Medford to Dallas is 235.5 miles and takes about 4h 49m via I 5 and South Pacific Highway West, with a fuel budget near $49 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Oregon, connecting two points in the Pacific Coast region. It's a straightforward drive that primarily utilizes major highways. Most drivers will find this route easy to navigate, with little need for extensive planning beyond the basics. Consider this a convenient option for moving between these two areas of the state.
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
117.8 miles from Medford, OR
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 20m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 5
202.5 mi
3h 56m
South Pacific Highway West
9.6 mi
13m
Northwest Springhill Drive
7.6 mi
11m
Clow Corner Road
3.5 mi
5m
Suver Road
2.1 mi
3m
Corvallis Road
1.6 mi
2m
Santiam Highway Southeast
1.2 mi
2m
North Riverside Avenue
1.1 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
I 5
— 202.5 mi, about 3h 56m
Traffic on I-5
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 34 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~1,366 veh/hr typical
· worst 1,716
Quietest
1 AM
~116 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
11.8×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 52 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 Medford, OR and Dallas, OR.
1
Start on North Fir Street
0.1 mi·18 sec·North Fir Street
2
Turn right onto West 4th Street
0.3 mi·39 sec·West 4th Street
3
Turn left onto OR 99
1.1 mi·2 min·North Riverside Avenue
4
Turn slight right onto Riverside Avenute Connection #1
0.1 mi·23 sec·Riverside Avenute Connection #1
5
Turn straight onto OR 62
0.4 mi·1 min·Crater Lake Highway
6
Take the exit
0.2 mi·23 sec
7
Merge onto I 5
203 mi·3 hr 56 min·I 5
8
Take the exit onto Highway #001MR - Santiam Highway Connection #1
At end of road, turn left onto Main Street Southeast
228 ft·4 sec·Main Street Southeast
13
Enter roundabout onto Main Street Southeast
130 ft·2 sec·Main Street Southeast
14
Continue on Main Street Southeast
491 ft·15 sec·Main Street Southeast
15
Turn left onto 1st Avenue East
0.6 mi·1 min·1st Avenue East
16
Turn right onto US 20
154 ft·4 sec·Lyon Street South;Albany-Corvallis Highway
17
Continue on US 20
0.3 mi·45 sec·Albany-Corvallis Highway
18
Turn right onto Northwest Springhill Drive
7.6 mi·11 min·Northwest Springhill Drive
19
At end of road, turn right onto Northwest Independence Highway
0.6 mi·55 sec·Northwest Independence Highway
20
Continue on Corvallis Road
1.6 mi·2 min·Corvallis Road
21
Turn left onto Suver Road
2.1 mi·3 min·Suver Road
22
Turn right onto OR 99W
6.9 mi·9 min·South Pacific Highway West
Use the straight lane.
23
Continue on OR 99W
1.0 mi·2 min·Pacific Avenue South
Use the straight / right lanes.
24
Continue on OR 99W
2.7 mi·3 min·South Pacific Highway West
Use the straight lane.
25
Enter roundabout onto Clow Corner Road
267 ft·4 sec·Clow Corner Road
26
Continue on Clow Corner Road
3.4 mi·5 min·Clow Corner Road
27
Continue on Southeast Monmouth Cut Off
0.8 mi·1 min·Southeast Monmouth Cut Off
28
Continue on Southeast Uglow Avenue
0.3 mi·32 sec·Southeast Uglow Avenue
29
Turn slight left onto Southeast Washington Street
0.4 mi·36 sec·Southeast Washington Street
30
Arrive at destination
OR 223
Trip Plan
To make the most of this 4h 49m drive, consider leaving Medford in the morning to give yourself ample time. With a total distance of 235.5 miles, you'll likely only need one brief stop. The estimated fuel cost is around $49, so ensure your tank is full before departing. Pay attention to the transition from I 5 to South Pacific Highway West as this marks the end of the longest highway segment and a change in driving environment.
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 117.8 miles from Medford, OR, or about 2h 20m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 202.5 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 52 miles or 1h 3m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 117.8 miles or 2h 20m 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 48m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Dallas, OR than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Medford, OR 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 Medford, OR
This is one driving day of about 235.5 miles and 4h 49m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 52 miles from Medford, OR.
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 I 5 for about 202.5 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 16
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 4th Street
Turn right onto West 4th Street
Navigation decision point
5
2 mi into trip|~5m in
Take the exit
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
5
204.7 mi into trip|~4h 1m in|Highway #001MR - Santiam Highway Connection #1
Take the exit onto Highway #001MR - Santiam Highway Connection #1 toward US 20: Lebanon, Sweet Home
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 20: Lebanon, Sweet Home
5
206.8 mi into trip|~4h 6m in|Main Street Southeast
At end of road, turn left onto Main Street Southeast
Navigation decision point
6
219.9 mi into trip|~4h 26m in|OR 99W / South Pacific Highway West
Turn right onto OR 99W / South Pacific Highway West
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$48.09 one way
$96.18 round trip
$5.19/gal25.4 MPG avg82 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$5.52
$51.16
$102.32
premium
$5.72
$53.02
$106.05
diesel
$5.35
$49.60
$99.21
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$48
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$73–$98
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 82.4 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $25 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
70.7
0
$24.73
$11.30
Efficient EV
58.9
0
$20.61
$9.42
EV Truck/SUV
94.2
1
$32.97
$15.07
Gas CO2
82 kg
EV CO2
28 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 Jun 1, 2026
Origin
Medford, OR
Afternoon
in Medford on Wednesday
Local time
1:51 PM
PDT
Current temp
45°F
Clear
WNW 1 to 10 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Dallas, OR
Afternoon
in Dallas on Wednesday
Local time
1:51 PM
PDT
Current temp
46°F
Clear
NNW 3 to 8 mph0% chanceLive 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
1 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
4h 49m 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?
This route is mostly highway, with 86% of the drive on major roads. You'll experience a long stretch of 202.5 miles on I 5, indicating a sustained period of high-speed cruising. The transition to surface roads will occur after this main highway segment. Be prepared for merging traffic as you enter and exit these highway sections.
86% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
30 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 202.5 mi on I 5.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 5 and South Pacific Highway West. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near West 4th Street.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 4h 49m drive. You will face about 16 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (West 4th Street): Navigation decision point; at 2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 204.7 miles (Highway #001MR - Santiam Highway Connection #1): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
1,612 ft205 ft
Total Climb
934 ft
Total Descent
1,991 ft
Highest Point
1,612 ft
~50.5 mi in
Elevation Range
1,407 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Medford, OR to Dallas, OR, road signs begin pointing toward Sweet Home along the way.
Medford is a city in the Rogue Valley in Southern Oregon. The town is southern Oregon's largest and most diverse city, brimming with historical and cultural attractions while offering regional tax-free shopping. Medford is the county seat of Jackson County, and is the commercial and medical hub of southern Oregon. Its autumns tend to be very mild, and dry when compared to the rest of the state.
Top landmarks
•Barnum Hotel — historic hotel building in Medford, Oregon, USA
•Jackson County Courthouse — historic building in Medford, Oregon, United States
•James A. Redden Federal Courthouse — courthouse in Medford, Oregon, USA
Dallas, with a population of more than 1.3 million residents, is the ninth largest city in the United States and the third largest in the state of Texas. It is an impressive melting pot of culture and character. Boasting high-end luxury hotels, innumerable fine dining spots, and one of the busiest airports in the world, Dallas maintains an upscale ethos reflected by an affluent population, world-class museums, and a shimmering modern skyline. Its history was marred by the infamous assassination of U.S. President John F. Kennedy, but there is more historic and contemporary heritage to be discovered in the city.
As a center of the oil and cotton industries in the late 1800s and early 1900s, Dallas was a classic American boom town and remains one of the fastest growing cities in the nation.
The longest stretch is about 202.5 miles on I 5. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 18 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.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (West 4th Street): Navigation decision point; at 2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 204.7 miles (Highway #001MR - Santiam Highway Connection #1): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Possible but tiring. At 4.8 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 9.6 hours — manageable with a long break at Dallas, OR, but most travelers stay overnight.
