Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jul 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 14m
Distance
50 mi
80 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Fair
4 stations
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Long Creek, OR
tree lee
Prairie City, OR
Tim Mossholder
Long Creek to Prairie City is 50 miles and takes about 1 hour 14 minutes via the Pendleton-John Day Highway and John Day Highway, with a fuel budget near $10 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This route stays within Oregon, connecting two points in the Pacific Coast region. It's a relatively short drive, mostly on surface roads, making it a straightforward trip. Consider this option if you're looking for a quick and easy connection between these two areas without extensive highway driving.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Pendleton-John Day Highway | 28.7 mi | 42m |
| John Day Highway | 17 mi | 25m |
| West Main Street | 3.6 mi | 5m |
| Front Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| East Main Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| North Main Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Water Alley | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Long Creek, OR and Prairie City, OR.
Start on US 395
Turn left onto US 26; US 395
Continue on US 26; US 395
Continue on US 26; US 395
Continue on US 26
Continue on US 26
Turn left onto North Main Street
Turn left onto Water Alley
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
25 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 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 25 miles from Long Creek, OR, 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.
3 decision points cluster between mile 28.7 and 50 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn left onto US 26; US 395 / East Main Street
Navigation decision point
Turn left onto North Main Street
Navigation decision point
Turn left onto Water Alley
Navigation decision point
Regular Gas
$8.86 one way
$17.72 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.82 | $9.49 | $18.98 |
| premium | $5.04 | $9.93 | $19.85 |
| diesel | $4.80 | $9.44 | $18.88 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 17.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 15 | 0 | $5.25 | $2.40 |
| Efficient EV | 12.5 | 0 | $4.38 | $2.00 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 20 | 0 | $7.00 | $3.20 |
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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Evening in Long Creek on Monday
Local time
7:06 PM
PDT
Current temp
88°F
Partly Sunny
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 13 at 12:42AM MDT until July 13 at 9:00PM MDT by NWS Boise ID
Destination
Evening in Prairie City on Monday
Local time
7:06 PM
PDT
Current temp
91°F
Partly Sunny
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 13 at 12:42AM MDT until July 13 at 9:00PM MDT by NWS Boise ID
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.
This drive is primarily on surface roads, with no highway segments to speak of. You'll encounter a longest stretch of 28.7 miles on the Pendleton-John Day Highway before transitioning. Expect a rural cruising feel for much of the 50-mile trip. The majority of your 1 hour and 14 minute drive will be on local roads.
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes around 28.7 miles in near US 26; US 395 / East Main Street.
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Long Creek, OR to Prairie City, OR is easy. At 1h 14m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 28.7 miles (US 26; US 395 / East Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 49.9 miles (North Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 50 miles (Water Alley): Navigation decision point.
Gently rolling terrain
Total Climb
2,007 ft
Total Descent
2,200 ft
Highest Point
4,842 ft
~3.6 mi in
Elevation Range
1,968 ft
Notable High Points
Founded 1891
Founded 1891
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 14m. Total distance: 50 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 14m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
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 USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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