Mukilteo, WA to John Sam Lake, WA is 24.8 miles and takes about 39m via I 5, with a fuel budget near $5 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within Washington's Pacific Coast region, offering a straightforward drive. You'll be covering a relatively small distance, making it an easy option for a quick getaway or an errand. The majority of the route is on major highways, so expect a consistent pace. Consider this a convenient option if you're looking for a simple transit between these two points without much fuss.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 5
12.4 mi
15m
Boeing Freeway
2.8 mi
3m
140th Street Northeast
2.7 mi
5m
Mukilteo Speedway
1.7 mi
3m
34th Avenue Northeast
1.3 mi
2m
12th Avenue Northwest
0.9 mi
2m
84th Street Southwest
0.7 mi
1m
Stimson Road
0.4 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 5
— 12.4 mi, about 15m
Traffic on I-5
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 10 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
1 PM
~5,928 veh/hr typical
Quietest
1 AM
~567 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
10.5×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 51 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 Mukilteo, WA and John Sam Lake, WA.
1
Start on WA 525
1.7 mi·3 min·Mukilteo Speedway
2
Turn left onto WA 526
0.4 mi·39 sec·84th Street Southwest
3
Turn left onto WA 526
0.3 mi·38 sec·84th Street Southwest
4
Continue on WA 526
2.8 mi·3 min·Boeing Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Take the exit
1.4 mi·2 min
Toward I5 North: Vancouver British ColumbiaUse the straight / slight left lanes.
6
Merge onto I 5
12 mi·15 min·I 5
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.2 mi·22 sec
Exit 202Toward 116th Street NortheastUse the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork
0.1 mi·21 sec
Toward 116th Street Northeast, State PatrolUse the left / right lanes.
9
Turn left onto 116th Street Northeast
0.1 mi·13 sec·116th Street Northeast
10
Turn slight right
107 ft·6 sec
Toward 34th Avenue Northeast
11
Turn straight onto 34th Avenue Northeast
0.4 mi·58 sec·34th Avenue Northeast
12
Enter roundabout onto 34th Avenue Northeast
20 ft·0 sec·34th Avenue Northeast
13
Continue on 34th Avenue Northeast
0.9 mi·1 min·34th Avenue Northeast
14
At end of road, turn left onto Stimson Road
0.4 mi·45 sec·Stimson Road
Use the left lane.
15
Continue on 140th Street Northeast
2.7 mi·5 min·140th Street Northeast
16
Turn left onto 12th Avenue Northwest
0.7 mi·1 min·12th Avenue Northwest
17
Continue on 12th Avenue Northwest
0.2 mi·27 sec·12th Avenue Northwest
18
Turn left onto 125th Place Northwest
0.1 mi·27 sec·125th Place Northwest
19
Turn right
69 ft·5 sec
20
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 12
5 decision points cluster between mile 5.2 and 20.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
5.2 mi into trip|~8m in
Take the exit toward I5 North: Vancouver British Columbia
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
Toward I5 North: Vancouver British Columbia
5
6.5 mi into trip|~11m in|I 5
Merge onto I 5
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
18.9 mi into trip|~27m 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
19.1 mi into trip|~27m 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
20.7 mi into trip|~30m in|Stimson Road
At end of road, turn left onto Stimson Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.50 one way
$10.99 round trip
$5.63/gal25.4 MPG avg9 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$5.91
$5.77
$11.53
premium
$6.08
$5.94
$11.87
diesel
$5.35
$5.22
$10.45
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 8.7 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
7.4
0
$2.60
$1.19
Efficient EV
6.2
0
$2.17
$0.99
EV Truck/SUV
9.9
0
$3.47
$1.59
Gas CO2
9 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (67% 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 May 29, 2026
Origin
Mukilteo, WA
Afternoon
in Mukilteo on Wednesday
Local time
4:01 PM
PDT
Current temp
52°F
Mostly Cloudy then Chance Rain Showers
NNE 7 to 13 mph42% chanceLive forecast
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued May 28 at 7:31PM PDT by NWS Spokane WA
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued May 28 at 7:24PM PDT by NWS Spokane WA
Destination
John Sam Lake, WA
Afternoon
in John Sam Lake on Wednesday
Local time
4:01 PM
PDT
Current temp
51°F
Mostly Cloudy then Chance Rain Showers
NNW 6 to 9 mph41% chanceLive forecast
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued May 28 at 7:31PM PDT by NWS Spokane WA
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued May 28 at 7:24PM PDT by NWS Spokane WA
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 cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
39m 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 drive is primarily highway-focused, with 61% of the journey taking place on major roads like I 5 and the Boeing Freeway. You'll experience stretches of faster driving, with the longest uninterrupted segment spanning 12.4 miles on I 5. Expect a relatively smooth experience for most of the trip, as the route relies heavily on these main arteries. While the majority is highway, you will encounter some local road segments, like 140th Street Northeast, offering a slight change of pace as you near your destination.
61% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 12.4 mi on I 5.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 5 and Boeing Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 5.2 miles in.
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 12 decision points packed into just 24.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 39m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 5.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 6.5 miles (I 5): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 18.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
565 ft1 ft
Total Climb
993 ft
Total Descent
564 ft
Highest Point
565 ft
~5.3 mi in
Elevation Range
564 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Mukilteo, WA and John Sam Lake, WA, road signs point toward 116Th Street Northeast, State Patrol and 34Th Avenue Northeast.
Mukilteo is a city on the Puget Sound of Washington State. What looks like a village surrounding the ferry harbor to Whidbey Island is surrounded by Boeing's sprawling aircraft factory complex.
Top landmarks
•Mukilteo Light — lighthouse in Washington, United States
Doable as a same-day drive at 39m. Total distance: 24.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
39m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (61%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 12.4 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 5.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 6.5 miles (I 5): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 18.9 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.
