Origin
Kennewick, WA
Morning in Kennewick on Friday
Local time
10:30 AM
PDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
4h 17m
Distance
223.2 mi
359 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$47
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Kennewick, WA
Wikimedia Commons
Mount Vista, WA
JOHN CALLERY
The drive from Kennewick, WA to Mount Vista, WA covers 223.2 miles and takes about 4h 17m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Columbia River Highway, Lewis and Clark Trail Highway, I 205 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 158.3 miles on Columbia River Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $46.71 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
111.6 miles from Kennewick, WA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 7m into the drive .
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 17m. Total distance: 223.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 17m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Expect a 4h 17m drive with frequent turns across 223.2 miles of local and secondary roads.
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 12 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near West Kennewick Avenue.
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 223.2 miles you will encounter 12 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: at 0.1 miles (West Kennewick Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 35.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 205.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
Turn right onto West Kennewick Avenue
Navigation decision point
Keep slight right at fork toward I 84 West: Portland
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Take the exit toward I 205: Salem, Seattle, Portland Airport
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork toward I 205 North: Seattle, Portland Airport
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward Northeast 134th Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Kennewick, WA and Mount Vista, WA, road signs point toward Seattle and Portland Airport.
Seattle
Portland Airport
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Columbia River Highway | 158.3 mi | 2h 56m |
| Lewis and Clark Trail Highway | 33.4 mi | 37m |
| I 205 | 13.6 mi | 17m |
| Old Oregon Trail Highway | 11.3 mi | 12m |
| Northeast Salmon Creek Avenue | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| West 10th Avenue | 1 mi | 2m |
| South Olympia Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Northeast 159th Street | 0.6 mi | 2m |
Step-by-step road directions between Kennewick, WA and Mount Vista, WA.
Start on North Newport Street
Turn right onto West Kennewick Avenue
Turn left onto South Olympia Street
Turn right onto West 10th Avenue
Turn left onto US 395
Keep slight right at fork
Merge onto I 84; US 30
Continue on I 84; US 30
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork
Merge onto I 205
Take the exit
Turn right onto Northeast 134th Street
Continue on Northeast Salmon Creek Avenue
Continue on Northeast Salmon Creek Street
Turn left onto Northeast 50th Avenue
Turn left onto Northeast 159th Street
Turn left onto Northeast Sam Smith Drive
Arrive at destination
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.
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 49 miles or 57m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 111.6 miles or 2h 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 3h 26m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Mount Vista, WA than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Kennewick, 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 Kennewick, WA
This is one driving day of about 223.2 miles and 4h 17m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 111.6 mi from Kennewick, WA · 2h 7m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
112 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.
A short stop after about 49 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 111.6 miles from Kennewick, WA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Columbia River Highway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 158.3 miles.
The final approach into Mount Vista, WA usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Mount Vista, WA.
After long uninterrupted mileage, take five minutes before the last urban segment to reset and refocus on exits, merges, and city traffic.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Regular Gas
$46.71 one way
$93.43 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.58 | $48.99 | $97.98 |
| premium | $5.77 | $50.69 | $101.37 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $49.28 | $98.56 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$47
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$72–$97
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 78.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $23 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 67 | 0 | $23.44 | $10.71 |
| Efficient EV | 55.8 | 0 | $19.53 | $8.93 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 89.3 | 1 | $31.25 | $14.28 |
Gas CO2
78 kg
EV CO2
26 kg (67% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Morning in Kennewick on Friday
Local time
10:30 AM
PDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Destination
Morning in Mount Vista on Friday
Local time
10:30 AM
PDT
Current temp
41°F
Unavailable
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
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Compiled by the Trip.ovh 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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