Origin
Auburn, WA
Afternoon in Auburn on Friday
Local time
1:05 PM
PDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Auburn, WA to Graham, WA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
34m
Distance
21 mi
34 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 31m
★
6 AM
0h 34m
8 AM
0h 40m
10 AM
0h 36m
12 PM
0h 36m
3 PM
0h 36m
5 PM
0h 40m
8 PM
0h 32m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Auburn, WA
Wikimedia Commons
Graham, WA
nicholas hatherly
Trip Overview
The drive from Auburn, WA to Graham, WA covers 21 miles and takes about 34m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Valley Freeway, Meridian Avenue East, WA 161 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 7.9 miles on Valley Freeway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $4.40 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 34m. Total distance: 21 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
34m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (52%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
The drive from Auburn, WA to Graham, WA covers 21 miles and takes about 34m, 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 18 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Valley Freeway is the longest continuous segment at about 7.9 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near C Street Southwest.
Driving Effort
10/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 11 decision points packed into just 21 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 34m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (C Street Southwest): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 11 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
7
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
C Street Southwest
Turn left onto C Street Southwest
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
8
0.9 mi into trip
|
~1m in
Take the exit toward WA 167: Renton, Puyallup
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward WA 167: Renton, Puyallup
9
1.1 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Keep slight left at fork toward WA 167 South: Puyallup, West Valley Highway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward WA 167 South: Puyallup, West Valley High...
8
1.4 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Keep slight right at fork toward WA 167 South: Puyallup
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Toward WA 167 South: Puyallup
7
9.5 mi into trip
|
~13m in
Take the exit toward WA 512 West, WA 161 South: Puyallup, Olympia
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward WA 512 West, WA 161 South: Puyallup, Oly...
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Auburn, WA and Graham, WA, road signs point toward Valley Highway, Olympia and Eatonville.
Valley Highway
1.1 mi in
|
~2m
Olympia
9.5 mi in
|
~13m
Eatonville
12.8 mi in
|
~18m
|
via WA 161
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Valley Freeway | 7.9 mi | 9m |
| Meridian Avenue East | 5.8 mi | 11m |
| WA 161 | 2.9 mi | 4m |
| South Meridian | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| Meridian East | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| 31st Avenue Southwest | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| East Main Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| C Street Southwest | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Valley Freeway
— 7.9 mi, about 9m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Auburn, WA and Graham, WA.
1
Start on East Main Street
0.2 mi
·
41 sec
·
East Main Street
2
Turn left onto C Street Southwest
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
·
C Street Southwest
Use the left lane.
3
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
Toward WA 18 West
Use the right lane.
4
Merge onto WA 18
0.1 mi
·
11 sec
·
State Route 18
5
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
Toward WA 167: Renton, Puyallup
Use the slight right lane.
6
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
26 sec
Toward WA 167 South: Puyallup, West Valley Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
Toward WA 167 South: Puyallup
Use the straight / right lanes.
8
Merge onto WA 167
7.9 mi
·
9 min
·
Valley Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.9 mi
·
1 min
Toward WA 512 West, WA 161 South: Puyallup, Olympia
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on WA 161; WA 512
2.5 mi
·
3 min
·
WA 161; WA 512
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit onto WA 161
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
WA 161
Toward WA 161 South: South Hill, Eatonville
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
At end of road, turn left onto WA 161
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
31st Avenue Southwest
Use the left lane.
13
Continue on WA 161
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
South Meridian
Use the straight lane.
14
Continue on WA 161
4.0 mi
·
7 min
·
Meridian Avenue East
15
Continue on WA 161
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Meridian East
16
Continue on WA 161
1.8 mi
·
3 min
·
Meridian Avenue East
17
Turn left onto 224th Street East
129 ft
·
3 sec
·
224th Street East
18
Arrive at destination
224th Street East
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.40 one way
$8.79 round trip
$5.32/gal
25.4 MPG avg
7 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.58 | $4.61 | $9.22 |
| premium | $5.77 | $4.77 | $9.54 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.64 | $9.27 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 7.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 71% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6.3 | 0 | $2.20 | $1.01 |
| Efficient EV | 5.3 | 0 | $1.84 | $0.84 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 8.4 | 0 | $2.94 | $1.34 |
Gas CO2
7 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (71% 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
Graham, WA
Afternoon in Graham on Friday
Local time
1:05 PM
PDT
Current temp
65°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
19 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
34m 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 Auburn, WA to Graham, WA covers 21 miles and takes about 34m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Valley Freeway, Meridian Avenue East, WA 161. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 10.5 miles from Auburn, WA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $4.40 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 is a short but busy drive. With 11 decision points packed into just 21 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 34m.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (C Street Southwest): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Auburn, WA and Graham, WA, road signs point toward Valley Highway, Olympia and Eatonville.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Klondike Gold Rush - Seattle Unit National Historical Park.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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