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Trip from Kennewick, WA to Mount Vista, WA

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

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 39 min
4 AM
4h 5m ★
6 AM
4h 18m
8 AM
4h 44m
10 AM
4h 27m
12 PM
4h 25m
3 PM
4h 28m
5 PM
4h 43m
8 PM
4h 10m

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

city in Benton County, Washington, USA

Kennewick, WA

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Mount Vista, WA, WA

Mount Vista, WA

JOHN CALLERY

Trip Overview

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 .

Who Is This Route For?

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.

Drive Character

Expect a 4h 17m drive with frequent turns across 223.2 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 19 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Columbia River Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 158.3 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

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.

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 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.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 12 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

5
0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | West Kennewick Avenue

Turn right onto West Kennewick Avenue

Navigation decision point

5
35.3 mi into trip | ~42m in

Keep slight right at fork toward I 84 West: Portland

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

Toward I 84 West: Portland
6
205.5 mi into trip | ~3h 51m in

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

Exit 9 Toward I 205: Salem, Seattle, Portland Airport
8
205.9 mi into trip | ~3h 52m in

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

Use the slight right lane. Toward I 205 North: Seattle, Portland Airport
7
219.9 mi into trip | ~4h 10m in

Take the exit toward Northeast 134th Street

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 36 Toward Northeast 134th Street

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

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

205.5 mi in | ~3h 51m

Portland Airport

205.5 mi in | ~3h 51m

Main Roads

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
Longest stretch: Columbia River Highway — 158.3 mi, about 2h 56m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Kennewick, WA and Mount Vista, WA.

1

Start on North Newport Street

0.1 mi · 35 sec · North Newport Street
2

Turn right onto West Kennewick Avenue

152 ft · 11 sec · West Kennewick Avenue
3

Turn left onto South Olympia Street

0.7 mi · 1 min · South Olympia Street
4

Turn right onto West 10th Avenue

1.0 mi · 2 min · West 10th Avenue
5

Turn left onto US 395

33 mi · 37 min · Lewis and Clark Trail Highway
6

Keep slight right at fork

0.6 mi · 1 min
Toward I 84 West: Portland
7

Merge onto I 84; US 30

11 mi · 12 min · Old Oregon Trail Highway
8

Continue on I 84; US 30

158 mi · 2 hr 56 min · Columbia River Highway
Use the straight lane.
9

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 29 sec
Exit 9 Toward I 205: Salem, Seattle, Portland Airport
10

Keep slight right at fork

0.3 mi · 28 sec
Toward I 205 North: Seattle, Portland Airport Use the slight right lane.
11

Merge onto I 205

14 mi · 17 min · I 205
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 24 sec
Exit 36 Toward Northeast 134th Street Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13

Turn right onto Northeast 134th Street

0.5 mi · 1 min · Northeast 134th Street
14

Continue on Northeast Salmon Creek Avenue

1.1 mi · 2 min · Northeast Salmon Creek Avenue
15

Continue on Northeast Salmon Creek Street

0.3 mi · 40 sec · Northeast Salmon Creek Street
16

Turn left onto Northeast 50th Avenue

0.5 mi · 1 min · Northeast 50th Avenue
17

Turn left onto Northeast 159th Street

0.6 mi · 2 min · Northeast 159th Street
18

Turn left onto Northeast Sam Smith Drive

257 ft · 8 sec · Northeast Sam Smith Drive
19

Arrive at destination

Northeast Sam Smith Drive

Trip Plan

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 111.6 miles from Kennewick, WA, or about 2h 7m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 158.3 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 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.

Before You Leave

+

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.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 49 miles from Kennewick, WA.
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 Columbia River Highway for about 158.3 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Downtown Yacolt, WA, WA

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Yacolt, WA

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.

Pacing Suggestions

Prosser, WA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 49 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Warm Springs, OR

Meal break

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 check

Top up before Columbia River Highway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 158.3 miles.

Arriving in Mount Vista, WA

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.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$46.71 one way

$93.43 round trip

$5.32/gal 25.4 MPG avg 78 kg CO2
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.

Travel Intel

Current conditions at both ends of the drive.

Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Kennewick, WA

Morning in Kennewick on Friday

Local time

10:30 AM

PDT

Current temp

51°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Mount Vista, WA

Morning in Mount Vista on Friday

Local time

10:30 AM

PDT

Current temp

41°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

10 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

4h 17m on the road

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.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Kennewick, WA to Mount Vista, WA covers 223.2 miles and takes about 4h 17m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are Columbia River Highway, Lewis and Clark Trail Highway, I 205. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 111.6 miles from Kennewick, WA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $46.71 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.

An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.

Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.

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.

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.

Between Kennewick, WA and Mount Vista, WA, road signs point toward Seattle and Portland Airport.

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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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