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Trip from Kirkland, WA to Graham, WA

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 10m

Distance

48.5 mi

78 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$10

one way

EV Charging

Sparse

1 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 16 min
4 AM
1h 5m ★
6 AM
1h 10m
8 AM
1h 21m
10 AM
1h 14m
12 PM
1h 13m
3 PM
1h 15m
5 PM
1h 21m
8 PM
1h 7m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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Download GPX
city in King County, Washington, United States

Kirkland, WA

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Graham, WA, WA

Graham, WA

nicholas hatherly

Trip Overview

Kirkland, WA to Graham, WA is 48.5 miles and takes about 1h 10m via Valley Freeway and I-405, with a fuel budget near $10 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Washington state, traversing the Pacific Coast region. Expect a highway-focused experience for the majority of your journey. It’s a straightforward trip, ideal for a quick drive when you need to get from point A to point B without much fuss. You’ll spend most of your time on well-maintained freeways, making it a predictable and efficient commute.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Valley Freeway 19.9 mi 24m
I 405 14.7 mi 18m
Meridian Avenue East 5.8 mi 11m
WA 161 2.9 mi 4m
South Meridian 0.9 mi 2m
Meridian East 0.7 mi 1m
7th Avenue 0.5 mi 1m
Northeast 85th Street 0.5 mi 1m
Longest stretch: Valley Freeway — 19.9 mi, about 24m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Kirkland, WA and Graham, WA.

1

Start on 1st Street

399 ft · 16 sec · 1st Street
2

Turn left onto 7th Avenue

0.1 mi · 16 sec · 7th Avenue
3

Continue on 7th Avenue

0.3 mi · 52 sec · 7th Avenue
4

Continue on 7th Avenue

0.1 mi · 20 sec · 7th Avenue
5

Turn right onto 6th Street

449 ft · 14 sec · 6th Street
6

Turn left onto Northeast 85th Street

0.5 mi · 1 min · Northeast 85th Street
7

Take the ramp

0.4 mi · 49 sec
Toward I 405 South: Renton Use the right lane.
8

Merge onto I 405

15 mi · 18 min · I 405
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Take the exit

0.5 mi · 1 min
Exit 2 Toward WA 167 South: Auburn, Rainier Avenue South Use the slight right lane.
10

Keep slight left at fork

0.5 mi · 57 sec
Toward WA 167 South: Auburn Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Merge onto WA 167

20 mi · 24 min · Valley Freeway
Use the straight / right lanes.
12

Take the exit

0.9 mi · 1 min
Toward WA 512 West, WA 161 South: Puyallup, Olympia Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13

Continue on WA 161; WA 512

2.5 mi · 3 min · WA 161; WA 512
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14

Take the exit onto WA 161

0.4 mi · 1 min · WA 161
Toward WA 161 South: South Hill, Eatonville Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15

At end of road, turn left onto WA 161

0.2 mi · 24 sec · 31st Avenue Southwest
Use the left lane.
16

Continue on WA 161

0.9 mi · 2 min · South Meridian
Use the straight lane.
17

Continue on WA 161

4.0 mi · 7 min · Meridian Avenue East
18

Continue on WA 161

0.7 mi · 1 min · Meridian East
19

Continue on WA 161

1.8 mi · 3 min · Meridian Avenue East
20

Turn left onto 224th Street East

129 ft · 3 sec · 224th Street East
21

Arrive at destination

224th Street East

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Kent, WA

24 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

Renton, WA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Kent, WA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 24.3 miles from Kirkland, WA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 13

5 decision points cluster between mile 16.2 and 40.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

8
16.2 mi into trip | ~22m in

Take the exit toward WA 167 South: Auburn, Rainier Avenue South

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight right lane. Exit 2 Toward WA 167 South: Auburn, Rainier Avenue Sou...
7
16.7 mi into trip | ~23m in

Keep slight left at fork toward WA 167 South: Auburn

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward WA 167 South: Auburn
7
37 mi into trip | ~49m in

Take the exit toward WA 512 West, WA 161 South: Puyallup, Olympia

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 WA 512 West, WA 161 South: Puyallup, Oly...
7
40.4 mi into trip | ~54m in | WA 161

Take the exit onto WA 161 toward WA 161 South: South Hill, Eatonville

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 WA 161 South: South Hill, Eatonville
7
40.9 mi into trip | ~55m in | WA 161 / 31st Avenue Southwest

At end of road, turn left onto WA 161 / 31st Avenue Southwest

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$10.15 one way

$20.30 round trip

$5.32/gal 25.4 MPG avg 17 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $5.58 $10.65 $21.29
premium $5.77 $11.01 $22.03
diesel $5.61 $10.71 $21.42

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$10

Estimated CO2 emission: 17 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 14.5 0 $5.09 $2.33
Efficient EV 12.1 0 $4.24 $1.94
EV Truck/SUV 19.4 0 $6.79 $3.10

Gas CO2

17 kg

EV CO2

6 kg (65% 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.

Forecast as of Apr 16, 2026

Origin

Kirkland, WA

Late night in Kirkland on Tuesday

Local time

2:26 AM

PDT

Current temp

57°F

Sunny

SSW 5 mph 2% chance Live forecast

Freeze Warning

Freeze Warning issued April 16 at 6:46AM PDT until April 17 at 9:00AM PDT by NWS Pendleton OR

Freeze Warning

Freeze Warning issued April 16 at 6:46AM PDT until April 17 at 9:00AM PDT by NWS Pendleton OR

Destination

Graham, WA

Late night in Graham on Tuesday

Local time

2:26 AM

PDT

Current temp

65°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

8 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

1h 10m on the road

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.

What kind of drive is this?

This route is predominantly a highway-focused drive, with 77% of it on major roadways like the Valley Freeway and I-405. You'll experience a longest stretch of 19.9 miles on the Valley Freeway, offering a period of uninterrupted travel. While primarily freeway, Meridian Avenue East introduces a change of pace, offering a more surface-street feel. The character is one of efficient transit, designed for covering distance rather than sightseeing. Be prepared for typical freeway conditions, including varying traffic speeds.

77% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
21 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 19.9 mi on Valley Freeway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

9/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Valley Freeway and I 405. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 16.2 miles in.

Driving Effort 9/10

Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 48.5 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 16.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 16.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 37 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. 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 Kirkland, WA and Graham, WA, road signs point toward Rainier Avenue South, Olympia and Eatonville.

Rainier Avenue South

16.2 mi in | ~22m

Olympia

37 mi in | ~49m

Eatonville

40.4 mi in | ~54m | via WA 161

About the Cities

Starting in Kirkland, WA

Full guide →

Kirkland is a charming city of 93,000 (2019) in King County, Washington, across from Seattle on the east side of Lake Washington.

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 1h 10m. Total distance: 48.5 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 10m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (77%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 19.9 miles on Valley Freeway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

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 Graham, 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 16.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 16.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 37 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Graham, 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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