Origin
North Yelm, WA
Morning in North Yelm on Sunday
Local time
9:34 AM
PDT
Current temp
45°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from North Yelm, WA to Federal Way, WA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 8m
Distance
44.2 mi
71 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 3m
★
6 AM
1h 9m
8 AM
1h 19m
10 AM
1h 12m
12 PM
1h 11m
3 PM
1h 13m
5 PM
1h 19m
8 PM
1h 5m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
North Yelm, WA
JOHN CALLERY
Trip Overview
If you are planning a trip from North Yelm to Federal Way, you are looking at a straightforward 44.2-mile journey that typically takes about 1 hour and 8 minutes. This route stays entirely within the Pacific Coast region of Washington, making it a perfect candidate for a single-day excursion. You can expect to spend approximately $9 on fuel for the trip, keeping costs manageable for a quick drive. Because the duration is relatively short, there is no need to worry about overnight accommodations or complicated travel logistics. It is a practical, no-nonsense path that efficiently connects these two areas, serving as a reliable option for commuters or casual travelers alike.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 5 | 26.5 mi | 33m |
| Yelm Highway Southeast | 4.3 mi | 7m |
| Reservation Road Southeast | 2.7 mi | 4m |
| Nisqually Road Southwest | 2.1 mi | 4m |
| Old Pacific Highway Southeast | 1.7 mi | 3m |
| WA 510 Alternate | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| South 320th Street | 0.8 mi | 2m |
| Ordway Drive Southeast | 0.7 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
I 5
— 26.5 mi, about 33m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between North Yelm, WA and Federal Way, WA.
1
Start on Joyce Court Southeast
345 ft
·
19 sec
·
Joyce Court Southeast
2
Turn right onto Ordway Drive Southeast
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Ordway Drive Southeast
3
Continue on Wilkenson Road Southeast
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Wilkenson Road Southeast
4
Continue on Canal Road Southeast
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
·
Canal Road Southeast
5
Turn right onto Railway Road Southeast
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Railway Road Southeast
6
Turn left onto 1st Street Northeast
0.4 mi
·
58 sec
·
1st Street Northeast
7
Turn right onto WA 510
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
West Yelm Avenue
8
Turn right onto Killion Road Southeast
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Killion Road Southeast
9
Turn left onto WA 510 Alt
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
WA 510 Alternate
10
Enter roundabout onto WA 510
129 ft
·
2 sec
·
Yelm Highway Southeast
11
Continue on WA 510
4.2 mi
·
7 min
·
Yelm Highway Southeast
12
Enter roundabout onto WA 510
98 ft
·
1 sec
·
Saint Clair Cutoff Road Southeast
13
Continue on WA 510
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
·
Saint Clair Cutoff Road Southeast
14
Enter roundabout onto Reservation Road Southeast
23 ft
·
0 sec
·
Reservation Road Southeast
15
Continue on Reservation Road Southeast
2.7 mi
·
4 min
·
Reservation Road Southeast
16
At end of road, turn right onto Old Pacific Highway Southeast
1.7 mi
·
3 min
·
Old Pacific Highway Southeast
17
Continue on Nisqually Road Southwest
2.1 mi
·
4 min
·
Nisqually Road Southwest
18
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
Toward I 5 North: Tacoma, Seattle
19
Merge onto I 5
16 mi
·
20 min
·
I 5
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
20
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
10 mi
·
12 min
·
I 5
Use the slight right lane.
21
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
51 sec
Exit 143
Toward Federal Way, South 320th Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
22
Turn left onto South 320th Street
0.8 mi
·
2 min
·
South 320th Street
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
23
Turn right onto WA 99
0.5 mi
·
55 sec
·
Pacific Highway South
24
Turn right onto South 312th Street
158 ft
·
5 sec
·
South 312th Street
Use the right lane.
25
Turn right
24 ft
·
1 sec
26
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
22 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 22.1 miles from North Yelm, WA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 185 decision points cluster between mile 9.2 and 42.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
9.2 mi into trip
|
~19m in
|
Reservation Road Southeast
Enter roundabout onto Reservation Road Southeast
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
5
12 mi into trip
|
~23m in
|
Old Pacific Highway Southeast
At end of road, turn right onto Old Pacific Highway Southeast
Navigation decision point
6
32.5 mi into trip
|
~52m in
|
I 5
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
8
42.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 4m in
Take the exit toward Federal Way, South 320th 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 143
Toward Federal Way, South 320th Street
6
42.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 5m in
|
South 320th Street
Turn left onto South 320th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.25 one way
$18.50 round trip
$5.32/gal
25.4 MPG avg
16 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.58 | $9.70 | $19.40 |
| premium | $5.77 | $10.04 | $20.07 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.76 | $19.52 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 15.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 13.3 | 0 | $4.64 | $2.12 |
| Efficient EV | 11.1 | 0 | $3.87 | $1.77 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 17.7 | 0 | $6.19 | $2.83 |
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 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.
Destination
Federal Way, WA
Morning in Federal Way on Sunday
Local time
9:34 AM
PDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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 warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 8m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is heavily highway-focused, with 62% of your time spent on major thoroughfares. You will navigate a mix of local roads like Yelm Highway Southeast and Reservation Road Southeast before transitioning onto the interstate. The most significant portion of your travel happens on I-5, which accounts for a 26.5-mile stretch of the journey. Expect the road to feel like a standard transit route, shifting from quieter local pavement to the higher-speed, multi-lane environment of the interstate. It is a functional drive designed to get you to your destination with minimal fuss.
62% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
26 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 26.5 mi on I 5.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 5 and Yelm Highway Southeast. You will hit about 18 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 9.2 miles in near Reservation Road Southeast.
Driving Effort
6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 44.2 miles you will encounter 18 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 9.2 miles (Reservation Road Southeast): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 12 miles (Old Pacific Highway Southeast): Navigation decision point; at 32.5 miles (I 5): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
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 North Yelm, WA to Federal Way, WA, road signs begin pointing toward Seattle along the way.
Seattle
15.7 mi in
|
~30m
About the Cities
Arriving in Federal Way, WA
Full guide →Federal Way is a city in King County on the Puget Sound of Washington State. It is the home of the Pacific Bonsai Museum and Rhododendron Species Botanical Gardens. With a population of 96,000 (2016), Federal Way is one of Seattle's largest suburbs.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 8m. Total distance: 44.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 8m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (62%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 26.5 miles on I 5. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 Federal Way, 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 9.2 miles (Reservation Road Southeast): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 12 miles (Old Pacific Highway Southeast): Navigation decision point; at 32.5 miles (I 5): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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 Federal Way, WA before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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