Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 6, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
2h 14m
Distance
110.9 mi
178 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$23
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Kent, WA
Wikimedia Commons
Kelso, WA
Wikimedia Commons
The drive from Kent, WA to Kelso, WA covers 110.9 miles and takes about 2h 14m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 5, Valley Freeway, State Route 18 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 100.4 miles on I 5. At current regular gas prices, budget about $23.35 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
55.5 miles from Kent, WA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 8m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 5 | 100.4 mi | 1h 55m |
| Valley Freeway | 4.4 mi | 5m |
| State Route 18 | 1.5 mi | 1m |
| North Kelso Avenue | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| West Willis Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| North Pacific Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| 4th Avenue South | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| West Gowe Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 280 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~4,182 veh/hr typical · worst 4,822
Quietest
2 AM
~424 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
9.9×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 105 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Kent, WA and Kelso, WA.
Start on 2nd Avenue South
Turn right onto West Gowe Street
Turn left onto 4th Avenue South
Turn slight right
Turn straight onto WA 516
Turn left
Merge onto WA 167
Take the exit
Merge onto WA 18
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto I 5
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
Take the exit
Turn right onto North Kelso Avenue
Continue on North Pacific Avenue
Turn left onto WA 4
Turn left onto North 4th Avenue
Arrive at destination
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
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 24 miles or 32m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 55.5 miles or 1h 8m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 49m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Kelso, WA than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Kent, 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 Kent, WA
This is one driving day of about 110.9 miles and 2h 14m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
55 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.
A short stop after about 24 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 55.5 miles from Kent, WA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before I 5 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 100.4 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.7 and 110.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn left toward WA 167 South: Auburn
Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward WA 18 West: Federal Way
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward I 5: Seattle, Tacoma
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork toward I 5 South, WA 161: Enchanted Parkway South, Tacoma
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Turn left onto North 4th Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$23.35 one way
$46.70 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.56 | $24.26 | $48.52 |
| premium | $5.76 | $25.13 | $50.26 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $24.45 | $48.89 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$23
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$48–$73
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 38.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $12 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 33.3 | 0 | $11.64 | $5.32 |
| Efficient EV | 27.7 | 0 | $9.70 | $4.44 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 44.4 | 0 | $15.53 | $7.10 |
Gas CO2
39 kg
EV CO2
13 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Late night in Kent on Sunday
Local time
1:30 AM
PDT
Current temp
76°F
Partly Sunny
Destination
Late night in Kelso on Sunday
Local time
1:30 AM
PDT
Current temp
82°F
Partly Sunny
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
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
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...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
110.9 mi in 2h 14m, mostly highway — 100.4 mi of that is on I 5.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 5 and Valley Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.7 miles in.
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 15 significant decision points across 110.9 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 0.7 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 5.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 7.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
770 ft
Total Descent
748 ft
Highest Point
380 ft
~7.9 mi in
Elevation Range
337 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Kent, WA to Kelso, WA, road signs begin pointing toward Tacoma along the way.
Tacoma
Founded 1890
Kent is the fourth largest city in King County in the Puget Sound region of Washington State, between Seattle and Tacoma.
Top landmarks
Founded 1884
Kelso is a city in southwest Washington State, across the Cowlitz River from Longview.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 14m. Total distance: 110.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 14m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (96%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
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.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore more options from Kent, WA or browse trips ending in Kelso, WA.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse WA road trips.
