Origin
Tacoma, WA
Late night in Tacoma on Sunday
Local time
12:35 AM
PDT
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Tacoma, WA to Black Diamond, WA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
43m
Distance
26.9 mi
43 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 40m
★
6 AM
0h 44m
8 AM
0h 51m
10 AM
0h 46m
12 PM
0h 46m
3 PM
0h 47m
5 PM
0h 51m
8 PM
0h 42m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Black Diamond, WA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This straightforward 26.9-mile drive from Tacoma to Black Diamond, Washington, is easily manageable in about 43 minutes, making it a perfect day trip. Expect a modest fuel cost of around $6 for this journey within the Pacific Coast region. The route primarily utilizes major highways, offering a convenient way to get from point A to point B without extensive planning. Given its short distance and duration, you won't need to consider an overnight stop; it's a simple point-to-point excursion. This drive offers a practical transition between these two Washington communities.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 5 | 7.7 mi | 9m |
| State Route 18 | 5.8 mi | 7m |
| Southeast Auburn-Black Diamond Road | 5.1 mi | 8m |
| Southeast Auburn Black Diamond Road | 3.6 mi | 6m |
| I 705 | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Morgan Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Roberts Drive | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| 192nd Avenue Southeast | 0.4 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 5
— 7.7 mi, about 9m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Tacoma, WA and Black Diamond, WA.
1
Start on South 11th Street
0.1 mi
·
29 sec
·
South 11th Street
2
Turn right onto Market Street
0.1 mi
·
31 sec
·
Market Street
3
Turn left onto South 13th Street
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
·
South 13th Street
4
Turn right onto I 705 SB Ramp
213 ft
·
11 sec
·
I 705 SB Ramp
5
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
Toward Port of Tacoma
6
Merge onto I 705
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
I 705
7
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
Toward I 5 North: Seattle
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
Toward I 5 North: Seattle
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
9
Merge onto I 5
7.7 mi
·
9 min
·
I 5
Use the slight right lane.
10
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Exit 142A
Toward WA 18 East: Auburn, Muckleshoot Reservation
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Merge onto WA 18
5.8 mi
·
7 min
·
State Route 18
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
53 sec
Toward Auburn - Black Diamond Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Turn right onto Southeast Auburn Black Diamond Road
0.3 mi
·
30 sec
·
Southeast Auburn Black Diamond Road
Use the right lane.
14
Continue on Southeast Auburn-Black Diamond Road
4.6 mi
·
8 min
·
Southeast Auburn-Black Diamond Road
15
Keep slight right at fork onto Southeast Auburn Black Diamond Road
160 ft
·
3 sec
·
Southeast Auburn Black Diamond Road
16
Turn slight right onto Southeast Auburn-Black Diamond Road
0.5 mi
·
50 sec
·
Southeast Auburn-Black Diamond Road
17
Continue on 192nd Avenue Southeast
0.4 mi
·
44 sec
·
192nd Avenue Southeast
18
Continue on Southeast Auburn Black Diamond Road
3.0 mi
·
5 min
·
Southeast Auburn Black Diamond Road
19
Enter roundabout onto Southeast Auburn Black Diamond Road
79 ft
·
2 sec
·
Southeast Auburn Black Diamond Road
20
Continue on Southeast Auburn Black Diamond Road
0.2 mi
·
41 sec
·
Southeast Auburn Black Diamond Road
21
Enter roundabout onto Southeast Auburn Black Diamond Road
119 ft
·
4 sec
·
Southeast Auburn Black Diamond Road
22
Continue on Southeast Auburn Black Diamond Road
450 ft
·
15 sec
·
Southeast Auburn Black Diamond Road
23
Continue on Roberts Drive
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Roberts Drive
24
Turn right onto Cemetery Road
0.1 mi
·
23 sec
·
Cemetery Road
25
Turn right onto Morgan Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Morgan Street
26
Turn left onto Baker Street
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
Baker Street
27
At end of road, turn right onto WA 169
282 ft
·
11 sec
·
3rd Avenue
28
Turn left onto Lawson Street
59 ft
·
2 sec
·
Lawson Street
29
Arrive at destination
Lawson Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 195 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 16 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Market Street
Turn right onto Market Street
Navigation decision point
7
1.5 mi into trip
|
~3m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 5 North: Seattle
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 5 North: Seattle
7
1.8 mi into trip
|
~3m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 5 North: Seattle
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward I 5 North: Seattle
8
9.8 mi into trip
|
~14m in
Take the exit toward WA 18 East: Auburn, Muckleshoot Reservation
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 142A
Toward WA 18 East: Auburn, Muckleshoot Reservat...
6
16 mi into trip
|
~22m in
Take the exit toward Auburn - Black Diamond Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward Auburn - Black Diamond Road
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.63 one way
$11.26 round trip
$5.32/gal
25.4 MPG avg
9 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.58 | $5.90 | $11.81 |
| premium | $5.77 | $6.11 | $12.22 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.94 | $11.88 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 9.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8.1 | 0 | $2.82 | $1.29 |
| Efficient EV | 6.7 | 0 | $2.35 | $1.08 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 10.8 | 0 | $3.77 | $1.72 |
Gas CO2
9 kg
EV CO2
3 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
Black Diamond, WA
Late night in Black Diamond on Sunday
Local time
12:35 AM
PDT
Current temp
66°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
7 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
43m 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 features a mixed drive, with 53% of the journey on highways. You'll encounter a 7.7-mile stretch on I-5, which provides a good opportunity for consistent speed. After that, the route transitions to State Route 18 and then Southeast Auburn-Black Diamond Road, offering a change of pace from the interstate. The road character shifts from faster highway driving to more localized roads as you approach your destination. This blend means you'll experience both efficient travel and a slightly more varied driving experience.
53% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
29 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 7.7 mi on I 5.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. 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 Market Street.
Driving Effort
10/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 19 decision points packed into just 26.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 43m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Market Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 1.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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 Black Diamond, WA, road signs begin pointing toward Muckleshoot Reservation along the way.
Muckleshoot Reservation
9.8 mi in
|
~14m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 43m. Total distance: 26.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
43m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (53%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 7.7 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 Black Diamond, 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 (Market Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 1.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Black Diamond, 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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