Origin
Anacortes, WA
Night in Anacortes on Thursday
Local time
10:56 PM
PDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Anacortes, WA to Lake Cavanaugh, WA
Compiled by the Trip.ovh editorial team · Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026 · Methodology
Drive Time
1h 6m
Distance
38.7 mi
62 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 1m
★
6 AM
1h 7m
8 AM
1h 17m
10 AM
1h 10m
12 PM
1h 9m
3 PM
1h 11m
5 PM
1h 17m
8 PM
1h 4m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Anacortes, WA
Wikimedia Commons
Lake Cavanaugh, WA
John De Leon
Trip Overview
The drive from Anacortes, WA to Lake Cavanaugh, WA covers 38.7 miles and takes about 1h 6m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on State Route 20, Lake Cavanaugh Road, State Route 9 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 11.4 miles on State Route 20. At current regular gas prices, budget about $8.10 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 6m. Total distance: 38.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 6m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (55%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
The drive from Anacortes, WA to Lake Cavanaugh, WA covers 38.7 miles and takes about 1h 6m, using a mix of highways and local roads.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 23 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
State Route 20 is the longest continuous segment at about 11.4 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 15 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near WA 20 SPUR / Commercial Avenue.
Driving Effort
6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 38.7 miles you will encounter 15 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (WA 20 SPUR / Commercial Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.7 miles (R Avenue): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 1.5 miles (WA 20 SPUR / State Route 20 Spur): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 15 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
WA 20 SPUR / Commercial Avenue
Turn right onto WA 20 SPUR / Commercial Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
0.7 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
R Avenue
Enter roundabout onto R Avenue
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
5
1.5 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
WA 20 SPUR / State Route 20 Spur
Merge onto WA 20 SPUR / State Route 20 Spur
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
15.5 mi into trip
|
~23m in
Take the exit
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
5
17.9 mi into trip
|
~27m in
|
West College Way
Turn left onto West College Way
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| State Route 20 | 11.4 mi | 16m |
| Lake Cavanaugh Road | 10.2 mi | 17m |
| State Route 9 | 5.5 mi | 9m |
| West College Way | 3.7 mi | 8m |
| State Route 20 Spur | 2.5 mi | 3m |
| I 5 | 1.7 mi | 2m |
| R Avenue | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| West Shore Drive | 0.7 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
State Route 20
— 11.4 mi, about 16m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Anacortes, WA and Lake Cavanaugh, WA.
1
Start on WA 20 SPUR
11 ft
·
4 sec
·
12th Street
2
Turn right onto WA 20 SPUR
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Commercial Avenue
3
Turn left onto 22nd Street
0.1 mi
·
27 sec
·
22nd Street
4
Enter roundabout onto R Avenue
13 ft
·
0 sec
·
R Avenue
5
Continue on R Avenue
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
R Avenue
6
Turn left onto R Avenue
12 ft
·
0 sec
·
R Avenue
7
Keep slight right at fork onto R Avenue
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
·
R Avenue
8
Take the ramp
215 ft
·
5 sec
9
Merge onto WA 20 SPUR
2.5 mi
·
3 min
·
State Route 20 Spur
Use the left lane.
10
Enter roundabout onto WA 20
167 ft
·
2 sec
·
State Route 20
11
Continue on WA 20
11 mi
·
16 min
·
State Route 20
12
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
59 sec
13
Merge onto I 5
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
I 5
14
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
Toward WA 538 East: College Way
15
Turn left onto West College Way
3.7 mi
·
8 min
·
West College Way
Use the straight lane.
16
Enter roundabout onto WA 9
73 ft
·
1 sec
·
State Route 9
17
Continue on WA 9
5.4 mi
·
9 min
·
State Route 9
18
Turn left onto Lake Cavanaugh Road
10 mi
·
17 min
·
Lake Cavanaugh Road
19
Turn right onto South Shore Drive
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
South Shore Drive
20
Continue on West Shore Drive
115 ft
·
4 sec
·
West Shore Drive
21
Continue on West Shore Drive
0.7 mi
·
2 min
·
West Shore Drive
22
Turn right onto East Tree Bark Lane
316 ft
·
14 sec
·
East Tree Bark Lane
23
Arrive at destination
East Tree Bark Lane
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 19.3 mi from Anacortes, WA · 30m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
19 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 38.7 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 19.3 miles from Anacortes, WA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Lake Cavanaugh, WA
The final approach into Lake Cavanaugh, WA usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.10 one way
$16.20 round trip
$5.32/gal
25.4 MPG avg
14 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.58 | $8.49 | $16.99 |
| premium | $5.77 | $8.79 | $17.58 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.54 | $17.09 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 13.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11.6 | 0 | $4.06 | $1.86 |
| Efficient EV | 9.7 | 0 | $3.39 | $1.55 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 15.5 | 0 | $5.42 | $2.48 |
Gas CO2
14 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (64% 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.
Destination
Lake Cavanaugh, WA
Night in Lake Cavanaugh on Thursday
Local time
10:56 PM
PDT
Current temp
54°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
56°F
Big Lake, WA
19 mi in
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
7 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 6m 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Anacortes, WA to Lake Cavanaugh, WA covers 38.7 miles and takes about 1h 6m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are State Route 20, Lake Cavanaugh Road, State Route 9. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 19.3 miles from Anacortes, WA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $8.10 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 38.7 miles you will encounter 15 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (WA 20 SPUR / Commercial Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.7 miles (R Avenue): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 1.5 miles (WA 20 SPUR / State Route 20 Spur): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Anacortes, WA to Lake Cavanaugh, WA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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