Spanning 220.8 miles across Washington, this trip from Kennewick to Salmon Creek takes approximately 4 hours and 13 minutes of drive time. Because the route is categorized as a turn-heavy local drive rather than a high-speed interstate haul, it is perfectly suited for a single-day journey. You should set aside a fuel budget of about $46 to cover the distance. Since both your origin and destination sit within the Pacific Coast region, you won't experience a drastic shift in climate or geography, but the local road focus ensures a unique experience compared to standard highway transit. It is a straightforward trip that rewards those who prefer a more engaged, hands-on driving style over monotonous freeway cruising.
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
110.4 miles from Kennewick, WA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 5m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Columbia River Highway
158.3 mi
2h 56m
Lewis and Clark Trail Highway
33.4 mi
37m
I 205
13.6 mi
17m
Old Oregon Trail Highway
11.3 mi
12m
West 10th Avenue
1 mi
2m
South Olympia Street
0.7 mi
1m
Northeast Highway 99
0.4 mi
<1m
Northeast 134th Street
0.2 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Columbia River Highway
— 158.3 mi, about 2h 56m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Kennewick, WA and Salmon Creek, WA.
1
Start on North Newport Street
0.1 mi·35 sec·North Newport Street
2
Turn right onto West Kennewick Avenue
152 ft·11 sec·West Kennewick Avenue
3
Turn left onto South Olympia Street
0.7 mi·1 min·South Olympia Street
4
Turn right onto West 10th Avenue
1.0 mi·2 min·West 10th Avenue
5
Turn left onto US 395
33 mi·37 min·Lewis and Clark Trail Highway
6
Keep slight right at fork
0.6 mi·1 min
Toward I 84 West: Portland
7
Merge onto I 84; US 30
11 mi·12 min·Old Oregon Trail Highway
8
Continue on I 84; US 30
158 mi·2 hr 56 min·Columbia River Highway
Use the straight lane.
9
Take the exit
0.4 mi·29 sec
Exit 9Toward I 205: Salem, Seattle, Portland Airport
10
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi·28 sec
Toward I 205 North: Seattle, Portland AirportUse the slight right lane.
11
Merge onto I 205
14 mi·17 min·I 205
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.2 mi·34 sec
Exit 36Toward Northeast 134th StreetUse the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Turn left onto Northeast 134th Street
0.2 mi·25 sec·Northeast 134th Street
14
Turn left onto Northeast 20th Avenue
0.1 mi·25 sec·Northeast 20th Avenue
15
Continue on Northeast Highway 99
0.4 mi·47 sec·Northeast Highway 99
16
Turn left onto Northeast 20th Avenue
93 ft·7 sec·Northeast 20th Avenue
17
Turn right onto Northeast Strand Road
264 ft·45 sec·Northeast Strand Road
18
Arrive at destination
Northeast Strand Road
Trip Plan
Given the turn-heavy nature of this 4-hour and 13-minute drive, plan for at least one dedicated stop to stretch your legs and stay sharp behind the wheel. Since you are navigating local thoroughfares rather than major interstates, prioritize leaving early in the day to avoid the congestion that often builds up on surface streets during peak commuting hours. Keep your fuel budget of $46 in mind as you plan your transit, ensuring you refuel before entering more congested local segments where stopping might be less convenient. Flexibility is your biggest advantage here, so use your single scheduled stop to reset your focus, as the constant turning required by this route can be more mentally taxing than a straight highway drive.
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 110.4 miles from Kennewick, WA, or about 2h 5m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 158.3 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 49 miles or 57m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 110.4 miles or 2h 5m 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 24m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Salmon Creek, 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 220.8 miles and 4h 13m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 49 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 Columbia River Highway for about 158.3 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 0.1 and 219.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|West Kennewick Avenue
Turn right onto West Kennewick Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
35.3 mi into trip|~42m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 84 West: Portland
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I 84 West: Portland
6
205.5 mi into trip|~3h 51m in
Take the exit toward I 205: Salem, Seattle, Portland Airport
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 9
Toward I 205: Salem, Seattle, Portland Airport
8
205.9 mi into trip|~3h 52m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 205 North: Seattle, Portland Airport
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 205 North: Seattle, Portland Airport
7
219.9 mi into trip|~4h 10m in
Take the exit toward Northeast 134th Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 36
Toward Northeast 134th Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$46.21 one way
$92.42 round trip
$5.32/gal25.4 MPG avg77 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$5.58
$48.46
$96.93
premium
$5.77
$50.14
$100.28
diesel
$5.61
$48.75
$97.50
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$46
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$71–$96
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 77.3 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $23 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
66.2
0
$23.18
$10.60
Efficient EV
55.2
0
$19.32
$8.83
EV Truck/SUV
88.3
1
$30.91
$14.13
Gas CO2
77 kg
EV CO2
26 kg (66% 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.
Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026
Origin
Kennewick, WA
Late night
in Kennewick on Sunday
Local time
3:21 AM
PDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Salmon Creek, WA
Late night
in Salmon Creek on Sunday
Local time
3:21 AM
PDT
Current temp
48°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
3 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 13m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a technical journey that demands your full attention, as this route relies entirely on local roads like West Kennewick Avenue, South Olympia Street, and West 10th Avenue. With a 0% highway share, you won't be dealing with high-speed interstate traffic, but you will encounter frequent turns throughout the 220.8-mile stretch. The road’s personality is defined by its local character, requiring you to navigate through various intersections rather than settling into a long-distance cruise. Because the route is composed of surface streets, the pace is steady and deliberate, offering a distinct departure from the typical bypasses and freeways found on longer regional treks.
Only 6% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 158.3 mi on Columbia River Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 13 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near West Kennewick Avenue.
Driving Effort6/10
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 220.8 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 0.1 miles (West Kennewick Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 35.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 205.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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.
Between Kennewick, WA and Salmon Creek, WA, road signs point toward Seattle and Portland Airport.
Seattle
205.5 mi in|~3h 51m
Portland Airport
205.5 mi in|~3h 51m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 13m. Total distance: 220.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 13m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 158.3 miles on Columbia River Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
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 Salmon Creek, 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. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (West Kennewick Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 35.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 205.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Possible but tiring. At 4.2 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 8.4 hours — manageable with a long break at Salmon Creek, WA, but most travelers stay overnight.
