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Trip from Scio, OR to Bend, OR

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

2h 53m

Distance

125.6 mi

202 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$25

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 34 min
4 AM
2h 42m ★
6 AM
2h 53m
8 AM
3h 16m
10 AM
3h 1m
12 PM
2h 59m
3 PM
3h 2m
5 PM
3h 14m
8 PM
2h 47m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Downtown Scio, OR, OR

Scio, OR

cnrdmroglu

Downtown Bend, OR, OR

Bend, OR

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

This 125.6-mile drive from Scio, Oregon, to Bend, Oregon, will take you approximately 2 hours and 53 minutes. It's a manageable one-day trip, so you won't need to worry about booking an overnight stay. You'll primarily be on North Santiam Highway and US 20, with a small portion on Stayton Scio Road Southeast. The estimated fuel cost for this journey is around $25. Expect a route with plenty of turns, making it a more engaging local drive than a straightforward interstate cruise. Both your origin and destination are within the Pacific Coast region, so you'll be exploring within the same general geographic area of Oregon.

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

62.8 miles from Scio, OR

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 24m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
North Santiam Highway 91.3 mi 2h 3m
US 20 15 mi 18m
Stayton Scio Road Southeast 4.2 mi 6m
McKenzie-Bend Highway 4 mi 5m
Stayton Scio Road 3.2 mi 4m
Bend Parkway 1.8 mi 3m
South First Avenue 1 mi 1m
Fern Ridge Road Southeast 0.9 mi 1m
Longest stretch: North Santiam Highway — 91.3 mi, about 2h 3m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Scio, OR and Bend, OR.

1

Start on Northwest 1st Avenue

84 ft · 7 sec · Northwest 1st Avenue
2

Turn left onto North Main Street

0.2 mi · 21 sec · North Main Street
3

Turn right onto Northeast 4th Avenue

435 ft · 7 sec · Northeast 4th Avenue
4

Turn straight onto Stayton Scio Road

3.2 mi · 4 min · Stayton Scio Road
5

Continue on Stayton Scio Road Southeast

0.4 mi · 38 sec · Stayton Scio Road Southeast
6

Continue on Stayton Scio Road Southeast

3.7 mi · 5 min · Stayton Scio Road Southeast
7

Continue on CR 66

0.3 mi · 38 sec · South 1st Avenue
8

Continue on CR 66

1.0 mi · 1 min · South First Avenue
9

Turn right onto Fern Ridge Road Southeast

0.9 mi · 1 min · Fern Ridge Road Southeast
10

Turn right onto OR 22

15 mi · 17 min · North Santiam Highway
11

Continue on OR 22

0.6 mi · 43 sec · Northwest Santiam Boulevard
12

Continue on OR 22

0.5 mi · 33 sec · Northeast Santiam Boulevard
13

Continue on OR 22

76 mi · 1 hr 45 min · North Santiam Highway
14

Enter roundabout onto West Barclay Drive

226 ft · 3 sec · West Barclay Drive
15

Continue on West Barclay Drive

0.8 mi · 1 min · West Barclay Drive
16

At end of road, turn right onto North Locust Street

0.5 mi · 51 sec · North Locust Street
17

Enter roundabout onto US 20; OR 126

248 ft · 3 sec · US 20; OR 126
18

Continue on US 20; OR 126

15 mi · 18 min · US 20; OR 126
19

Enter roundabout onto US 20

133 ft · 1 sec · McKenzie-Bend Highway
20

Continue on US 20

2.0 mi · 3 min · McKenzie-Bend Highway
21

Enter roundabout onto US 20

127 ft · 1 sec · McKenzie-Bend Highway
22

Continue on US 20

0.7 mi · 1 min · McKenzie-Bend Highway
23

Enter roundabout onto US 20

130 ft · 1 sec · McKenzie-Bend Highway
24

Continue on US 20

0.4 mi · 36 sec · McKenzie-Bend Highway
25

Enter roundabout onto US 20

118 ft · 1 sec · McKenzie-Bend Highway
26

Continue on US 20

0.8 mi · 57 sec · McKenzie-Bend Highway
27

Turn straight onto US 20; US 97 Business

439 ft · 13 sec · Northeast 3rd Street
28

Turn left onto Empire Avenue

0.2 mi · 20 sec · Empire Avenue
29

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 32 sec
30

Merge onto US 97

1.8 mi · 3 min · Bend Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
31

Turn right onto Northwest Lafayette Avenue

0.2 mi · 45 sec · Northwest Lafayette Avenue
32

At end of road, turn left onto Northwest Wall Street

0.4 mi · 1 min · Northwest Wall Street
33

Turn right onto Northwest Franklin Avenue

54 ft · 2 sec · Northwest Franklin Avenue
34

Arrive at destination

Northwest Franklin Avenue

Trip Plan

With a duration of under three hours, this drive is perfect for a single day, offering flexibility in your departure time. Consider leaving earlier in the morning to take advantage of fewer vehicles on the road, especially on the North Santiam Highway. Plan for one stop along the way, perhaps to stretch your legs or grab a quick bite, to break up the 91.3-mile longest stretch. Keep an eye on your fuel, as the estimated cost is $25, and ensure you have enough to reach Bend, as services might be more spread out on certain segments of US 20.

Morning Departure

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.

Evening Departure

Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 62.8 miles from Scio, OR, or about 1h 24m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 91.3 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 28 miles or 36m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 62.8 miles or 1h 24m 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 21m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Bend, OR than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Scio, OR 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 Scio, OR

This is one driving day of about 125.6 miles and 2h 53m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 28 miles from Scio, OR.
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 North Santiam Highway for about 91.3 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Downtown Mill City, OR, OR

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Mill City, OR

63 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

Sublimity, OR

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 28 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Mill City, OR

Meal break

The midpoint is around 62.8 miles from Scio, OR, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before North Santiam Highway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 91.3 miles.

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 17

5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 123 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

5
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | North Main Street

Turn left onto North Main Street

Navigation decision point

5
0.2 mi into trip | ~0m in | Northeast 4th Avenue

Turn right onto Northeast 4th Avenue

Navigation decision point

5
103.7 mi into trip | ~2h 22m in | US 20; OR 126

Enter roundabout onto US 20; OR 126

Roundabout - know your exit number before entering

5
122.8 mi into trip | ~2h 47m in | Empire Avenue

Turn left onto Empire Avenue

Navigation decision point

5
123 mi into trip | ~2h 47m in

Take the exit

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$25.02 one way

$50.04 round trip

$5.06/gal 25.4 MPG avg 44 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $5.36 $26.48 $52.96
premium $5.59 $27.65 $55.29
diesel $5.61 $27.73 $55.46

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$25

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$50–$75

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 43.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $13 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 37.7 0 $13.19 $6.03
Efficient EV 31.4 0 $10.99 $5.02
EV Truck/SUV 50.2 0 $17.58 $8.04

Gas CO2

44 kg

EV CO2

15 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 20, 2026

Origin

Scio, OR

Morning in Scio on Tuesday

Local time

10:27 AM

PDT

Current temp

43°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Bend, OR

Morning in Bend on Tuesday

Local time

10:27 AM

PDT

Current temp

36°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

7 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

2h 53m 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?

The personality of this route is best described as a turn-heavy local drive. While only 13% of the journey is on highways, you'll experience a significant uninterrupted stretch of 91.3 miles along the North Santiam Highway. This suggests a significant portion of the drive will be on more winding, potentially scenic, two-lane roads rather than high-speed freeways. The road will likely change character as you move from more local roads near Scio to the longer stretches on the highway, eventually leading you toward Bend.

Only 13% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
34 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 91.3 mi on North Santiam Highway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

3/10

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 early in the drive near North Main Street.

Driving Effort 3/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a straightforward 2h 53m drive. You will face about 17 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: near the start (North Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (Northeast 4th Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 103.7 miles (US 20; OR 126): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.

About the Cities

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 2h 53m. Total distance: 125.6 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

2h 53m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (13%). Straightforward navigation.

Scenic Drive

Mostly surface roads route profile.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 91.3 miles on North Santiam Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

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: near the start (North Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (Northeast 4th Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 103.7 miles (US 20; OR 126): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.

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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