Origin
Seattle, WA
Night in Seattle on Saturday
Local time
9:19 PM
PDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Seattle, WA to Yelm, 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 28m
Distance
62.5 mi
101 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$13
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 22m
★
6 AM
1h 29m
8 AM
1h 42m
10 AM
1h 33m
12 PM
1h 32m
3 PM
1h 34m
5 PM
1h 41m
8 PM
1h 24m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Seattle, WA
Wikimedia Commons
Yelm, WA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 62.5-mile drive from Seattle to Yelm, Washington, is easily manageable in about 1 hour and 28 minutes, making it a perfect day trip. The route is primarily highway-focused, with a significant 79% share on major roads like I-5. You can expect to spend around $13 on fuel for this journey. Since there are no designated stops in the data, this trip offers flexibility for spontaneous breaks. Both your origin and destination are within the Pacific Coast region, so expect familiar Pacific Northwest scenery throughout.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 5 | 48.1 mi | 1h |
| 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 |
| West Yelm Avenue | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Killion Road Southeast | 0.6 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
I 5
— 48.1 mi, about 1h
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Seattle, WA and Yelm, WA.
1
Start on this road
31 ft
·
7 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left onto Madison Street
204 ft
·
11 sec
·
Madison Street
3
Turn right onto 4th Avenue
308 ft
·
14 sec
·
4th Avenue
4
Turn right onto Spring Street
0.1 mi
·
26 sec
·
Spring Street
Use the right lane.
5
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
Toward I 5 South: Portland
6
Continue on I 5
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
I 5
Use the left lane.
7
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5
147 ft
·
2 sec
·
I 5
Toward I 90 East, I 5 South: Bellevue, Portland
8
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
0.1 mi
·
8 sec
·
I 5
Toward I 5 South: Tacoma, Portland
9
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5
305 ft
·
4 sec
·
I 5
Toward Airport Way
10
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5
30 mi
·
38 min
·
I 5
Toward I 5 South: Sea-Tac Airport
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
17 mi
·
21 min
·
I 5
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Exit 116
Toward Mounts Road, Old Nisqually
Use the slight right lane.
13
Turn left onto Mounts Road Southwest
210 ft
·
7 sec
·
Mounts Road Southwest
14
Continue on Nisqually Road Southwest
2.1 mi
·
4 min
·
Nisqually Road Southwest
15
Continue on Old Pacific Highway Southeast
1.7 mi
·
3 min
·
Old Pacific Highway Southeast
16
Turn left onto Reservation Road Southeast
2.7 mi
·
4 min
·
Reservation Road Southeast
17
Enter roundabout onto WA 510
198 ft
·
3 sec
·
Saint Clair Cutoff Road Southeast
18
Continue on WA 510
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
·
Saint Clair Cutoff Road Southeast
19
Enter roundabout onto WA 510
115 ft
·
2 sec
·
Yelm Highway Southeast
20
Continue on WA 510
4.2 mi
·
7 min
·
Yelm Highway Southeast
21
Continue on Yelm Highway Southeast
399 ft
·
9 sec
·
Yelm Highway Southeast
22
Enter roundabout onto WA 510 Alternate
115 ft
·
1 sec
·
WA 510 Alternate
23
Continue on WA 510 Alternate
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
WA 510 Alternate
24
Turn right onto Killion Road Southeast
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Killion Road Southeast
25
Turn left onto WA 510
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
West Yelm Avenue
26
Turn left onto North 1st Street
164 ft
·
5 sec
·
North 1st Street
27
Turn right
54 ft
·
4 sec
28
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
31 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 14 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 31.2 miles from Seattle, 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 195 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 48.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Spring Street
Turn right onto Spring Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
6
1 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
I 5
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5 toward I 90 East, I 5 South: Bellevue, Portland
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 90 East, I 5 South: Bellevue, Portland
7
1.1 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
I 5
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 toward I 5 South: Tacoma, Portland
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 5 South: Tacoma, Portland
7
1.2 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
I 5
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5 toward I 5 South: Sea-Tac Airport
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 5 South: Sea-Tac Airport
8
48.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 1m in
Take the exit toward Mounts Road, Old Nisqually
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 116
Toward Mounts Road, Old Nisqually
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$13.08 one way
$26.16 round trip
$5.32/gal
25.4 MPG avg
22 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.58 | $13.72 | $27.44 |
| premium | $5.77 | $14.19 | $28.39 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $13.80 | $27.60 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$13
Estimated CO2 emission: 21.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 18.8 | 0 | $6.56 | $3.00 |
| Efficient EV | 15.6 | 0 | $5.47 | $2.50 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 25 | 0 | $8.75 | $4.00 |
Gas CO2
22 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (68% 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
Yelm, WA
Night in Yelm on Saturday
Local time
9:19 PM
PDT
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
46°F
Lakewood, WA
31 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
10 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 28m 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 drive begins with a substantial 48.1-mile stretch on I-5, setting a highway-focused tone for the majority of your journey. As you progress, the route transitions to Yelm Highway Southeast and then Reservation Road Southeast. While 79% of the drive is on highways, this suggests a mix of faster travel and potentially more local road segments as you approach Yelm. Expect a driving experience that balances efficient travel on main arteries with a more grounded feel on the latter parts of the route.
79% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
28 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 48.1 mi on I 5.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 5 and Yelm Highway Southeast. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Spring Street.
Driving Effort
8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 62.5 miles you will encounter 19 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 0.1 miles (Spring Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 1 miles (I 5): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.1 miles (I 5): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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 Seattle, WA to Yelm, WA, road signs begin pointing toward Old Nisqually along the way.
Old Nisqually
48.6 mi in
|
~1h 1m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 28m. Total distance: 62.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 28m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (79%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 48.1 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 Yelm, 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 0.1 miles (Spring Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 1 miles (I 5): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.1 miles (I 5): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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 Yelm, 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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