Hood River to Medford is 335 miles and takes about 6 hours 40 minutes via I 5 and Columbia River Highway, with a fuel budget near $67 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip takes you from the Pacific Coast region of Oregon to another part of the Pacific Coast, staying within the same state for the entire drive. Most of your travel will be on major highways, making it a straightforward trip for those looking to cover ground efficiently. Expect a predominantly highway experience, with a good portion of the miles spent on Interstate 5.
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
167.7 miles from Hood River, OR
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 3h 19m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 5
270.8 mi
5h 19m
Columbia River Highway
54.2 mi
1h 3m
Banfield Freeway
6.8 mi
9m
Court Street
0.7 mi
1m
North Central Avenue
0.5 mi
1m
State Street
0.4 mi
<1m
Crater Lake Highway
0.4 mi
<1m
2nd Street
0.2 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 5
— 270.8 mi, about 5h 19m
Traffic on I-5
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 65 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~2,194 veh/hr typical
· worst 2,598
Quietest
2 AM
~184 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
11.9×
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 Hood River, OR and Medford, OR.
1
Start on Park Street
446 ft·19 sec·Park Street
2
Continue on 9th Street
0.1 mi·25 sec·9th Street
3
Turn right onto State Street
0.4 mi·52 sec·State Street
4
Turn left onto 2nd Street
0.2 mi·33 sec·2nd Street
5
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·15 sec
Toward I 84 West: PortlandUse the left lane.
6
Merge onto I 84
54 mi·1 hr 3 min·Columbia River Highway
Use the straight lane.
7
Continue on I 84; US 30
6.8 mi·9 min·Banfield Freeway
Toward PortlandUse the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi·32 sec
Toward I 5 South: Salem, OMSI, City Center
9
Keep slight left at fork
261 ft·4 sec
Toward I 5 South: Beaverton, SalemUse the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Merge onto I 5
271 mi·5 hr 19 min·I 5
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.3 mi·46 sec
Toward OR 62: Crater Lake Highway, Medford, Klamath FallsUse the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Turn right onto OR 62
0.4 mi·52 sec·Crater Lake Highway
Use the right lane.
13
Turn left onto OR 99
0.7 mi·1 min·Court Street
Use the left lane.
14
Continue on OR 99
0.5 mi·1 min·North Central Avenue
Use the straight / left lanes.
15
Turn right onto East 4th Street
0.1 mi·24 sec·East 4th Street
16
Turn left onto North Fir Street
0.1 mi·15 sec·North Fir Street
17
Arrive at destination
North Fir Street
Trip Plan
For this 6 hour 40 minute drive, leaving Hood River in the morning is ideal, allowing you to reach Medford with plenty of daylight. The route includes a significant 270.8-mile stretch on I 5, so plan your stops accordingly to break up the highway time. While only one stop is officially noted, consider a brief pause for fuel or a stretch, especially before embarking on the longest leg. Since this is a single-day trip, you have flexibility; however, be mindful of potential traffic as you approach urban centers, particularly if traveling during peak hours.
Morning Departure
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Evening Departure
This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 167.7 miles from Hood River, OR, or about 3h 19m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 270.8 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 74 miles or 1h 29m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 167.7 miles or 3h 19m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 5h 26m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Medford, OR than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Hood River, 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 Hood River, OR
This is one driving day of about 335.4 miles and 6h 40m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 74 miles from Hood River, 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 270.8 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 13
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.8 and 333.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
0.8 mi into trip|~2m in
Take the ramp toward I 84 West: Portland
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward I 84 West: Portland
5
1.1 mi into trip|~2m in|I 84 / Columbia River Highway
Merge onto I 84 / Columbia River Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
6
62 mi into trip|~1h 15m in
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
Toward I 5 South: Salem, OMSI, City Center
8
62.3 mi into trip|~1h 15m in
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
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 5 South: Beaverton, Salem
7
333.2 mi into trip|~6h 34m in
Take the exit toward OR 62: Crater Lake Highway, Medford, Klamath Falls
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.
Toward OR 62: Crater Lake Highway, Medford, Kla...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$59.43 one way
$118.87 round trip
$4.50/gal25.4 MPG avg117 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.82
$63.65
$127.29
premium
$5.04
$66.58
$133.16
diesel
$4.80
$63.33
$126.66
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$59
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$84–$109
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 117.4 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $35 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
100.6
1
$35.22
$16.10
Efficient EV
83.9
0
$29.35
$13.42
EV Truck/SUV
134.2
1
$46.96
$21.47
Gas CO2
117 kg
EV CO2
39 kg (67% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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 17, 2026
Origin
Hood River, OR
Evening
in Hood River on Saturday
Local time
6:28 PM
PDT
Current temp
55°F
Mostly Clear
W 6 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Red Flag Warning
Red Flag Warning issued July 17 at 1:44AM PDT until July 17 at 8:00PM PDT by NWS Medford OR
Destination
Medford, OR
Evening
in Medford on Saturday
Local time
6:28 PM
PDT
Current temp
94°F
Areas Of Smoke
NNW 1 to 10 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Red Flag Warning
Red Flag Warning issued July 17 at 1:44AM PDT until July 17 at 8:00PM PDT by NWS Medford OR
52°F
Springfield, OR
168 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
39 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
6h 40m on the road
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is mostly highway, with 83% of the 335.4 miles on major roadways. You'll encounter a long stretch of 270.8 miles on I 5, indicating extended periods of high-speed cruising. The transition to surface roads, like the Columbia River Highway, will occur after this extensive highway segment. Drivers should be prepared for the merging and exiting typical of urban areas as well as the more open cruising found on interstates.
83% 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: 270.8 mi on I 5.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 5 and Columbia River Highway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.8 miles in.
Driving Effort7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 13 significant decision points across 335.4 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 1.1 miles (I 84 / Columbia River Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 62 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
1,383 ft47 ft
Total Climb
1,844 ft
Total Descent
887 ft
Highest Point
1,383 ft
~335.4 mi in
Elevation Range
1,336 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Hood River, OR and Medford, OR, road signs point toward Portland, Omsi, City Center and Salem.
Hood River is a city in Oregon on the Columbia River. The Columbia River Gorge funnels consistent wind along the water which has made Hood River an internationally renowned destination among kiteboarders and windsurfers. It is also known as an agritourism destination.
This article includes destination information about the city of Hood River, the Hood River Valley to the south, and the cities of Bingen and White Salmon just across the river in Washington.
Top landmarks
•Historic Columbia River Highway — highway in Oregon, USA
•Columbia Gorge Hotel — historic hotel in Hood River, Oregon, USA
•Hood River Depot — railway station in Hood River, the United States of America
Medford is a city in the Rogue Valley in Southern Oregon. The town is southern Oregon's largest and most diverse city, brimming with historical and cultural attractions while offering regional tax-free shopping. Medford is the county seat of Jackson County, and is the commercial and medical hub of southern Oregon. Its autumns tend to be very mild, and dry when compared to the rest of the state.
Top landmarks
•Barnum Hotel — historic hotel building in Medford, Oregon, USA
•Jackson County Courthouse — historic building in Medford, Oregon, United States
•James A. Redden Federal Courthouse — courthouse in Medford, Oregon, USA
Doable as a same-day drive at 6h 40m. Total distance: 335.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
6h 40m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 270.8 miles on I 5. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 31 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 Medford, 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 31 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 1.1 miles (I 84 / Columbia River Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 62 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Not recommended in a single day. At 6.7 hours each way, a round trip means 13.4 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Medford, OR before the return drive.
