Spokane Valley, WA to Zillah, WA is 206.3 miles and takes about 3h 47m via Thomas S. Foley Memorial Highway and I 90, with a fuel budget near $44 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This one-day trip stays within Washington state, beginning in the Pacific Coast region and ending in the same region. You'll primarily be on highways for this drive, making it a straightforward transit between two points. Given the relatively short duration, it's a manageable trip for a single day.
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
103.1 miles from Spokane Valley, WA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 53m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Thomas S. Foley Memorial Highway
73.7 mi
1h 19m
I 90
56.6 mi
1h
US 12
48.3 mi
51m
I 182
11.8 mi
12m
Spokane Valley Freeway
11.3 mi
14m
Lewis and Clark Trail
1.9 mi
2m
1st Avenue
1.2 mi
2m
US 395
0.6 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
Thomas S. Foley Memorial Highway
— 73.7 mi, about 1h 19m
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 Zillah, 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 left at fork onto I 182; US 12
12 mi·12 min·I 182; US 12
Toward I 182, US 12Use the straight lane.
10
Keep slight right at fork onto US 12
48 mi·51 min·US 12
Toward I 82 West, US 12 West: Prosser, Yakima
11
Take the exit
0.4 mi·52 sec
Toward Division Road – Zillah
12
Turn right onto Yakima Valley Highway
275 ft·11 sec·Yakima Valley Highway
13
Turn left onto 1st Avenue
1.2 mi·2 min·1st Avenue
14
Arrive at destination
1st Avenue
Trip Plan
For this 3h 47m drive, leaving in the morning will give you plenty of time to reach Zillah before evening. With only one recommended stop, you have flexibility to take breaks as needed. Keep an eye on your fuel, especially since the estimated cost is $44, and plan your fill-ups accordingly. Since the longest stretch is 73.7 miles, consider refueling before you begin this segment to avoid any concerns. This route is perfectly suited for a single-day excursion.
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 103.1 miles from Spokane Valley, WA, or about 1h 53m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 73.7 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 45 miles or 51m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 103.1 miles or 1h 53m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 5m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Zillah, 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 206.3 miles and 3h 47m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 45 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 Thomas S. Foley Memorial Highway for about 73.7 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 11
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 156.3 — 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...
8
144.5 mi into trip|~2h 39m in|I 182; US 12
Keep slight left at fork onto I 182; US 12 toward I 182, US 12
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight lane.
Toward I 182, US 12
6
156.3 mi into trip|~2h 51m in|US 12
Keep slight right at fork onto US 12 toward I 82 West, US 12 West: Prosser, Yakima
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 82 West, US 12 West: Prosser, Yakima
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$45.71 one way
$91.42 round trip
$5.63/gal25.4 MPG avg72 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$5.91
$47.96
$95.92
premium
$6.08
$49.38
$98.76
diesel
$5.35
$43.45
$86.91
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$46
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$71–$96
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 72.2 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $22 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
61.9
0
$21.66
$9.90
Efficient EV
51.6
0
$18.05
$8.25
EV Truck/SUV
82.5
1
$28.88
$13.20
Gas CO2
72 kg
EV CO2
24 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.
Forecast as of May 25, 2026
Origin
Spokane Valley, WA
Afternoon
in Spokane Valley on Wednesday
Local time
2:51 PM
PDT
Current temp
51°F
Mostly Clear
SE 5 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued May 24 at 9:06PM PDT until May 25 at 11:00PM PDT by NWS Pendleton OR
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued May 24 at 11:37AM PDT by NWS Spokane WA
Destination
Zillah, WA
Afternoon
in Zillah on Wednesday
Local time
2:51 PM
PDT
Current temp
51°F
Mostly Clear
S 3 to 8 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued May 24 at 9:06PM PDT until May 25 at 11:00PM PDT by NWS Pendleton OR
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued May 24 at 11:37AM PDT by NWS Spokane WA
48°F
Hatton, WA
103 mi in
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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
3h 47m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
You'll spend about 62% of this 206.3-mile drive on highways. The longest continuous stretch on a highway is 73.7 miles on Thomas S. Foley Memorial Highway. After this, you'll transition to other primary roads like I 90 and US 12. Expect mostly highway cruising with some transitions as you change interstates and highways.
62% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 73.7 mi on Thomas S. Foley Memorial Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Thomas S. Foley Memorial Highway and I 90. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near East Montgomery Avenue.
Driving Effort7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 11 significant decision points across 206.3 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
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
2,386 ft487 ft
Total Climb
700 ft
Total Descent
1,899 ft
Highest Point
2,386 ft
~14.7 mi in
Elevation Range
1,899 ft
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 Zillah, WA, road signs point toward Ritzville, Pasco, Pendleton and Yakima.
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.
Zillah is a town in the Yakima Valley, on the Columbia River Plateau of Washington State. It sports two quirky attractions: the unfortunately-named Church of God-Zillah and the Teapot Dome Gas Station.
Top landmarks
•Teapot Dome Service Station — service station shaped like a teapot
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 47m. Total distance: 206.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 47m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 73.7 miles on Thomas S. Foley Memorial Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 11 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 Zillah, 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 11 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.
Possible but tiring. At 3.8 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 7.6 hours — manageable with a long break at Zillah, WA, but most travelers stay overnight.
