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Trip from Vancouver, WA to Carson, WA

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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

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 17 min
4 AM
1h 5m ★
6 AM
1h 10m
8 AM
1h 22m
10 AM
1h 14m
12 PM
1h 13m
3 PM
1h 15m
5 PM
1h 21m
8 PM
1h 7m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Downtown Carson, WA, WA

Carson, WA

William Jacobs

Trip Overview

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.

Main Roads

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
Longest stretch: Evergreen Highway — 22.3 mi, about 31m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Vancouver, WA and Carson, WA.

1

Start on East Fourth Plain Boulevard

329 ft · 9 sec · East Fourth Plain Boulevard
2

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 57 sec
Toward I 5 South: Portland
3

Merge onto I 5

0.7 mi · 55 sec · I 5
4

Take the exit

0.7 mi · 1 min
Exit 1A Toward WA 14 East: Camas Use the slight right lane.
5

Continue on WA 14

12 mi · 14 min · Southeast Lewis and Clark Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6

Continue on WA 14

3.9 mi · 5 min · Lewis and Clark Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7

Enter roundabout onto WA 14

85 ft · 1 sec · Lewis and Clark Highway
8

Continue on WA 14

0.9 mi · 1 min · Lewis and Clark Highway
9

Enter roundabout onto WA 14

102 ft · 1 sec · Southeast Lewis and Clark Highway
10

Continue on WA 14

4.5 mi · 6 min · Southeast Lewis and Clark Highway
11

Continue on WA 14

22 mi · 31 min · Evergreen Highway
Use the straight lane.
12

Continue on WA 14

0.7 mi · 2 min · 2nd Street
Use the straight lane.
13

Continue on WA 14

2.8 mi · 4 min · Lewis and Clark Trail Highway
14

Enter roundabout onto Wind River Road

196 ft · 8 sec · Wind River Road
Toward Carson
15

Continue on Wind River Road

1.0 mi · 1 min · Wind River Road
Toward Carson
16

Turn right onto Hot Springs Avenue

270 ft · 9 sec · Hot Springs Avenue
17

Turn right onto 1st Street

196 ft · 8 sec · 1st Street
18

Arrive at destination

1st Street

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

city in Washington State, USA

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Washougal, WA

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.

Pacing Suggestions

Mill Plain, WA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Washougal, WA

Meal break

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.

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 8

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.

4
0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in

Take the ramp toward I 5 South: Portland

Navigation decision point

Toward I 5 South: Portland
7
1 mi into trip | ~2m in

Take the exit toward WA 14 East: Camas

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Exit 1A Toward WA 14 East: Camas
4
17.4 mi into trip | ~23m in | WA 14 / Lewis and Clark Highway

Enter roundabout onto WA 14 / Lewis and Clark Highway

Roundabout - know your exit number before entering

4
18.4 mi into trip | ~24m in | WA 14 / Southeast Lewis and Clark Highway

Enter roundabout onto WA 14 / Southeast Lewis and Clark Highway

Roundabout - know your exit number before entering

5
48.7 mi into trip | ~1h 8m in | Wind River Road

Enter roundabout onto Wind River Road toward Carson

Roundabout - know your exit number before entering

Toward Carson

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$10.42 one way

$20.85 round trip

$5.32/gal 25.4 MPG avg 17 kg CO2
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.

Travel Intel

Current conditions at both ends of the drive.

Forecast as of Apr 20, 2026

Origin

Vancouver, WA

Late night in Vancouver on Tuesday

Local time

2:10 AM

PDT

Current temp

70°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Carson, WA

Late night in Carson on Tuesday

Local time

2:10 AM

PDT

Current temp

56°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

14 degrees cooler at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

1h 10m 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?

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.

Only 1% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 22.3 mi on Evergreen Highway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

3/10

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.

Driving Effort 3/10

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.

About the Cities

Starting in Vancouver, WA

Full guide →

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

  • Fort Vancouver National Historic Site — National Historic Site of the United States in Washington (state)
  • Interstate Bridge — highway bridge in Oregon and Washington, USA
  • Kiggins Theatre — single-screen theatre located in downtown Vancouver, WA

City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).

Who Is This Route For?

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.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 22.3 miles on Evergreen Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

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: 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.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Carson, 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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