Origin
Kirkland, WA
Morning in Kirkland on Wednesday
Local time
8:26 AM
PDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Kirkland, WA to Bethel, WA
Data updated 0 seconds ago
Drive Time
1h 23m
Distance
32.3 mi
52 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 17m
★
6 AM
1h 24m
8 AM
1h 37m
10 AM
1h 28m
12 PM
1h 27m
3 PM
1h 29m
5 PM
1h 36m
8 PM
1h 20m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Kirkland, WA
Wikimedia Commons
Bethel, WA
cottonbro studio
Trip Overview
This 32.3-mile journey from Kirkland, WA to Bethel, WA is a straightforward day trip, taking about 1 hour and 23 minutes to complete. The route primarily utilizes Southeast Sedgwick Road and WA 520, with a notable segment involving the Fauntleroy - Southworth Ferry. With a projected fuel cost of around $7, this drive offers a budget-friendly excursion within the Pacific Coast region of Washington. Given its short duration, it's easily manageable in a single day, allowing for flexibility in your schedule.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
0 planned breaks
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
16.2 miles from Kirkland, WA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 26m into the drive .
Loading map...
Drive Character
The drive presents a mixed profile, with 32% of the journey taking place on highways. You'll experience a 6.5-mile stretch on Southeast Sedgwick Road, which forms the longest uninterrupted portion of this trip. Expect a blend of driving conditions, transitioning from local roads to faster highway segments and incorporating a ferry crossing. This variety means the road's character will evolve as you progress towards your destination.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 21 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Southeast Sedgwick Road is the longest continuous segment at about 6.5 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 2.8 miles in.
Route Complexity
10/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
This is a demanding drive. With 11 significant decision points across 32.3 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 8.5 miles (WA 520): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 13.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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
2.8 mi into trip
|
~7m in
Take the ramp toward WA 520 Toll West: Seattle
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Toward WA 520 Toll West: Seattle
7
8.5 mi into trip
|
~15m in
|
WA 520
Keep slight left at fork onto WA 520 toward I 5 South: Portland
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 5 South: Portland
8
13.4 mi into trip
|
~21m in
Take the exit toward West Seattle Bridge, Columbian Way
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 163A
Toward West Seattle Bridge, Columbian Way
6
13.6 mi into trip
|
~22m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Spokane Street, West Seattle Bridge
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward Spokane Street, West Seattle Bridge
6
31.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 22m in
|
Bethel Road Southeast
Turn left onto Bethel Road Southeast
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Southeast Sedgwick Road | 6.5 mi | 12m |
| WA 520 | 5.8 mi | 8m |
| Fauntleroy - Southworth Ferry | 4.8 mi | 29m |
| I 5 | 4.4 mi | 5m |
| Fauntleroy Way Southwest | 3.7 mi | 10m |
| West Seattle Bridge | 2.2 mi | 3m |
| Lake Washington Boulevard Northeast | 1.7 mi | 3m |
| Bethel Road Southeast | 0.7 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Southeast Sedgwick Road
— 6.5 mi, about 12m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Kirkland, WA and Bethel, WA.
1
Start on 1st Street
0.4 mi
·
51 sec
·
1st Street
2
At end of road, turn left onto Central Way
306 ft
·
19 sec
·
Central Way
3
Turn right onto Lake Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Lake Street
4
Continue on Lake Washington Boulevard Northeast
1.7 mi
·
3 min
·
Lake Washington Boulevard Northeast
5
Continue on Bellevue Way Northeast
342 ft
·
13 sec
·
Bellevue Way Northeast
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
49 sec
Toward WA 520 Toll West: Seattle
Use the straight / right lanes.
7
Merge onto WA 520
5.3 mi
·
7 min
·
WA 520
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork onto WA 520
0.5 mi
·
57 sec
·
WA 520
Toward I 5 South: Portland
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Merge onto I 5
4.4 mi
·
5 min
·
I 5
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
Exit 163A
Toward West Seattle Bridge, Columbian Way
Use the slight right lane.
11
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
Toward Spokane Street, West Seattle Bridge
12
Continue on West Seattle Bridge
2.2 mi
·
3 min
·
West Seattle Bridge
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Continue on Fauntleroy Way Southwest
3.7 mi
·
10 min
·
Fauntleroy Way Southwest
Use the straight / right lanes.
14
Keep slight right at fork onto Southwest Barton Street
171 ft
·
2 sec
·
Southwest Barton Street
15
Turn slight right onto Fauntleroy Ferry Terminal
0.1 mi
·
12 sec
·
Fauntleroy Ferry Terminal
16
Turn straight onto WA 160
4.8 mi
·
29 min
·
Fauntleroy - Southworth Ferry
17
Continue on WA 160
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Southworth Ferry
18
Continue on WA 160
6.5 mi
·
12 min
·
Southeast Sedgwick Road
19
Turn left onto Bethel Road Southeast
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Bethel Road Southeast
Use the left lane.
20
Turn left onto Southeast Cedar Road
129 ft
·
3 sec
·
Southeast Cedar Road
21
Arrive at destination
Southeast Cedar Road
Trip Plan
For this shorter drive of just over an hour, you have the advantage of flexibility. Consider departing mid-morning to avoid potential rush hour traffic on WA 520. While there are no designated stops in the data, you can easily pull over if needed. Keep an eye out for ferry schedules as they can impact your travel time, especially during peak hours. With minimal mileage and a low fuel cost of $7, this route is designed for an uncomplicated travel experience.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 16.2 miles from Kirkland, WA, or about 26m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 6.5 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 32.3 miles or 1h 23m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 16.2 miles or 26m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 14m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Bethel, WA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Kirkland, 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 Kirkland, WA
This is one driving day of about 32.3 miles and 1h 23m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Kirkland, WA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.
The longest stretch is on Southeast Sedgwick Road for about 6.5 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 16.2 mi from Kirkland, WA · 26m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
16 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 32.3 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 16.2 miles from Kirkland, WA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Bethel, WA
The final approach into Bethel, 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 Bethel, WA.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.76 one way
$13.52 round trip
$5.32/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.58 | $7.09 | $14.18 |
| premium | $5.77 | $7.33 | $14.67 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.13 | $14.26 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$7
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$32–$57
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.7 | 0 | $3.39 | $1.55 |
| Efficient EV | 8.1 | 0 | $2.83 | $1.29 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.9 | 0 | $4.52 | $2.07 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 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
Bethel, WA
Morning in Bethel on Wednesday
Local time
8:26 AM
PDT
Current temp
43°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
6 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
1h 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Kirkland, WA to Bethel, WA covers 32.3 miles and takes about 1h 23m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Southeast Sedgwick Road, WA 520, Fauntleroy - Southworth Ferry. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 16.2 miles from Kirkland, WA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $6.76 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 demanding drive. With 11 significant decision points across 32.3 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 2.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 8.5 miles (WA 520): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 13.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
The route from Kirkland, WA to Bethel, WA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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