Traveling from Yoncalla to Gresham covers 162.6 miles and typically takes about 3 hours and 23 minutes. Because this journey is well within the capacity of a single day, you can easily complete it in one outing without needing an overnight stay. Your travel budget should account for approximately $32 in fuel costs to reach your destination. You will be traveling entirely within the Pacific Coast region of Oregon, making this a straightforward regional transit. Expect a direct, efficient drive that prioritizes speed and accessibility over rural detours. It is an ideal route for those looking to reach the Portland metro area from the southern Willamette Valley quickly.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
81.3 miles from Yoncalla, OR
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 37m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 5
133.1 mi
2h 35m
I 205
16.4 mi
21m
Southeast Foster Road
3.3 mi
7m
Elkhead Road
3.3 mi
5m
West Powell Boulevard
2.7 mi
6m
Southeast Jenne Road
0.9 mi
2m
Southeast 174th Avenue
0.5 mi
1m
Scotts Valley Road
0.3 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 5
— 133.1 mi, about 2h 35m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Yoncalla, OR and Gresham, OR.
1
Start on Alder Street
139 ft·8 sec·Alder Street
2
Turn right onto Applegate Avenue
320 ft·10 sec·Applegate Avenue
3
Turn right onto OR 99
0.3 mi·47 sec·Eagle Valley Road
4
Turn left onto CR 7
3.3 mi·5 min·Elkhead Road
5
Turn slight right onto CR 7
460 ft·9 sec·CR 7
6
Continue on CR 8
0.3 mi·36 sec·Scotts Valley Road
7
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·21 sec
8
Merge onto I 5
133 mi·2 hr 35 min·I 5
Use the straight lane.
9
Take the exit
0.8 mi·52 sec
Exit 288Toward I 205 North: Oregon CityUse the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on I 205
16 mi·21 min·I 205
Use the straight lane.
11
Take the exit
0.3 mi·41 sec
Exit 17Toward Foster RoadUse the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Turn right onto Southeast Woodstock Boulevard
0.2 mi·24 sec·Southeast Woodstock Boulevard
Use the straight / right lanes.
13
Turn slight right onto Southeast Foster Road
3.3 mi·7 min·Southeast Foster Road
14
Turn left onto Southeast Jenne Road
0.9 mi·2 min·Southeast Jenne Road
15
Continue on Southeast 174th Avenue
0.5 mi·1 min·Southeast 174th Avenue
16
Turn right onto US 26
0.1 mi·20 sec·Southeast Powell Boulevard
Use the right lane.
17
Continue on US 26
2.7 mi·6 min·West Powell Boulevard
18
Turn left
118 ft·8 sec
Use the left lane.
19
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
Planning a single stop during your 3 hour and 23 minute transit is the best way to keep your energy up. Since the route is heavily weighted toward high-speed highway travel, try to avoid peak commuter hours on I-5 to ensure your drive time remains predictable. Keep a close eye on your fuel gauge before leaving Yoncalla, as the $32 estimate is a baseline that can fluctuate based on your vehicle's efficiency. Because you have the flexibility of a one-day trip, consider departing mid-morning to bypass the heaviest traffic flow near the end of your route. Checking local traffic reports for I-205 before you leave will help you navigate any unexpected delays as you transition off the interstate.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 81.3 miles from Yoncalla, OR, or about 1h 37m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 133.1 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 36 miles or 44m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 81.3 miles or 1h 37m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 38m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Gresham, OR than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Yoncalla, OR 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 Yoncalla, OR
This is one driving day of about 162.6 miles and 3h 23m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 36 miles from Yoncalla, OR.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on I 5 for about 133.1 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 10
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 159.8 — 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|Applegate Avenue
Turn right onto Applegate Avenue
Navigation decision point
7
137.4 mi into trip|~2h 43m in
Take the exit toward I 205 North: Oregon City
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 288
Toward I 205 North: Oregon City
7
154.6 mi into trip|~3h 5m in
Take the exit toward Foster Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 17
Toward Foster Road
7
154.9 mi into trip|~3h 5m in|Southeast Woodstock Boulevard
Turn right onto Southeast Woodstock Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
159.8 mi into trip|~3h 16m in|US 26 / Southeast Powell Boulevard
Turn right onto US 26 / Southeast Powell Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$32.39 one way
$64.78 round trip
$5.06/gal25.4 MPG avg57 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$5.36
$34.28
$68.56
premium
$5.59
$35.79
$71.58
diesel
$5.61
$35.90
$71.80
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$32
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$57–$82
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 56.9 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $17 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
48.8
0
$17.07
$7.80
Efficient EV
40.7
0
$14.23
$6.50
EV Truck/SUV
65
0
$22.76
$10.41
Gas CO2
57 kg
EV CO2
19 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 Apr 15, 2026
Origin
Yoncalla, OR
Night
in Yoncalla on Saturday
Local time
10:56 PM
PDT
Current temp
63°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Gresham, OR
Night
in Gresham on Saturday
Local time
10:56 PM
PDT
Current temp
59°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
3h 23m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This trip is a highway-focused drive, with 92% of your time spent on major thoroughfares. You will spend the vast majority of your journey on I-5, which accounts for a 133.1-mile stretch of uninterrupted interstate travel. As you approach the end of your trip, the route transitions from the main interstate onto I-205 and finally Southeast Foster Road to reach Gresham. While the bulk of the mileage feels like a standard interstate grind, the final segments provide a shift toward local road navigation. Prepare for consistent speeds for most of the trip followed by a more controlled pace as you navigate into the Gresham area.
92% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 133.1 mi on I 5.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 5 and I 205. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Applegate Avenue.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 3h 23m drive. You will face about 10 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Applegate Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 137.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 154.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Gresham is the fourth largest city within the state of Oregon, with a population of 114,000 in 2020. It's the home of an annual jazz festival. It is a part of the Portland Metropolitan Area and is generally considered a Portland suburb.
The downtown area of Gresham can be easily missed by those driving along W Powell Blvd, but has a handful of restaurants and shops to offer, as well as Main City Park.
The longest stretch is about 133.1 miles on I 5. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
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 (Applegate Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 137.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 154.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Possible but tiring. At 3.4 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 6.8 hours — manageable with a long break at Gresham, OR, but most travelers stay overnight.
