Spanning 177.6 miles, this drive from Moses Lake to Seattle is a straightforward journey across Washington that typically takes about 3 hours and 19 minutes. Because the trip is well within the limits of a comfortable day trip, you won't need to worry about booking an overnight stay. You can expect to spend approximately $37 on fuel, making it a budget-friendly option for a cross-state trek. The route relies heavily on WA 171, West Broadway Avenue, and Madison Street to navigate you from the inland basin toward the Pacific Coast region. It is a highly practical connection for travelers looking to move efficiently between these two points without unnecessary detours.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
88.8 miles from Moses Lake, WA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 39m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
WA 171
173.4 mi
3h 11m
West Broadway Avenue
2.7 mi
4m
Madison Street
0.1 mi
<1m
South Division Street
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
WA 171
— 173.4 mi, about 3h 11m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Moses Lake, WA and Seattle, WA.
1
Start on South Division Street
395 ft·16 sec·South Division Street
2
At end of road, turn left onto WA 171; I 90 Bus; US 10 Hist
2.7 mi·4 min·West Broadway Avenue
3
Take the ramp onto WA 171; I 90 Bus
173 mi·3 hr 11 min·WA 171; I 90 Bus
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4
Take the exit
0.7 mi·1 min
Exit 2CToward I 5 North: Vancouver British Columbia, James Street, Madison StreetUse the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi·21 sec
Toward I 5 North: Vancouver British Columbia, Madison Street, Convention Center
6
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi·54 sec
Toward Madison Street, Convention PlaceUse the slight right lane.
7
Turn left onto Madison Street
0.1 mi·35 sec·Madison Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
8
Turn left
31 ft·2 sec
9
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
To keep your 3-hour and 19-minute transit as smooth as possible, aim to plan for at least one dedicated stop to break up the long 173.4-mile stretch on WA 171. Since the drive is quite compact, leaving early in the morning or mid-day offers you the most flexibility to avoid potential congestion as you approach the Seattle area. Keep your $37 fuel budget in mind when planning your refueling stops, ensuring you have enough to cover the full distance without worry. Given that this route is almost entirely highway, stay alert for changes in traffic density as you transition from the more open stretches into the busier corridors near your destination.
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 88.8 miles from Moses Lake, WA, or about 1h 39m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 173.4 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 39 miles or 44m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 88.8 miles or 1h 39m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 42m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Seattle, WA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Moses Lake, 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 Moses Lake, WA
This is one driving day of about 177.6 miles and 3h 19m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 39 miles from Moses Lake, WA.
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 WA 171 for about 173.4 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 7
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 177.5 — 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|WA 171; I 90 Bus; US 10 Hist / West Broadway Avenue
At end of road, turn left onto WA 171; I 90 Bus; US 10 Hist / West Broadway Avenue
Navigation decision point
8
176.2 mi into trip|~3h 15m in
Take the exit toward I 5 North: Vancouver British Columbia, James Street, Madison Street
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.
Exit 2C
Toward I 5 North: Vancouver British Columbia, J...
6
177 mi into trip|~3h 17m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 5 North: Vancouver British Columbia, Madison Street, Convention Center
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 5 North: Vancouver British Columbia, M...
8
177.1 mi into trip|~3h 17m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Madison Street, Convention Place
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward Madison Street, Convention Place
6
177.5 mi into trip|~3h 18m in|Madison Street
Turn left onto Madison Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$37.17 one way
$74.34 round trip
$5.32/gal25.4 MPG avg62 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$5.58
$38.98
$77.96
premium
$5.77
$40.33
$80.66
diesel
$5.61
$39.21
$78.42
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$37
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$62–$87
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 62.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $19 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
53.3
0
$18.65
$8.52
Efficient EV
44.4
0
$15.54
$7.10
EV Truck/SUV
71
0
$24.86
$11.37
Gas CO2
62 kg
EV CO2
21 kg (66% 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 15, 2026
Origin
Moses Lake, WA
Night
in Moses Lake on Saturday
Local time
9:25 PM
PDT
Current temp
69°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Seattle, WA
Night
in Seattle on Saturday
Local time
9:25 PM
PDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live 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
20 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
3h 19m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a focused, highway-heavy experience, as 98% of your time behind the wheel will be spent on major roads. The vast majority of your journey—173.4 miles to be exact—is concentrated into one long, uninterrupted stretch along WA 171. This is a classic highway-focused drive that prioritizes speed and directness over technical maneuvers or winding local lanes. While the terrain will shift as you leave Moses Lake and head toward Seattle, the road remains consistent in its purpose. You should be prepared for a steady, consistent pace that favors utility over the stop-and-go nature of smaller town roads.
98% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
9 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 173.4 mi on WA 171.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on WA 171 and West Broadway Avenue. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near WA 171; I 90 Bus; US 10 Hist / West Broadway Avenue.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 3h 19m drive. You will face about 7 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 (WA 171; I 90 Bus; US 10 Hist / West Broadway Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 176.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 177 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 19m. Total distance: 177.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
The longest stretch is about 173.4 miles on WA 171. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
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 (WA 171; I 90 Bus; US 10 Hist / West Broadway Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 176.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 177 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Possible but tiring. At 3.3 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 6.6 hours — manageable with a long break at Seattle, WA, but most travelers stay overnight.
