Spokane Valley, WA to Dallesport, WA is 278.7 miles and takes about 5h 12m via Columbia River Highway and I 90, with a fuel budget near $58 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Washington, moving from the Pacific Coast region to the same region. Expect a drive with a significant portion on surface roads, offering a more relaxed pace than a pure interstate cruise. With just one recommended stop and a manageable distance, this route is well-suited for a single-day adventure.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
139.4 miles from Spokane Valley, WA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 32m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Columbia River Highway
80.6 mi
1h 26m
Thomas S. Foley Memorial Highway
73.7 mi
1h 19m
I 90
56.6 mi
1h
Lewis and Clark Trail Highway
33.4 mi
37m
Spokane Valley Freeway
11.3 mi
14m
Old Oregon Trail Highway
11.3 mi
12m
Lewis and Clark Trail
5.7 mi
7m
Dallesport Road
2 mi
4m
Longest stretch:
Columbia River Highway
— 80.6 mi, about 1h 26m
Traffic on I-90
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 24 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~2,143 veh/hr typical
· worst 2,569
Quietest
2 AM
~132 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
16.2×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 52 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Spokane Valley, WA and Dallesport, WA.
1
Start on WA 27
0.2 mi·27 sec·North Pines Road
Use the left lane.
2
Turn left onto East Montgomery Avenue
155 ft·6 sec·East Montgomery Avenue
Use the left lane.
3
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·42 sec
4
Merge onto I 90
11 mi·14 min·Spokane Valley Freeway
5
Keep slight left at fork onto I 90; US 395
57 mi·1 hr·I 90; US 395
6
Keep slight right at fork onto US 395
74 mi·1 hr 19 min·Thomas S. Foley Memorial Highway
Toward Ritzville, Pasco
7
Take the exit onto US 395
0.6 mi·1 min·US 395
Toward I 182 West, US 395 South: Richland, Pendleton
8
Merge onto I 182; US 12; US 395
1.9 mi·2 min·Lewis and Clark Trail
9
Keep slight right at fork onto US 395
3.8 mi·5 min·Lewis and Clark Trail
Toward US 395: Kennewick, Pendleton, Columbia Basin College, Tri Cities Airport
10
Continue on US 395
1.1 mi·2 min·North US 395
11
Continue on US 395
33 mi·37 min·Lewis and Clark Trail Highway
12
Keep slight right at fork
0.6 mi·1 min
Toward I 84 West: Portland
13
Merge onto I 84; US 30
11 mi·12 min·Old Oregon Trail Highway
14
Continue on I 84; US 30
81 mi·1 hr 26 min·Columbia River Highway
15
Take the exit onto US 30
0.2 mi·35 sec·US 30
Toward US 30, US 197: Dufur, Bend
16
Turn right onto US 197
1.0 mi·1 min·The Dalles-California Highway
17
Turn left onto Dallesport Road
2.0 mi·4 min·Dallesport Road
18
Turn left onto 6th Avenue
0.2 mi·52 sec·6th Avenue
19
Arrive at destination
6th Avenue
Trip Plan
For this 5h 12m drive, leaving Spokane Valley in the morning will give you ample daylight to reach Dallesport. While the route is feasible in one day, the 80.6-mile stretch on the Columbia River Highway might be a good point to plan a brief pause if needed. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, as the $58 estimated cost suggests a need for at least one fill-up, especially since you'll be spending a good portion of the drive on surface roads. The single recommended stop means you have flexibility to take breaks as you see fit.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 139.4 miles from Spokane Valley, WA, or about 2h 32m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 80.6 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 61 miles or 1h 8m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 139.4 miles or 2h 32m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 14m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Dallesport, WA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Spokane Valley, WA 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 Spokane Valley, WA
This is one driving day of about 278.7 miles and 5h 12m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 61 miles from Spokane Valley, WA.
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 Columbia River Highway for about 80.6 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 13
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 182.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
0.2 mi into trip|~0m in|East Montgomery Avenue
Turn left onto East Montgomery Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
68.4 mi into trip|~1h 16m in|US 395 / Thomas S. Foley Memorial Highway
Keep slight right at fork onto US 395 / Thomas S. Foley Memorial Highway toward Ritzville, Pasco
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward Ritzville, Pasco
5
142.1 mi into trip|~2h 35m in|US 395
Take the exit onto US 395 toward I 182 West, US 395 South: Richland, Pendleton
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 182 West, US 395 South: Richland, Pend...
6
144.5 mi into trip|~2h 39m in|US 395 / Lewis and Clark Trail
Keep slight right at fork onto US 395 / Lewis and Clark Trail toward US 395: Kennewick, Pendleton, Columbia Basin College, Tri Cities Airport
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 395: Kennewick, Pendleton, Columbia B...
5
182.8 mi into trip|~3h 24m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 84 West: Portland
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I 84 West: Portland
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$61.75 one way
$123.51 round trip
$5.63/gal25.4 MPG avg98 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$5.91
$64.79
$129.58
premium
$6.08
$66.71
$133.42
diesel
$5.35
$58.70
$117.41
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$62
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$87–$112
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 97.5 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $29 in charging
· 1 stop
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
83.6
1
$29.26
$13.38
Efficient EV
69.7
0
$24.39
$11.15
EV Truck/SUV
111.5
1
$39.02
$17.84
Gas CO2
98 kg
EV CO2
33 kg (66% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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 May 31, 2026
Origin
Spokane Valley, WA
Afternoon
in Spokane Valley on Wednesday
Local time
2:55 PM
PDT
Current temp
70°F
Partly Sunny
W 6 mph4% chanceLive forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued May 31 at 8:44AM PDT by NWS Spokane WA
Destination
Dallesport, WA
Afternoon
in Dallesport on Wednesday
Local time
2:55 PM
PDT
Current temp
76°F
Sunny
NW 13 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued May 31 at 8:44AM PDT by NWS Spokane WA
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
6 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
5h 12m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
About 25% of this 278.7-mile route is on highways like I 90. The longest stretch on surface roads, the Columbia River Highway, covers 80.6 miles. After leaving the interstate system, you'll encounter more frequent changes in speed limits and road conditions as you transition to surface roads. This shift means you'll notice more local traffic and varied terrain as you get closer to Dallesport.
Only 25% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 80.6 mi on Columbia River Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 13 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near East Montgomery Avenue.
Driving Effort6/10
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 278.7 miles you will encounter 13 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 0.2 miles (East Montgomery Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 68.4 miles (US 395 / Thomas S. Foley Memorial Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 142.1 miles (US 395): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
2,405 ft180 ft
Total Climb
1,505 ft
Total Descent
3,306 ft
Highest Point
2,405 ft
~19.9 mi in
Elevation Range
2,225 ft
Notable High Points
1,500 ft at ~159.3 miles+944 ft prominence
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Spokane Valley, WA and Dallesport, WA, road signs point toward Ritzville, Pasco, Pendleton, Columbia Basin College and Tri Cities Airport.
Spokane is the second-largest city in Washington State, and the largest between Seattle and Minneapolis. It is the economic hub of the "Inland Empire", a name used for Eastern Washington and the Idaho Panhandle (pre-dating by nearly a century the use of the same title by a region in Southern California). It is at the north edge of the Palouse, where gently rolling hills of wheat fields end at the Spokane River valley.
This article also includes the suburbs of Liberty Lake and Spokane Valley.
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 12m. Total distance: 278.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 12m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 80.6 miles on Columbia River Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 16 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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 Dallesport, WA before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. There are 16 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (East Montgomery Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 68.4 miles (US 395 / Thomas S. Foley Memorial Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 142.1 miles (US 395): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Not recommended in a single day. At 5.2 hours each way, a round trip means 10.4 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Dallesport, WA before the return drive.
