Origin
South Cle Elum, WA
Night in South Cle Elum on Saturday
Local time
9:27 PM
PDT
Current temp
36°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from South Cle Elum, WA to Kittitas, WA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
41m
Distance
33.8 mi
54 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Good
7 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 38m
★
6 AM
0h 41m
8 AM
0h 48m
10 AM
0h 44m
12 PM
0h 43m
3 PM
0h 44m
5 PM
0h 48m
8 PM
0h 39m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
South Cle Elum, WA
Chris F
Kittitas, WA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking for a straightforward transit between South Cle Elum and Kittitas, this 33.8-mile drive is a quick and efficient option. Lasting approximately 41 minutes, the journey is best suited as a simple day trip since it requires no overnight stops. You will primarily navigate via I-90, Main Street, and South Cle Elum Way to complete the transit. With a fuel cost of around $7, it is an economical route for travelers crossing this stretch of Washington. Because both locations are situated within the Pacific Coast region, the drive offers a consistent feel without major transitions in landscape. Expect a practical, no-frills experience that gets you from point A to point B with minimal fuss.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 90 | 30.7 mi | 32m |
| Main Street | 1 mi | 2m |
| South Cle Elum Way | 0.8 mi | 2m |
| South Oaks Avenue | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| West Railroad Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Cleman Road | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| East First Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 90
— 30.7 mi, about 32m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between South Cle Elum, WA and Kittitas, WA.
1
Start on this road
188 ft
·
18 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left onto South Cle Elum Way
0.8 mi
·
2 min
·
South Cle Elum Way
3
Turn right onto West Railroad Street
0.2 mi
·
50 sec
·
West Railroad Street
4
Turn right onto South Oaks Avenue
0.5 mi
·
53 sec
·
South Oaks Avenue
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
Toward I 90 East: Ellensburg
6
Merge onto I 90
31 mi
·
32 min
·
I 90
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
Toward Kittitas
8
Turn left onto Cleman Road
216 ft
·
4 sec
·
Cleman Road
9
Continue on Main Street
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Main Street
10
Turn right onto East First Avenue
148 ft
·
4 sec
·
East First Avenue
11
Arrive at destination
East First Avenue
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 85 decision points cluster between mile 1 and 32.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
1 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
South Oaks Avenue
Turn right onto South Oaks Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
1.5 mi into trip
|
~4m in
Take the ramp toward I 90 East: Ellensburg
Navigation decision point
Toward I 90 East: Ellensburg
5
1.8 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
I 90
Merge onto I 90
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4
32.5 mi into trip
|
~37m in
Take the exit toward Kittitas
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward Kittitas
4
32.8 mi into trip
|
~38m in
|
Cleman Road
Turn left onto Cleman Road
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.07 one way
$14.15 round trip
$5.32/gal
25.4 MPG avg
12 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.58 | $7.42 | $14.84 |
| premium | $5.77 | $7.68 | $15.35 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.46 | $14.93 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10.1 | 0 | $3.55 | $1.62 |
| Efficient EV | 8.5 | 0 | $2.96 | $1.35 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 13.5 | 0 | $4.73 | $2.16 |
Gas CO2
12 kg
EV CO2
4 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
Kittitas, WA
Night in Kittitas on Saturday
Local time
9:27 PM
PDT
Current temp
62°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
26 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
41m 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 trip is heavily highway-focused, with 91% of your time spent on main thoroughfares. You will quickly settle into a steady rhythm, as the longest uninterrupted stretch covers 30.7 miles along I-90. While local roads like Main Street and South Cle Elum Way handle the start and finish, the bulk of your journey is a fast-paced interstate experience. The transition from local streets to the highway is seamless, allowing you to maintain consistent speeds for the majority of the 41-minute duration. Prepare for a functional drive that prioritizes speed and directness over winding backroads or technical maneuvers.
91% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
11 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 30.7 mi on I 90.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 90 and Main Street. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 1 miles in near South Oaks Avenue.
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 41m drive. You will face about 8 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1 miles (South Oaks Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1.5 miles: Navigation decision point; at 1.8 miles (I 90): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 41m. Total distance: 33.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
41m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (91%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 30.7 miles on I 90. 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 1 miles (South Oaks Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1.5 miles: Navigation decision point; at 1.8 miles (I 90): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Kittitas, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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