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Trip from Yakima, WA to Highland, 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 39m

Distance

87.4 mi

141 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$18

one way

EV Charging

Good

5 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 23 min
4 AM
1h 32m ★
6 AM
1h 40m
8 AM
1h 55m
10 AM
1h 45m
12 PM
1h 44m
3 PM
1h 46m
5 PM
1h 54m
8 PM
1h 35m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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Downtown Highland, WA, WA

Highland, WA

Eclipse Chasers

Trip Overview

This 87.4-mile drive from Yakima, WA to Highland, WA takes approximately 1 hour and 39 minutes and is a great option for a day trip. The majority of your journey, 97%, will be on highways, offering a straightforward travel experience. With a fuel cost estimated at $18, this route is budget-friendly for a quick excursion. The drive is primarily highway-focused, making it an efficient way to get between these two points within the Pacific Coast region. You'll mostly be on I 82 and East State Route 397, with a brief stretch on East Chestnut Avenue towards the end. Given its short duration, no overnight stays are necessary, allowing for maximum flexibility in your schedule.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Midpoint

43.7 miles from Yakima, WA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 49m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 82 80.3 mi 1h 26m
East State Route 397 4.8 mi 6m
East Chestnut Avenue 0.9 mi 2m
East Locust Grove Road 0.1 mi <1m
South 1st Street <0.1 mi <1m
South Fair Avenue <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 82 — 80.3 mi, about 1h 26m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Yakima, WA and Highland, WA.

1

Start on South 1st Street

415 ft · 19 sec · South 1st Street
2

Turn left onto East Chestnut Avenue

0.9 mi · 2 min · East Chestnut Avenue
3

Turn left onto South Fair Avenue

359 ft · 12 sec · South Fair Avenue
4

Take the ramp

0.5 mi · 58 sec
5

Merge onto I 82; US 12; US 97

3.9 mi · 4 min · I 82; US 12; US 97
6

Keep slight left at fork onto I 82; US 12

76 mi · 1 hr 22 min · I 82; US 12
7

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 1 min
Toward SR 397 North: Luscot Grove Road, Finley
8

Turn left onto WA 397

0.1 mi · 14 sec · East Locust Grove Road
9

Continue on WA 397

4.8 mi · 6 min · East State Route 397
10

Turn right

0.3 mi · 1 min
11

Arrive at destination

Trip Plan

Plan to depart when you're ready, as this 1 hour and 39-minute drive is easily manageable in a single day. The estimated fuel cost of $18 makes it an economical choice, so you won't need to worry extensively about frequent refueling stops. Keep an eye out for the transition from I 82 to East State Route 397, as this marks a significant change in your highway experience. Since the longest uninterrupted stretch is 80.3 miles on I 82, you can comfortably plan for a single break if needed, or simply enjoy the direct route to Highland.

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 43.7 miles from Yakima, WA, or about 49m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 80.3 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 19 miles or 23m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 43.7 miles or 49m 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 22m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Highland, WA than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Yakima, WA so your first major turns are already loaded.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Yakima, WA

This is one driving day of about 87.4 miles and 1h 39m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 19 miles from Yakima, WA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 82 for about 80.3 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Downtown Prosser, WA, WA

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Prosser, WA

44 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

Zillah, WA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 19 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Prosser, WA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 43.7 miles from Yakima, WA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before I 82 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 80.3 miles.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Stops Along Your Drive

Picked by where they fit in your drive — first break, midpoint reset, final stretch.

Best meal stop · around the midpoint

Goldan Yan Restaurant

4.3 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Prosser, Washington

Around the midpoint, short detour

Halfway reset · 57min in / 43min to go 1.3 mi from route ~3 min detour $10 to $20

Hours: 11 am–8:30 pm

+15097863902

Visit website

Greek Islands Cuisine

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Richland, Washington

2.8 mi

Conquistador LLC Mexican Restaurant & Catering

4.3 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Sunnyside, Washington

2.4 mi

Goldan Yan Restaurant

4.3 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Around the midpoint, short detour

Halfway reset 1.3 mi from route ~3 min detour $10 to $20

Prosser, Washington

Hours: 11 am–8:30 pm

+15097863902

Visit website

Greek Islands Cuisine

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, short detour

Home stretch 2.8 mi from route ~7 min detour $10 to $20

Richland, Washington

Hours: 11 am–8 pm

+15096282900

Visit website

Conquistador LLC Mexican Restaurant & Catering

4.3 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Around the midpoint, short detour

Halfway reset 2.4 mi from route ~6 min detour

Sunnyside, Washington

Hours: 11 am–8 pm

+15098392880

Visit website

SpiceRoute - Indian Restaurant

4.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, short detour

Halfway reset 2.5 mi from route ~6 min detour

Grandview, Washington

Hours: 6 am–10 pm

+15092672039

El Valle Family Mexican Restaurant

4.1 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Around the midpoint, short detour

Halfway reset 3.1 mi from route ~8 min detour $10 to $20

Sunnyside, Washington

Hours: 11 am–10 pm

+15098377222

Visit website

Fiesta Mexican Restaurant

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Later in the drive, ~9 min detour

Final third 3.7 mi from route ~9 min detour $20 to $30

Richland, Washington

Hours: 11 am–9 pm

+15092190552

Visit website

Boiada Brazilian Grill

4.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, ~10 min detour

Home stretch 4 mi from route ~10 min detour Moderately

Kennewick, Washington

Hours: 4–9 pm

+15097906631

Visit website

Hops n Drops

4.3 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Later in the drive, ~9 min detour

Final third 3.8 mi from route ~9 min detour $20 to $30

Richland, Washington

Hours: 11 am–11 pm

+15094913062

Visit website

Shade Cafe

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, ~11 min detour

Home stretch 4.3 mi from route ~11 min detour $1 to $10

Richland, Washington

Hours: 7 am–6 pm

+15094101769

Visit website

Electrify America Charging Station

3.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the start, short detour

1.3 mi from route ~3 min detour

Yakima, Washington

Hours: Open 24 hours

+18336322778

Visit website

Flo Charging Station

4.3 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Around the midpoint, short detour

Halfway reset 1.9 mi from route ~5 min detour

Grandview, Washington

Hours: Open 24 hours

Visit website

ChargePoint Charging Station

4.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the start, short detour

First break 2.4 mi from route ~6 min detour

Wapato, Washington

Hours: Open 24 hours

+18887584389

Visit website

Chevrolet Charging Station

1.0 ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

Near the start, short detour

1.2 mi from route ~3 min detour

Yakima, Washington

Hours: Open 24 hours

+18003239935

Visit website

ChargePoint Charging Station

1.0 ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

Near the start, short detour

1.2 mi from route ~3 min detour

Yakima, Washington

Hours: Open 24 hours

+18887584389

Visit website

Central Washington Agricultural Museum

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, right off the route

First break 0.8 mi from route ~2 min detour

Union Gap, Washington

Hours: 10 am–4 pm

+15094578735

Visit website

Escape the Maddness

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, short detour

First break 2.5 mi from route ~6 min detour

Union Gap, Washington

Hours: Closed

+15099300432

Visit website

Max Air Trampoline Park

4.2 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the end, ~10 min detour

Home stretch 4 mi from route ~10 min detour

Kennewick, Washington

Hours: 10 am–9 pm

+15095790818

Visit website

Fast Track Tri Cities

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, ~10 min detour

Home stretch 4.1 mi from route ~10 min detour

Kennewick, Washington

+15417017253

Visit website

Museum at Keewaydin

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, ~11 min detour

Home stretch 4.3 mi from route ~11 min detour

Kennewick, Washington

Hours: 12–4:30 pm

+15095827704

Visit website

Visit Tri-Cities

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, ~11 min detour

Home stretch 4.2 mi from route ~11 min detour

Kennewick, Washington

Hours: 8 am–5 pm

+15097358486

Visit website

Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 8

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 82.2 — 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 | East Chestnut Avenue

Turn left onto East Chestnut Avenue

Navigation decision point

4
1 mi into trip | ~2m in

Take the ramp

Navigation decision point

4
5.3 mi into trip | ~8m in | I 82; US 12

Keep slight left at fork onto I 82; US 12

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

5
81.8 mi into trip | ~1h 30m in

Take the exit toward SR 397 North: Luscot Grove Road, Finley

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward SR 397 North: Luscot Grove Road, Finley
4
82.2 mi into trip | ~1h 31m in | WA 397 / East Locust Grove Road

Turn left onto WA 397 / East Locust Grove Road

Navigation decision point

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$18.29 one way

$36.58 round trip

$5.32/gal 25.4 MPG avg 31 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $5.58 $19.18 $38.37
premium $5.77 $19.85 $39.69
diesel $5.61 $19.30 $38.59

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$18

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$43–$68

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 30.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $9 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 26.2 0 $9.18 $4.20
Efficient EV 21.9 0 $7.65 $3.50
EV Truck/SUV 35 0 $12.24 $5.59

Gas CO2

31 kg

EV CO2

10 kg (68% 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

Yakima, WA

Late night in Yakima on Tuesday

Local time

2:04 AM

PDT

Current temp

68°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Highland, WA

Late night in Highland on Tuesday

Local time

2:04 AM

PDT

Current temp

64°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

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

4 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 39m 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?

Expect a highway-focused drive for most of this 87.4-mile trip. You'll spend 97% of your time on major roadways, including a significant 80.3-mile stretch on I 82. This means consistent speeds and minimal interruptions for much of the journey. The route transitions from I 82 to East State Route 397, and finally to East Chestnut Avenue, offering a slight change in scenery and road type as you approach Highland. While largely efficient, the extensive highway use suggests a focus on direct travel rather than winding scenic byways.

97% 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: 80.3 mi on I 82.

How Hard Is This Drive?

3/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 82 and East State Route 397. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near East Chestnut Avenue.

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 39m 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 (East Chestnut Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1 miles: Navigation decision point; at 5.3 miles (I 82; US 12): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.

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 Yakima, WA to Highland, WA, road signs begin pointing toward Finley along the way.

Finley

81.8 mi in | ~1h 30m

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 39m. Total distance: 87.4 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 39m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (97%). Straightforward navigation.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 80.3 miles on I 82. 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 (East Chestnut Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1 miles: Navigation decision point; at 5.3 miles (I 82; US 12): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.

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