Medford to Willamina is 251.2 miles and takes about 5h 7m via I 5 and Salem-Willamina Highway, with a fuel budget near $52 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Oregon, connecting the Pacific Coast region from start to finish. Expect a mostly highway experience for the bulk of the trip, making it a straightforward option for getting between these two points. With just one recommended stop and a duration under six hours, it's a manageable trip for a single day.
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
125.6 miles from Medford, OR
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 29m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 5
202.5 mi
3h 56m
Salem-Willamina Highway
15.6 mi
17m
South Pacific Highway West
11.8 mi
16m
Northwest Springhill Drive
7.6 mi
11m
Suver Road
2.1 mi
3m
Main Street
1.9 mi
3m
Corvallis Road
1.6 mi
2m
Santiam Highway Southeast
1.2 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
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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 Willamina, 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 OR 99W
145 ft·1 sec·South Pacific Highway West
26
Continue on OR 99W
2.2 mi·3 min·South Pacific Highway West
27
Continue on OR 99W
0.4 mi·47 sec·Main Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
28
Continue on OR 99W
0.1 mi·20 sec·North Pacific Highway West
29
Turn left
0.5 mi·44 sec
Use the left lane.
30
Merge onto OR 22
16 mi·17 min·Salem-Willamina Highway
31
Turn right onto OR 18 Bus
1.6 mi·2 min·Main Street
32
Continue on OR 18 Bus
0.3 mi·23 sec·Southwest Main Street
33
Arrive at destination
OR 18 Bus
Trip Plan
For this 5-hour drive, leaving Medford in the morning allows you to reach Willamina with plenty of daylight remaining. The route is efficient enough that you likely won't need more than one planned stop for fuel or a break. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially as you transition off I 5, as services might be less frequent on the latter parts of the drive. Given the reasonable duration, you have flexibility to depart later if needed, but an early start ensures a relaxed pace.
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 125.6 miles from Medford, OR, or about 2h 29m 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 55 miles or 1h 7m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 125.6 miles or 2h 29m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 4m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Willamina, 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 251.2 miles and 5h 7m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 55 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 18
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 233.3 — 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
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.
6
233.3 mi into trip|~4h 45m in
Turn left
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$51.30 one way
$102.60 round trip
$5.19/gal25.4 MPG avg88 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$5.52
$54.57
$109.14
premium
$5.72
$56.56
$113.12
diesel
$5.35
$52.91
$105.82
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$51
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$76–$101
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 87.9 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $26 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
75.4
0
$26.38
$12.06
Efficient EV
62.8
0
$21.98
$10.05
EV Truck/SUV
100.5
1
$35.17
$16.08
Gas CO2
88 kg
EV CO2
29 kg (67% 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
12:05 PM
PDT
Current temp
45°F
Clear
W 3 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Willamina, OR
Afternoon
in Willamina on Wednesday
Local time
12:05 PM
PDT
Current temp
43°F
Clear
W 3 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
2 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
5h 7m 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?
You'll spend about 81% of this 251.2-mile trip on the highway. The longest continuous stretch you'll encounter is 202.5 miles on I 5. After leaving the interstate, you'll transition to roads like the Salem-Willamina Highway and South Pacific Highway West for the remainder of the drive. This means you'll likely notice a shift from high-speed interstate cruising to more rural road conditions as you approach your destination.
81% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
33 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 Salem-Willamina Highway. 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 5h 7m drive. You will face about 18 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
1,470 ft188 ft
Total Climb
679 ft
Total Descent
1,828 ft
Highest Point
1,470 ft
~53.8 mi in
Elevation Range
1,283 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 Willamina, 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
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.
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. There are 18 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
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.
Not recommended in a single day. At 5.1 hours each way, a round trip means 10.2 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Willamina, OR before the return drive.
