 mi·32 sec
33
Merge onto US 97
5.5 mi·9 min·Bend Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
34
Continue on US 97
26 mi·31 min·The Dalles-California Highway
35
Arrive at destination
US 97
Trip Plan
Given the 4h 18m estimated drive time, leaving Gresham, OR in the morning allows ample time to reach La Pine, OR before evening. Plan for one stop to break up the drive, perhaps around the halfway point, to stretch your legs and refuel if needed. Be mindful of the road profile; the route involves numerous turns, so stay alert, especially as you transition between the main highways and local roads. The fuel cost is estimated at $35, so ensure your tank is sufficiently full before departing.
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 88.3 miles from Gresham, OR, or about 2h 7m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 52.1 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 39 miles or 59m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 88.3 miles or 2h 7m 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 36m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near La Pine, 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 176.7 miles and 4h 18m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 39 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 The Dalles-California Highway for about 52.1 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 14
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 144.8 — 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|US 26 / West Powell Boulevard
At end of road, turn left onto US 26 / West Powell Boulevard
Navigation decision point
5
129.8 mi into trip|~3h 9m in|Southwest Canal Boulevard
Turn left onto Southwest Canal Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
130.1 mi into trip|~3h 10m in|Southwest Canal Boulevard
Enter roundabout onto Southwest Canal Boulevard
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
5
132.3 mi into trip|~3h 14m in|Southwest Canal Boulevard
Enter roundabout onto Southwest Canal Boulevard
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
5
144.8 mi into trip|~3h 35m in|Empire Avenue
Turn left onto Empire Avenue
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$35.20 one way
$70.40 round trip
$5.06/gal25.4 MPG avg62 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$5.36
$37.25
$74.51
premium
$5.59
$38.89
$77.79
diesel
$5.61
$39.01
$78.03
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$35
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$60–$85
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 61.8 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $19 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
53
0
$18.55
$8.48
Efficient EV
44.2
0
$15.46
$7.07
EV Truck/SUV
70.7
0
$24.74
$11.31
Gas CO2
62 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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026
Origin
Gresham, OR
Evening
in Gresham on Saturday
Local time
7:44 PM
PDT
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
La Pine, OR
Evening
in La Pine on Saturday
Local time
7:44 PM
PDT
Current temp
29°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
72°F
Warm Springs, OR
88 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
30 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
4h 18m 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?
About 33% of this drive is on highways, meaning you'll spend approximately 58.6 miles on faster roads before transitioning to more local surface streets. The longest continuous stretch on a highway is 52.1 miles along The Dalles-California Highway. You'll notice frequent changes in speed limits and road conditions as you navigate through various towns and rural areas.
Only 3% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
35 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 52.1 mi on The Dalles-California Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 26 / West Powell Boulevard.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 4h 18m drive. You will face about 14 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 26 / West Powell Boulevard): Navigation decision point; at 129.8 miles (Southwest Canal Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 130.1 miles (Southwest Canal Boulevard): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
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.
The longest stretch is about 52.1 miles on The Dalles-California Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 26 / West Powell Boulevard): Navigation decision point; at 129.8 miles (Southwest Canal Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 130.1 miles (Southwest Canal Boulevard): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
Possible but tiring. At 4.3 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 8.6 hours — manageable with a long break at La Pine, OR, but most travelers stay overnight.
