Mountlake Terrace, WA to John Sam Lake, WA is 29.8 miles and takes about 44m via I 5, with a fuel budget near $6 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within Washington's Pacific Coast region, offering a straightforward connection between two points. Given its brief duration and primarily highway profile, it's an ideal option for a quick errand or a brief leg of a larger Pacific Northwest adventure. You'll spend most of your time on the interstate, making it an efficient transit rather than a scenic tour.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 5
22.5 mi
28m
140th Street Northeast
2.7 mi
5m
34th Avenue Northeast
1.3 mi
2m
12th Avenue Northwest
0.9 mi
2m
56th Avenue West
0.8 mi
2m
Stimson Road
0.4 mi
<1m
220th Street Southwest
0.2 mi
<1m
116th Street Northeast
0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 5
— 22.5 mi, about 28m
Traffic on I-5
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 54 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
2 PM
~6,171 veh/hr typical
Quietest
2 AM
~519 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
11.9×
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 Mountlake Terrace, WA and John Sam Lake, WA.
1
Start on this road
72 ft·10 sec·this road
2
Turn left onto 56th Avenue West
0.8 mi·2 min·56th Avenue West
3
Turn left onto 220th Street Southwest
0.2 mi·42 sec·220th Street Southwest
Use the straight / left lanes.
4
Take the ramp
0.4 mi·52 sec
Toward I 5 NorthUse the right lane.
5
Merge onto I 5
22 mi·28 min·I 5
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.2 mi·22 sec
Exit 202Toward 116th Street NortheastUse the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight left at fork
0.1 mi·21 sec
Toward 116th Street Northeast, State PatrolUse the left / right lanes.
8
Turn left onto 116th Street Northeast
0.1 mi·13 sec·116th Street Northeast
9
Turn slight right
107 ft·6 sec
Toward 34th Avenue Northeast
10
Turn straight onto 34th Avenue Northeast
0.4 mi·58 sec·34th Avenue Northeast
11
Enter roundabout onto 34th Avenue Northeast
20 ft·0 sec·34th Avenue Northeast
12
Continue on 34th Avenue Northeast
0.9 mi·1 min·34th Avenue Northeast
13
At end of road, turn left onto Stimson Road
0.4 mi·45 sec·Stimson Road
Use the left lane.
14
Continue on 140th Street Northeast
2.7 mi·5 min·140th Street Northeast
15
Turn left onto 12th Avenue Northwest
0.7 mi·1 min·12th Avenue Northwest
16
Continue on 12th Avenue Northwest
0.2 mi·27 sec·12th Avenue Northwest
17
Turn left onto 125th Place Northwest
0.1 mi·27 sec·125th Place Northwest
18
Turn right
69 ft·5 sec
19
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 13
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.8 and 25.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.8 mi into trip|~2m in|220th Street Southwest
Turn left onto 220th Street Southwest
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
7
1 mi into trip|~2m in
Take the ramp toward I 5 North
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward I 5 North
7
23.9 mi into trip|~31m in
Take the exit toward 116th Street Northeast
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 202
Toward 116th Street Northeast
9
24.1 mi into trip|~32m in
Keep slight left at fork toward 116th Street Northeast, State Patrol
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the left / right lanes.
Toward 116th Street Northeast, State Patrol
6
25.6 mi into trip|~35m in|Stimson Road
At end of road, turn left onto Stimson Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.81 one way
$11.61 round trip
$4.95/gal25.4 MPG avg10 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$5.18
$6.08
$12.16
premium
$5.39
$6.32
$12.65
diesel
$4.80
$5.63
$11.25
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.4 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging
· 0 stops
· 70% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
8.9
0
$3.13
$1.43
Efficient EV
7.5
0
$2.61
$1.19
EV Truck/SUV
11.9
0
$4.17
$1.91
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (70% 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 Jul 7, 2026
Origin
Mountlake Terrace, WA
Evening
in Mountlake Terrace on Monday
Local time
7:53 PM
PDT
Current temp
77°F
Mostly Sunny
WNW 3 to 8 mph1% chanceLive forecast
Red Flag Warning
Red Flag Warning issued July 7 at 6:57AM PDT until July 7 at 10:00PM PDT by NWS Pendleton OR
Red Flag Warning
Red Flag Warning issued July 7 at 6:57AM PDT until July 7 at 10:00PM PDT by NWS Pendleton OR
Destination
John Sam Lake, WA
Evening
in John Sam Lake on Monday
Local time
7:53 PM
PDT
Current temp
73°F
Mostly Sunny
WNW 2 to 9 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Red Flag Warning
Red Flag Warning issued July 7 at 6:57AM PDT until July 7 at 10:00PM PDT by NWS Pendleton OR
Red Flag Warning
Red Flag Warning issued July 7 at 6:57AM PDT until July 7 at 10:00PM PDT by NWS Pendleton OR
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
4 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
44m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route is mostly highway, with 75% of the 29.8 miles on I 5. You'll encounter a longest stretch of 22.5 miles on I 5 before transitioning to surface streets like 140th Street Northeast and 34th Avenue Northeast. Expect a high volume of exits and merging traffic typical of interstate driving for the majority of your trip.
75% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 22.5 mi on I 5.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 5 and 140th Street Northeast. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.8 miles in near 220th Street Southwest.
Driving Effort7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 13 decision points packed into just 29.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 44m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.8 miles (220th Street Southwest): Lane positioning matters here; at 1 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 23.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
547 ft1 ft
Total Climb
741 ft
Total Descent
656 ft
Highest Point
547 ft
~6.4 mi in
Elevation Range
546 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Mountlake Terrace, WA and John Sam Lake, WA, road signs point toward 116Th Street Northeast, State Patrol and 34Th Avenue Northeast.
116Th Street Northeast
23.9 mi in|~31m
State Patrol
24.1 mi in|~32m
34Th Avenue Northeast
24.3 mi in|~32m
Detours Along the Way
Tagged by where each one fits in your drive — first break, midpoint, final stretch.
Doable as a same-day drive at 44m. Total distance: 29.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
44m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (75%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 22.5 miles on I 5. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 1 rest area or service plaza 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.
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 John Sam Lake, 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 0.8 miles (220th Street Southwest): Lane positioning matters here; at 1 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 23.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
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 John Sam Lake, WA before heading back.
