Selah Creek Rest Area, I-82 Eastbound
0.1 mi from route
Trip from Kennewick, WA to Lake Stevens, WA
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 5, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
4h 56m
Distance
250.4 mi
403 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$53
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
4h 43m
★
6 AM
4h 56m
8 AM
5h 23m
10 AM
5h 5m
12 PM
5h 3m
3 PM
5h 7m
5 PM
5h 22m
8 PM
4h 48m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Kennewick, WA
Wikimedia Commons
Lake Stevens, WA
JOHN CALLERY
Trip Overview
The drive from Kennewick, WA to Lake Stevens, WA covers 250.4 miles and takes about 4h 56m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on US 97, US 12, I 82 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 101.4 miles on US 97. At current regular gas prices, budget about $52.72 one way before food or hotel costs.
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
125.2 miles from Kennewick, WA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 19m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 97 | 101.4 mi | 1h 53m |
| US 12 | 70.9 mi | 1h 17m |
| I 82 | 31 mi | 33m |
| State Route 9 | 13.9 mi | 21m |
| WA 240 | 11.6 mi | 13m |
| I 405 | 11.2 mi | 13m |
| South Lake Stevens Road | 2.9 mi | 7m |
| WA 522 | 2.4 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
US 97
— 101.4 mi, about 1h 53m
Traffic on I-90
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 125 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~2,530 veh/hr typical · worst 3,416
Quietest
2 AM
~139 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
18.2×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a
6a
noon
6p
11p
Averaged across 104 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 Kennewick, WA and Lake Stevens, WA.
1
Start on North Newport Street
0.1 mi
·
37 sec
·
North Newport Street
2
Turn left onto West Kennewick Avenue
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
West Kennewick Avenue
3
Turn left onto North Fruitland Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
North Fruitland Street
4
Turn left onto West Columbia Drive
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
West Columbia Drive
5
Enter roundabout onto WA 240
0.1 mi
·
8 sec
·
WA 240
6
Continue on WA 240
6.4 mi
·
8 min
·
WA 240
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight right at fork onto WA 240
5.1 mi
·
5 min
·
WA 240
Use the slight right lane.
8
Continue on I 182; US 12
0.1 mi
·
7 sec
·
I 182; US 12
9
Keep slight right at fork onto US 12
71 mi
·
1 hr 17 min
·
US 12
Toward I 82 West, US 12 West: Prosser, Yakima
10
Continue on I 82; US 97
31 mi
·
33 min
·
I 82; US 97
11
Keep slight left at fork onto US 97
101 mi
·
1 hr 53 min
·
US 97
Toward I 90 West
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
Exit 10
Toward I 405: Renton, Everett
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight right at fork
0.5 mi
·
59 sec
Toward I 405 North: Everett, Bellevue
Use the slight right lane.
14
Merge onto I 405
8.1 mi
·
10 min
·
I 405
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Keep slight right at fork onto I 405
3.0 mi
·
3 min
·
I 405
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Take the exit
1.0 mi
·
1 min
Exit 23
Toward WA 522: Bothell, Woodinville
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
25 sec
Toward WA 522 East: Woodinville
18
Merge onto WA 522
2.4 mi
·
2 min
·
WA 522
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
Toward WA 9 North: Snohomish, Arlington
Use the slight right lane.
20
Turn left onto WA 9
5.7 mi
·
9 min
·
State Route 9
Use the left lane.
21
Continue on WA 9
5.3 mi
·
7 min
·
State Route 9
22
Enter roundabout onto WA 9
83 ft
·
1 sec
·
State Route 9
23
Continue on WA 9
2.8 mi
·
4 min
·
State Route 9
Use the straight lane.
24
Enter roundabout onto South Lake Stevens Road
39 ft
·
0 sec
·
South Lake Stevens Road
25
Continue on South Lake Stevens Road
1.6 mi
·
3 min
·
South Lake Stevens Road
26
Continue on South Lake Stevens Road
1.4 mi
·
4 min
·
South Lake Stevens Road
27
Continue on East Lakeshore Drive
0.8 mi
·
2 min
·
East Lakeshore Drive
28
Turn left onto Main Street
0.2 mi
·
40 sec
·
Main Street
29
Arrive at destination
Main Street
Trip Plan
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 125.2 miles from Kennewick, WA, or about 2h 19m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 101.4 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 55 miles or 1h 3m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 125.2 miles or 2h 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 3h 50m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Lake Stevens, WA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Kennewick, WA 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 Kennewick, WA
This is one driving day of about 250.4 miles and 4h 56m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 55 miles from Kennewick, WA.
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 US 97 for about 101.4 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
125 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 55 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 125.2 miles from Kennewick, WA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before US 97 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 101.4 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Stops Along Your Drive
Picked by where they fit in your drive — first break, midpoint reset, final stretch.
Selah Creek Rest Area, I-82 Westbound
0.1 mi from route
Indian John Hill Rest Area, I-90 Westbound
0.1 mi from route
Indian John Hill Rest Area, I-90 Eastbound
0.1 mi from route
Prosser Rest Area
0.1 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.1 mi from route
Travelers Rest Rest Area
0.1 mi from route
Flying J Travel Center
0.2 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.2 mi from route
TA
0.2 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.3 mi from route
Service Plaza
0.3 mi from route
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 215 decision points cluster between mile 115.5 and 232.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
115.5 mi into trip
|
~2h 9m in
|
US 97
Keep slight left at fork onto US 97 toward I 90 West
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 90 West
8
216.9 mi into trip
|
~4h 2m in
Take the exit toward I 405: Renton, Everett
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 10
Toward I 405: Renton, Everett
8
217.1 mi into trip
|
~4h 3m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 405 North: Everett, Bellevue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 405 North: Everett, Bellevue
8
228.7 mi into trip
|
~4h 18m in
Take the exit toward WA 522: Bothell, Woodinville
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 23
Toward WA 522: Bothell, Woodinville
7
232.4 mi into trip
|
~4h 23m in
Take the exit toward WA 9 North: Snohomish, Arlington
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward WA 9 North: Snohomish, Arlington
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$52.72 one way
$105.44 round trip
$5.35/gal
25.4 MPG avg
88 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.56 | $54.77 | $109.55 |
| premium | $5.76 | $56.74 | $113.49 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $55.20 | $110.39 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$53
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$78–$103
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 87.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $26 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 75.1 | 0 | $26.29 | $12.02 |
| Efficient EV | 62.6 | 0 | $21.91 | $10.02 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 100.2 | 1 | $35.06 | $16.03 |
Gas CO2
88 kg
EV CO2
29 kg (67% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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.
Origin
Kennewick, WA
Night in Kennewick on Friday
Local time
10:18 PM
PDT
Current temp
77°F
Rain Showers
SW 12 mph
75% chance
Live forecast
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued September 2 at 8:51AM PDT until September 2 at 5:00PM PDT by NWS Seattle WA
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued September 2 at 8:51AM PDT until September 2 at 5:00PM PDT by NWS Seattle WA
Destination
Lake Stevens, WA
Night in Lake Stevens on Friday
Local time
10:18 PM
PDT
Current temp
69°F
Showers And Thunderstorms
SSE 6 mph
76% chance
Live forecast
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued September 2 at 8:51AM PDT until September 2 at 5:00PM PDT by NWS Seattle WA
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued September 2 at 8:51AM PDT until September 2 at 5:00PM PDT by NWS Seattle WA
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
8 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 56m 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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Klondike Gold Rush - Seattle Unit National Historical Park
National Historical Park
Seattle flourished during and after the Klondike Gold Rush. Merchants supplied people from around the world passing through this port city on their way to a remarkable adventure in the Yukon Territory...
9 mi from route
~22 min detour
Free
near mile 215.9
View on nps.gov
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
What kind of drive is this?
250.4 mi in 4h 56m, mostly highway — 101.4 mi of that is on US 97.
97% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
29 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 101.4 mi on US 97.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 97 and US 12. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 115.5 miles in near US 97.
Driving Effort
9/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 21 significant decision points across 250.4 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 115.5 miles (US 97): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 216.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 217.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Hilly terrain with moderate elevation changes
2,632 ft
150 ft
Total Climb
3,241 ft
Total Descent
3,426 ft
Highest Point
2,632 ft
~107.3 mi in
Elevation Range
2,482 ft
Notable High Points
2,632 ft at ~107.3 miles
+1,015 ft prominence
2,543 ft at ~161 miles
+609 ft prominence
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 Kennewick, WA and Lake Stevens, WA, road signs point toward Yakima, Everett, Bellevue, Woodinville and Arlington.
Yakima
13.5 mi in
|
~18m
|
via US 12
Everett
216.9 mi in
|
~4h 2m
Bellevue
217.1 mi in
|
~4h 3m
Woodinville
228.7 mi in
|
~4h 18m
Arlington
232.4 mi in
|
~4h 23m
About the Cities
Starting in Kennewick, WA
Full guide →Founded 1904
Kennewick is a city in Benton County along the Columbia River of Washington State, roughly between the Yakima and Snake Rivers on the south bank of the Columbia. Kennewick is the largest of the Tri-Cities of Washington, which also includes Pasco and Richland. The Tri-Cities are the third most populous metropolitan area in the state, after Seattle-Tacoma and Spokane.
Arriving in Lake Stevens, WA
Full guide →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 4h 56m. Total distance: 250.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 56m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (97%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 101.4 miles on US 97. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 12 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 Lake Stevens, WA 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 12 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 115.5 miles (US 97): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 216.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 217.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Klondike Gold Rush - Seattle Unit National Historical Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 4.9 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 9.9 hours — manageable with a long break at Lake Stevens, WA, but most travelers stay overnight.
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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, NPS for national parks, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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