Origin
Prineville, OR
Late night in Prineville on Tuesday
Local time
1:49 AM
PDT
Current temp
62°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Prineville, OR to Bend, OR
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
52m
Distance
35.8 mi
58 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 48m
★
6 AM
0h 52m
8 AM
1h 1m
10 AM
0h 55m
12 PM
0h 54m
3 PM
0h 56m
5 PM
1h 0m
8 PM
0h 50m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Prineville, OR
Wikimedia Commons
Bend, OR
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Connecting Prineville to Bend is a straightforward 35.8-mile journey that typically takes about 52 minutes to complete. Because of the quick transit time, this route is perfectly suited for a single-day trip, allowing you to easily manage the commute without needing an overnight stay. You will navigate via the Ochoco Highway, Powell Butte Highway, and South Powell Butte Highway to reach your destination. With a modest fuel budget of approximately $7, it is an affordable way to travel between these two Oregon hubs. Both locations sit within the Pacific Coast region, ensuring a consistent travel environment throughout your transit. Ultimately, this drive is a practical local connection that offers great flexibility for your schedule.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Ochoco Highway | 11.3 mi | 12m |
| Powell Butte Highway | 6.7 mi | 9m |
| South Powell Butte Highway | 4.8 mi | 7m |
| Powell Butte Road | 3.8 mi | 5m |
| Southwest Powell Butte Highway | 2.7 mi | 3m |
| Northeast Highway 20 | 1.9 mi | 3m |
| Central Oregon Highway | 1.7 mi | 2m |
| Northeast Greenwood Avenue | 0.9 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
Ochoco Highway
— 11.3 mi, about 12m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Prineville, OR and Bend, OR.
1
Start on Southeast Knowledge Street
0.2 mi
·
56 sec
·
Southeast Knowledge Street
2
At end of road, turn left onto US 26
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Northeast 3rd Street
3
Continue on US 26
0.5 mi
·
43 sec
·
Northwest 3rd Street
4
Continue on US 26
373 ft
·
4 sec
·
Madras-Prineville Highway
5
Turn straight onto OR 126
0.2 mi
·
12 sec
·
Ochoco Highway
6
Merge onto OR 126
2.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Ochoco Highway
7
Enter roundabout onto OR 126
124 ft
·
1 sec
·
Ochoco Highway
8
Continue on OR 126
9.0 mi
·
10 min
·
Ochoco Highway
9
Turn left onto Southwest Powell Butte Highway
2.7 mi
·
3 min
·
Southwest Powell Butte Highway
10
Turn slight right onto South Powell Butte Highway
4.8 mi
·
7 min
·
South Powell Butte Highway
11
Continue on Powell Butte Road
3.8 mi
·
5 min
·
Powell Butte Road
12
Continue on Powell Butte Highway
3.8 mi
·
5 min
·
Powell Butte Highway
13
Enter roundabout onto Powell Butte Highway
125 ft
·
2 sec
·
Powell Butte Highway
14
Continue on Powell Butte Highway
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Powell Butte Highway
15
Enter roundabout onto Powell Butte Highway
129 ft
·
2 sec
·
Powell Butte Highway
16
Continue on Powell Butte Highway
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Powell Butte Highway
17
At end of road, turn right onto US 20
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Central Oregon Highway
18
Enter roundabout onto US 20
156 ft
·
1 sec
·
Central Oregon Highway
19
Continue on US 20
0.5 mi
·
34 sec
·
Central Oregon Highway
20
Continue on US 20
1.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Northeast Highway 20
21
Continue on US 20
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Northeast Greenwood Avenue
22
Continue on Northwest Greenwood Avenue
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Northwest Greenwood Avenue
23
Turn left onto Northwest Wall Street
0.2 mi
·
51 sec
·
Northwest Wall Street
24
Turn right onto Northwest Franklin Avenue
54 ft
·
2 sec
·
Northwest Franklin Avenue
25
Arrive at destination
Northwest Franklin Avenue
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
18 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 35.8 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 17.9 miles from Prineville, OR, 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 105 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 35.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 26 / Northeast 3rd Street
At end of road, turn left onto US 26 / Northeast 3rd Street
Navigation decision point
4
3.7 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
OR 126 / Ochoco Highway
Enter roundabout onto OR 126 / Ochoco Highway
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
4
12.7 mi into trip
|
~15m in
|
Southwest Powell Butte Highway
Turn left onto Southwest Powell Butte Highway
Navigation decision point
4
27.8 mi into trip
|
~38m in
|
Powell Butte Highway
Enter roundabout onto Powell Butte Highway
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
5
35.8 mi into trip
|
~52m in
|
Northwest Franklin Avenue
Turn right onto Northwest Franklin Avenue
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.13 one way
$14.26 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $7.55 | $15.10 |
| premium | $5.59 | $7.88 | $15.76 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.90 | $15.81 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10.7 | 0 | $3.76 | $1.72 |
| Efficient EV | 9 | 0 | $3.13 | $1.43 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 14.3 | 0 | $5.01 | $2.29 |
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (69% 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
Bend, OR
Late night in Bend on Tuesday
Local time
1:49 AM
PDT
Current temp
36°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
36°F
Redmond, OR
18 mi in
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
26 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
52m 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?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive that demands your full attention rather than a monotonous interstate cruise. With only 5% of the total distance spent on highways, the vast majority of your time will be spent navigating local roads. Your longest uninterrupted stretch occurs early on, covering 11.3 miles along the Ochoco Highway. As you transition between these secondary routes, the character of the drive shifts, requiring you to stay alert for changes in road geometry. This is an engaging, hands-on driving experience that rewards those who enjoy navigating winding local paths.
Only 5% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
25 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 11.3 mi on Ochoco Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near US 26 / Northeast 3rd Street.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 52m drive. You will face about 10 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (US 26 / Northeast 3rd Street): Navigation decision point; at 3.7 miles (OR 126 / Ochoco Highway): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 12.7 miles (Southwest Powell Butte Highway): Navigation decision point.
About the Cities
Starting in Prineville, OR
Full guide →Prineville is a city in Oregon. It is the county seat of Crook County.
Arriving in Bend, OR
Full guide →Bend is the county seat of Deschutes County in Central Oregon.
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 52m. Total distance: 35.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
52m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (5%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 11.3 miles on Ochoco Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 0.2 miles (US 26 / Northeast 3rd Street): Navigation decision point; at 3.7 miles (OR 126 / Ochoco Highway): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 12.7 miles (Southwest Powell Butte Highway): Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Bend, OR 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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