Origin
Gresham, OR
Evening in Gresham on Saturday
Local time
7:44 PM
PDT
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Gresham, OR to Saint Helens, OR
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
45.5 mi
73 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 8m
★
6 AM
1h 13m
8 AM
1h 25m
10 AM
1h 17m
12 PM
1h 16m
3 PM
1h 18m
5 PM
1h 24m
8 PM
1h 10m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Gresham, OR
Wikimedia Commons
Saint Helens, OR
JL Howarth
Trip Overview
Gresham, OR to Saint Helens, OR is 45.5 miles and takes about 1 hour 13 minutes via US 30, with a fuel budget near $9 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Pacific Coast region, offering a straightforward drive between two Oregon locations. It's a short, manageable journey that's ideal for a quick excursion or as part of a larger exploration of the area. Given its brevity, you won't need to worry about lengthy stretches or extensive planning, making it a flexible option for your travel itinerary.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 30 | 28.9 mi | 46m |
| Banfield Freeway | 6.8 mi | 9m |
| Columbia River Highway | 4.8 mi | 6m |
| Southeast 223rd Avenue | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| Northeast Fairview Parkway | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Columbia Boulevard | 0.8 mi | 2m |
| North Main Avenue | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Stadium Freeway | 0.5 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
US 30
— 28.9 mi, about 46m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Gresham, OR and Saint Helens, OR.
1
Start on this road
63 ft
·
7 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right onto Northwest 1st Street
138 ft
·
9 sec
·
Northwest 1st Street
3
Turn left onto North Main Avenue
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
North Main Avenue
4
Continue on Northwest Fairview Drive
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
·
Northwest Fairview Drive
5
Turn right onto Southeast 223rd Avenue
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Southeast 223rd Avenue
6
Turn left onto Northeast Glisan Street
0.4 mi
·
53 sec
·
Northeast Glisan Street
Use the left lane.
7
Turn slight right
376 ft
·
13 sec
8
Turn straight onto Northeast Fairview Parkway
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Northeast Fairview Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
52 sec
Toward I 84 West: Portland
10
Merge onto I 84; US 30
4.8 mi
·
6 min
·
Columbia River Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Continue on I 84; US 30
6.8 mi
·
9 min
·
Banfield Freeway
Toward Portland
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight right at fork onto US 30
0.1 mi
·
13 sec
·
US 30
Toward I 5 North, US 30: Seattle
Use the slight right lane.
13
Keep slight left at fork onto US 30
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
US 30
Toward I 5 North, US 30: Seattle
14
Take the exit onto US 30
0.6 mi
·
52 sec
·
US 30
Exit 302B
Toward I 405 West, US 30 West: Saint Helens
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Merge onto I 405; US 30
0.5 mi
·
42 sec
·
Stadium Freeway
16
Take the exit onto US 30
27 mi
·
43 min
·
US 30
Exit 3
Toward US 30 West: Saint Helens, Northwest Industrial Area
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Turn right onto US 30 Bus
0.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Columbia Boulevard
18
Turn right onto South 8th Street
88 ft
·
3 sec
·
South 8th Street
19
Arrive at destination
South 8th Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
23 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 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 22.8 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.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 155 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 17.6 — 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
|
Northwest 1st Street
Turn right onto Northwest 1st Street
Navigation decision point
8
15.3 mi into trip
|
~23m in
|
US 30
Keep slight right at fork onto US 30 toward I 5 North, US 30: Seattle
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 5 North, US 30: Seattle
6
15.5 mi into trip
|
~24m in
|
US 30
Keep slight left at fork onto US 30 toward I 5 North, US 30: Seattle
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 5 North, US 30: Seattle
8
16.6 mi into trip
|
~25m in
|
US 30
Take the exit onto US 30 toward I 405 West, US 30 West: Saint Helens
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 302B
Toward I 405 West, US 30 West: Saint Helens
8
17.6 mi into trip
|
~27m in
|
US 30
Take the exit onto US 30 toward US 30 West: Saint Helens, Northwest Industrial Area
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 3
Toward US 30 West: Saint Helens, Northwest Indu...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.06 one way
$18.13 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
16 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $9.59 | $19.19 |
| premium | $5.59 | $10.02 | $20.03 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.05 | $20.09 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 15.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 13.7 | 0 | $4.78 | $2.18 |
| Efficient EV | 11.4 | 0 | $3.98 | $1.82 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 18.2 | 0 | $6.37 | $2.91 |
Gas CO2
16 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (69% 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
Saint Helens, OR
Evening in Saint Helens on Saturday
Local time
7:44 PM
PDT
Current temp
69°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
10 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 is a highway-focused drive, with 81% of the route utilizing major roadways. You'll experience stretches of faster driving, particularly on the Banfield Freeway and US 30. The longest uninterrupted stretch covers 28.9 miles on US 30, meaning you'll have ample opportunity to settle into a rhythm. While primarily highway, the Columbia River Highway might offer a change of pace as you approach your destination. Expect a consistent driving experience that prioritizes efficiency.
81% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 28.9 mi on US 30.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 30 and Banfield Freeway. 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.
Driving Effort
9/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 45.5 miles you will encounter 15 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 15.3 miles (US 30): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 15.5 miles (US 30): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Gresham, OR and Saint Helens, OR, road signs point toward Portland and Northwest Industrial Area.
Portland
8.6 mi in
|
~14m
|
via I 84; US 30
Northwest Industrial Area
17.6 mi in
|
~27m
|
via US 30
About the Cities
Starting in Gresham, OR
Full guide →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).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 13m. Total distance: 45.5 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 (81%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 28.9 miles on US 30. 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 Saint Helens, OR 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: near the start (Northwest 1st Street): Navigation decision point; at 15.3 miles (US 30): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 15.5 miles (US 30): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Saint Helens, OR 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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