Origin
Tacoma, WA
Late night in Tacoma on Sunday
Local time
3:04 AM
PDT
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Tacoma, WA to Bethel, WA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
35m
Distance
24.2 mi
39 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 32m
★
6 AM
0h 35m
8 AM
0h 41m
10 AM
0h 37m
12 PM
0h 37m
3 PM
0h 38m
5 PM
0h 41m
8 PM
0h 33m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Bethel, WA
cottonbro studio
Trip Overview
Tacoma to Bethel is 24.2 miles and takes about 35m via WA 16, with a fuel budget near $5 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a straightforward, short trip primarily within Washington state. You'll be on a highway for most of the journey, making it a quick connection between two points in the Pacific Coast region. Given its brief duration and minimal fuel cost, this route is ideal for a quick errand or a short scenic drive without a significant time commitment. Plan for a smooth, efficient transit.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| WA 16 | 19.4 mi | 24m |
| Bethel Burley Road Southeast | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| South 11th Street | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| Bethel Road Southeast | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| South Sprague Avenue | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Southeast Mullenix Road | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Sprague Ramp | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Southeast Cedar Road | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
WA 16
— 19.4 mi, about 24m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Tacoma, WA and Bethel, WA.
1
Start on South 11th Street
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
South 11th Street
2
Turn left onto South Sprague Avenue
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
South Sprague Avenue
3
Continue on Sprague Ramp
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
·
Sprague Ramp
4
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
5
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
Toward WA 16 West: Gig Harbor, Bremerton
6
Merge onto WA 16
19 mi
·
24 min
·
WA 16
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
49 sec
Toward Mullenix Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Turn left onto Southeast Mullenix Road
0.4 mi
·
45 sec
·
Southeast Mullenix Road
Use the straight / left lanes.
9
At end of road, turn right onto Bethel Burley Road Southeast
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Bethel Burley Road Southeast
10
Continue on Bethel Road Southeast
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Bethel Road Southeast
11
Turn right onto Southeast Cedar Road
129 ft
·
3 sec
·
Southeast Cedar Road
12
Arrive at destination
Southeast Cedar Road
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 85 decision points cluster between mile 1.7 and 22 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
1.7 mi into trip
|
~4m in
Take the exit
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
6
1.9 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Keep slight right at fork toward WA 16 West: Gig Harbor, Bremerton
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward WA 16 West: Gig Harbor, Bremerton
5
2.3 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
WA 16
Merge onto WA 16
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
21.7 mi into trip
|
~30m in
Take the exit toward Mullenix Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward Mullenix Road
6
22 mi into trip
|
~31m in
|
Southeast Mullenix Road
Turn left onto Southeast Mullenix Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.06 one way
$10.13 round trip
$5.32/gal
25.4 MPG avg
9 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.58 | $5.31 | $10.62 |
| premium | $5.77 | $5.50 | $10.99 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.34 | $10.69 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 8.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7.3 | 0 | $2.54 | $1.16 |
| Efficient EV | 6.1 | 0 | $2.12 | $0.97 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 9.7 | 0 | $3.39 | $1.55 |
Gas CO2
8 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (63% 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
Bethel, WA
Late night in Bethel on Sunday
Local time
3:04 AM
PDT
Current temp
65°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
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
35m 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 drive is predominantly highway-focused, with 80% of the route utilizing major roads. You'll spend the bulk of your time on WA 16, which offers a consistent, faster pace for a stretch of 19.4 miles. The remaining segments will transition to local roads like Bethel Burley Road Southeast and South 11th Street, which may offer a slightly different driving experience as you approach your destination. Expect a mostly uninterrupted flow, characteristic of a highway-centric journey.
80% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 19.4 mi on WA 16.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on WA 16 and Bethel Burley Road Southeast. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 1.7 miles in.
Driving Effort
6/10
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 24.2 miles you will encounter 8 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 1.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 1.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.3 miles (WA 16): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
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 Tacoma, WA to Bethel, WA, road signs begin pointing toward Bremerton along the way.
Bremerton
1.9 mi in
|
~5m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 35m. Total distance: 24.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
35m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (80%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 19.4 miles on WA 16. 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 Bethel, 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 1.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 1.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.3 miles (WA 16): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
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 Bethel, 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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