Vancouver, WA to McCleary, WA is 122.5 miles and takes about 2 hours 20 minutes via I-5 and WA 8, with a fuel budget near $27 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This route primarily stays on major highways, making it a straightforward trip between two points in Washington State. You'll be on the road for a relatively short time, so it’s a good option if you need to get from the Pacific Coast region to another point within the same region without a lot of fuss. Expect mostly highway cruising with minimal deviations.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
61.2 miles from Vancouver, WA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 7m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 5
102.3 mi
1h 52m
WA 8
13.1 mi
16m
US 101
5.5 mi
6m
South Main Street
0.3 mi
<1m
Mox Chehalis Road
0.1 mi
<1m
South 3rd Street
<0.1 mi
<1m
East Fourth Plain Boulevard
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 5
— 102.3 mi, about 1h 52m
Traffic on I-5
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 77 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~3,148 veh/hr typical
· worst 3,689
Quietest
1 AM
~306 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
10.3×
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 Vancouver, WA and McCleary, WA.
1
Start on East Fourth Plain Boulevard
100 ft·9 sec·East Fourth Plain Boulevard
2
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·23 sec
Toward I 5 North: Seattle
3
Merge onto I 5
102 mi·1 hr 52 min·I 5
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4
Take the exit
0.5 mi·59 sec
Toward US 101 North: Aberdeen, Port Angeles
5
Continue on US 101
5.5 mi·6 min·US 101
6
Keep slight left at fork onto WA 8
13 mi·16 min·WA 8
7
Take the exit
0.4 mi·56 sec
8
Turn right onto Mox Chehalis Road
0.1 mi·23 sec·Mox Chehalis Road
9
Continue on South 3rd Street
403 ft·15 sec·South 3rd Street
10
Turn left onto South Main Street
0.3 mi·55 sec·South Main Street
11
Arrive at destination
South Main Street
Trip Plan
For this 2-hour, 20-minute drive, you have the flexibility to leave whenever suits your schedule. Since it's a short trip, you won't need to worry about splitting the drive or finding overnight accommodations. With a fuel cost estimated at $27, it's an economical choice. While there are no designated stops in the data, it’s always wise to take a short break every couple of hours, especially during the 102.3-mile stretch on I-5. Keep an eye out for the transition from I-5 to WA 8, as this is a key point where the road character changes.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 61.2 miles from Vancouver, WA, or about 1h 7m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 102.3 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 27 miles or 30m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 61.2 miles or 1h 7m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 51m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near McCleary, WA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Vancouver, 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 Vancouver, WA
This is one driving day of about 122.5 miles and 2h 20m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 27 miles from Vancouver, WA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 5 for about 102.3 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 7
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 121.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip|~0m in
Take the ramp toward I 5 North: Seattle
Navigation decision point
Toward I 5 North: Seattle
5
0.2 mi into trip|~0m in|I 5
Merge onto I 5
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
102.5 mi into trip|~1h 53m in
Take the exit toward US 101 North: Aberdeen, Port Angeles
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 101 North: Aberdeen, Port Angeles
4
108.5 mi into trip|~2h 1m in|WA 8
Keep slight left at fork onto WA 8
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
4
121.9 mi into trip|~2h 18m in|Mox Chehalis Road
Turn right onto Mox Chehalis Road
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$27.14 one way
$54.29 round trip
$5.63/gal25.4 MPG avg43 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$5.91
$28.48
$56.96
premium
$6.08
$29.32
$58.65
diesel
$5.35
$25.80
$51.60
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$27
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$52–$77
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 42.9 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $13 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
36.8
0
$12.86
$5.88
Efficient EV
30.6
0
$10.72
$4.90
EV Truck/SUV
49
0
$17.15
$7.84
Gas CO2
43 kg
EV CO2
14 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
Vancouver, WA
Afternoon
in Vancouver on Wednesday
Local time
1:51 PM
PDT
Current temp
54°F
Partly Cloudy
SW 1 to 5 mph3% chanceLive forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued May 24 at 11:37AM PDT by NWS Spokane WA
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued May 24 at 11:06AM PDT until May 25 at 11:00PM PDT by NWS Pendleton OR
Destination
McCleary, WA
Afternoon
in McCleary on Wednesday
Local time
1:51 PM
PDT
Current temp
48°F
Mostly Cloudy
SW 6 mph9% chanceLive forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued May 24 at 11:37AM PDT by NWS Spokane WA
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued May 24 at 11:06AM PDT until May 25 at 11:00PM PDT by NWS Pendleton OR
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
6 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
2h 20m 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?
This drive is almost entirely highway, with 99% of the 122.5 miles on faster roads. You'll experience the longest stretch on I-5 for 102.3 miles, which means extended periods of consistent cruising. After WA 8, the route transitions to US 101, marking the end of the pure highway portion. Expect a busy highway environment with frequent exits and merging traffic as you navigate through populated areas before reaching your destination.
99% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
11 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 102.3 mi on I 5.
How Hard Is This Drive?
2/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 5 and WA 8. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive.
Driving Effort2/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Vancouver, WA to McCleary, WA is easy. At 2h 20m with 99% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start: Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (I 5): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 102.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
516 ft29 ft
Total Climb
726 ft
Total Descent
640 ft
Highest Point
516 ft
~113.7 mi in
Elevation Range
487 ft
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 Vancouver, WA to McCleary, WA, road signs begin pointing toward Port Angeles along the way.
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
The longest stretch is about 102.3 miles on I 5. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 10 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.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
The main spots that need attention: near the start: Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (I 5): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 102.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at McCleary, WA before heading back.
