Origin
Vancouver, WA
Late night in Vancouver on Tuesday
Local time
2:10 AM
PDT
Current temp
70°F
Unavailable
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 10m
Distance
49.8 mi
80 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Carson, WA
William Jacobs
This 49.8-mile journey from Vancouver, WA to Carson, WA is easily manageable as a day trip, taking about 1 hour and 10 minutes to complete. The drive primarily utilizes local roads like Evergreen Highway, Southeast Lewis and Clark Highway, and Lewis and Clark Highway, with a 100% highway share. Expect a fuel cost of around $10 for this relatively short excursion. The route offers a turn-heavy local drive experience, perfect for a leisurely exploration within the Pacific Coast region of Washington. With no designated stops, you have the flexibility to pause whenever you wish.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Evergreen Highway | 22.3 mi | 31m |
| Southeast Lewis and Clark Highway | 16.3 mi | 20m |
| Lewis and Clark Highway | 4.9 mi | 6m |
| Lewis and Clark Trail Highway | 2.8 mi | 4m |
| Wind River Road | 1 mi | 1m |
| I 5 | 0.7 mi | <1m |
| 2nd Street | 0.7 mi | 2m |
| East Fourth Plain Boulevard | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Vancouver, WA and Carson, WA.
Start on East Fourth Plain Boulevard
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 5
Take the exit
Continue on WA 14
Continue on WA 14
Enter roundabout onto WA 14
Continue on WA 14
Enter roundabout onto WA 14
Continue on WA 14
Continue on WA 14
Continue on WA 14
Continue on WA 14
Enter roundabout onto Wind River Road
Continue on Wind River Road
Turn right onto Hot Springs Avenue
Turn right onto 1st Street
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
25 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
A short stop after about 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 24.9 miles from Vancouver, WA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 48.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Take the ramp toward I 5 South: Portland
Navigation decision point
Take the exit toward WA 14 East: Camas
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Enter roundabout onto WA 14 / Lewis and Clark Highway
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Enter roundabout onto WA 14 / Southeast Lewis and Clark Highway
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Enter roundabout onto Wind River Road toward Carson
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Regular Gas
$10.42 one way
$20.85 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.58 | $10.93 | $21.86 |
| premium | $5.77 | $11.31 | $22.62 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.00 | $21.99 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 17.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.9 | 0 | $5.23 | $2.39 |
| Efficient EV | 12.5 | 0 | $4.36 | $1.99 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 19.9 | 0 | $6.97 | $3.19 |
Gas CO2
17 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (65% 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Late night in Vancouver on Tuesday
Local time
2:10 AM
PDT
Current temp
70°F
Unavailable
Destination
Late night in Carson on Tuesday
Local time
2:10 AM
PDT
Current temp
56°F
Unavailable
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
You'll find this route to be a turn-heavy local drive, characterized by its winding nature rather than long, straight stretches. The entire 49.8 miles are on local roads, offering a more intimate connection with the landscape. The longest uninterrupted segment you'll encounter is 22.3 miles on Evergreen Highway. This driving profile means you'll be actively navigating, making it engaging for those who enjoy a more involved road experience.
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in.
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 10m 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 0.1 miles: Navigation decision point; at 1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 17.4 miles (WA 14 / Lewis and Clark Highway): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
Founded 1825
Vancouver is a city in southwest Washington State, immediately north of the border with Oregon. The city was established around Fort Vancouver, a fur trading outpost dating back to 1824, making this one of the oldest continuously-inhabited European communities in the Pacific Northwest. Two bridges across the Columbia River connect Vancouver to the rest of the Portland Metropolitan Area.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 10m. Total distance: 49.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 10m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (1%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
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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