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 Salem, 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 23m
Distance
58.7 mi
94 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$12
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 17m
★
6 AM
1h 24m
8 AM
1h 37m
10 AM
1h 28m
12 PM
1h 27m
3 PM
1h 29m
5 PM
1h 36m
8 PM
1h 20m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Gresham, OR
Wikimedia Commons
Salem, OR
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 58.7-mile drive from Gresham, OR to Salem, OR takes about 1 hour and 23 minutes, making it an easy day trip. The route is primarily highway-focused, with 81% of the journey on major roads like I-5 and I-205. You'll spend about $12 on fuel for this trip. Since it's a relatively short drive with no designated stops, you can be quite flexible with your departure time. Both Gresham and Salem are in the Pacific Coast region, so you'll be staying within the familiar landscapes of Oregon.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 5 | 28.2 mi | 33m |
| I 205 | 16.6 mi | 21m |
| Southeast Foster Road | 3.6 mi | 7m |
| Doctor Martin Luther King Junior Parkway | 3 mi | 4m |
| West Powell Boulevard | 2.7 mi | 6m |
| Commercial Street Northeast | 1 mi | 2m |
| Southeast Jenne Road | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| Southeast 174th Avenue | 0.5 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
I 5
— 28.2 mi, about 33m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Gresham, OR and Salem, 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, Salem
Use 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: Salem
Use 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
28 mi
·
32 min
·
I 5
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit onto I 5
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
I 5
Exit 260A
Toward OR 99E Business: Salem Parkway
13
Merge onto OR 99E Bus
3.0 mi
·
4 min
·
Doctor Martin Luther King Junior Parkway
14
Continue on OR 99E Bus
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Commercial Street Northeast
15
Turn left onto Belmont Street Northeast
0.2 mi
·
47 sec
·
Belmont Street Northeast
16
Turn right onto Broadway Street Northeast
0.1 mi
·
20 sec
·
Broadway Street Northeast
17
Continue on High Street Northeast
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
High Street Northeast
18
Arrive at destination
High Street Northeast
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
29 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 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 29.3 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 115 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.
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
5
8.2 mi into trip
|
~18m in
|
I 205
Merge onto I 205
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
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
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$11.69 one way
$23.39 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
21 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $12.38 | $24.75 |
| premium | $5.59 | $12.92 | $25.84 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.96 | $25.92 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$12
Estimated CO2 emission: 20.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 17.6 | 0 | $6.16 | $2.82 |
| Efficient EV | 14.7 | 0 | $5.14 | $2.35 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 23.5 | 0 | $8.22 | $3.76 |
Gas CO2
21 kg
EV CO2
7 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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Salem, OR
Evening in Salem on Saturday
Local time
7:44 PM
PDT
Current temp
43°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
16 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
1h 23m 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?
Expect a highway-focused experience on this 58.7-mile journey, with a significant 81% of your travel time spent on major interstates like I-5 and I-205. The longest stretch you'll encounter without a significant change in road type is 28.2 miles on I-5. While the initial part might involve navigating local roads like Southeast Foster Road, the majority of the drive is characterized by fast-paced interstate travel. This profile suggests a direct and efficient route, prioritizing speed over varied scenery.
81% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 28.2 mi on I 5.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 5 and I 205. 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.
Driving Effort
7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 58.7 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.
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 23m. Total distance: 58.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 23m 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 28.2 miles on I 5. 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 Salem, 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: 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.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Salem, 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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