Origin
John Sam Lake, WA
Late night in John Sam Lake on Sunday
Local time
12:36 AM
PDT
Current temp
58°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from John Sam Lake, WA to Lynnwood, WA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
44m
Distance
28.5 mi
46 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 41m
★
6 AM
0h 44m
8 AM
0h 52m
10 AM
0h 47m
12 PM
0h 46m
3 PM
0h 47m
5 PM
0h 51m
8 PM
0h 42m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
John Sam Lake, WA
Jan Simpson
Lynnwood, WA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
John Sam Lake, WA to Lynnwood, WA is 28.5 miles and takes about 44 minutes via I 5, with a fuel budget near $6 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within the Pacific Coast region, primarily on major highways. It's a quick hop that's ideal for a simple transfer or a brief excursion. Given the short distance and estimated time, it's a drive best suited for a single day, requiring minimal planning.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 5 | 19.6 mi | 24m |
| 140th Street Northwest | 2.7 mi | 5m |
| 196th Street Southwest | 1.5 mi | 3m |
| 12th Avenue Northwest | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| 34th Avenue Northeast | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Quil Ceda Boulevard | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Stimson Road | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| 116th Street Northeast | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 5
— 19.6 mi, about 24m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between John Sam Lake, WA and Lynnwood, WA.
1
Start on this road
69 ft
·
8 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left onto 125th Place Northwest
0.1 mi
·
26 sec
·
125th Place Northwest
3
Turn right onto 12th Avenue Northwest
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
12th Avenue Northwest
4
At end of road, turn right onto 140th Street Northwest
2.7 mi
·
5 min
·
140th Street Northwest
5
Continue on Stimson Road
0.4 mi
·
48 sec
·
Stimson Road
6
Turn right onto 34th Avenue Northeast
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
34th Avenue Northeast
7
Enter roundabout onto Quil Ceda Boulevard
94 ft
·
2 sec
·
Quil Ceda Boulevard
8
Continue on Quil Ceda Boulevard
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Quil Ceda Boulevard
9
Turn left onto 116th Street Northeast
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
116th Street Northeast
10
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
Toward I 5 South: Seattle
11
Merge onto I 5
20 mi
·
24 min
·
I 5
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.8 mi
·
1 min
Exit 181
Toward WA 524: Lynnwood, 196th Street Southwest
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
Toward WA 524 West: 196th Street Southwest
Use the slight right lane.
14
Turn straight onto WA 524
1.5 mi
·
3 min
·
196th Street Southwest
15
Turn left
229 ft
·
17 sec
Use the left lane.
16
At end of road, turn right
0.1 mi
·
50 sec
17
At end of road, turn right onto WA 99
257 ft
·
4 sec
·
Pacific Highway
18
Arrive at destination
WA 99
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 135 decision points cluster between mile 1.1 and 28.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
1.1 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
140th Street Northwest
At end of road, turn right onto 140th Street Northwest
Navigation decision point
8
25.7 mi into trip
|
~37m in
Take the exit toward WA 524: Lynnwood, 196th Street Southwest
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 181
Toward WA 524: Lynnwood, 196th Street Southwest
7
26.5 mi into trip
|
~39m in
Keep slight right at fork toward WA 524 West: 196th Street Southwest
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward WA 524 West: 196th Street Southwest
6
28.3 mi into trip
|
~43m in
At end of road, turn right
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
6
28.5 mi into trip
|
~44m in
|
WA 99 / Pacific Highway
At end of road, turn right onto WA 99 / Pacific Highway
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.96 one way
$11.93 round trip
$5.32/gal
25.4 MPG avg
10 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.58 | $6.26 | $12.51 |
| premium | $5.77 | $6.47 | $12.94 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.29 | $12.58 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 10 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8.5 | 0 | $2.99 | $1.37 |
| Efficient EV | 7.1 | 0 | $2.49 | $1.14 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 11.4 | 0 | $3.99 | $1.82 |
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (70% 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
Lynnwood, WA
Late night in Lynnwood on Sunday
Local time
12:36 AM
PDT
Current temp
57°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
1 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
44m 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 route is mostly highway, with 69% of the drive on major freeways. You'll experience a longest stretch of 19.6 miles on I 5 before transitioning to surface streets like 140th Street Northwest and 196th Street Southwest. Expect frequent exits and merging traffic as you navigate this urban-influenced stretch.
69% 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: 19.6 mi on I 5.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 5 and 140th Street Northwest. You will hit about 13 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 1.1 miles in near 140th Street Northwest.
Driving Effort
6/10
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 28.5 miles you will encounter 13 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 1.1 miles (140th Street Northwest): Navigation decision point; at 25.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 26.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
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.
On the drive from John Sam Lake, WA to Lynnwood, WA, road signs begin pointing toward 196Th Street Southwest along the way.
196Th Street Southwest
25.7 mi in
|
~37m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 44m. Total distance: 28.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
44m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (69%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 19.6 miles on I 5. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 1 rest area or service plaza 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 Lynnwood, WA 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 1.1 miles (140th Street Northwest): Navigation decision point; at 25.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 26.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Klondike Gold Rush - Seattle Unit National Historical Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Lynnwood, WA 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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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