Origin
Kirkland, WA
Morning in Kirkland on Friday
Local time
10:11 AM
PDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Kirkland, WA to Buckley, WA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 10m
Distance
49.4 mi
80 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 4m
★
6 AM
1h 10m
8 AM
1h 21m
10 AM
1h 14m
12 PM
1h 13m
3 PM
1h 14m
5 PM
1h 21m
8 PM
1h 7m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Kirkland, WA
Wikimedia Commons
Buckley, WA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Kirkland, WA to Buckley, WA covers 49.4 miles and takes about 1h 10m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Valley Freeway, I 405, State Route 410 East for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 19.2 miles on Valley Freeway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $10.34 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 10m. Total distance: 49.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 10m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (89%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 1h 10m highway drive covering 49.4 miles, with most of the trip on Valley Freeway and I 405. The longest continuous stretch is about 19.2 miles on Valley Freeway.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 21 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 19.2 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Valley Freeway and I 405. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near 7th Avenue.
Driving Effort
8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 49.4 miles you will encounter 14 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 (7th Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (7th Avenue): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 16.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 14 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
7th Avenue
Turn left onto 7th Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
7th Avenue
Enter roundabout onto 7th Avenue
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
8
16.2 mi into trip
|
~22m in
Take the exit toward WA 167 South: Auburn, Rainier Avenue South
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 2
Toward WA 167 South: Auburn, Rainier Avenue Sou...
7
16.7 mi into trip
|
~23m in
Keep slight left at fork toward WA 167 South: Auburn
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward WA 167 South: Auburn
7
36.4 mi into trip
|
~48m in
Take the exit toward WA 410 East: Sumner, Yakima
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 410 East: Sumner, Yakima
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Kirkland, WA and Buckley, WA, road signs point toward Rainier Avenue South and Yakima.
Rainier Avenue South
16.2 mi in
|
~22m
Yakima
36.4 mi in
|
~48m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Valley Freeway | 19.2 mi | 24m |
| I 405 | 14.7 mi | 18m |
| State Route 410 East | 5.6 mi | 9m |
| WA 410 | 4.7 mi | 6m |
| Elhi Hill Road | 2 mi | 3m |
| 7th Avenue | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Northeast 85th Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Main Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Valley Freeway
— 19.2 mi, about 24m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Kirkland, WA and Buckley, WA.
1
Start on 1st Street
399 ft
·
16 sec
·
1st Street
2
Turn left onto 7th Avenue
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
·
7th Avenue
3
Continue on 7th Avenue
0.3 mi
·
52 sec
·
7th Avenue
4
Continue on 7th Avenue
0.1 mi
·
20 sec
·
7th Avenue
5
Turn right onto 6th Street
449 ft
·
14 sec
·
6th Street
6
Turn left onto Northeast 85th Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Northeast 85th Street
7
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
49 sec
Toward I 405 South: Renton
Use the right lane.
8
Merge onto I 405
15 mi
·
18 min
·
I 405
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Exit 2
Toward WA 167 South: Auburn, Rainier Avenue South
Use the slight right lane.
10
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi
·
57 sec
Toward WA 167 South: Auburn
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Merge onto WA 167
19 mi
·
24 min
·
Valley Freeway
Use the straight / right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
47 sec
Toward WA 410 East: Sumner, Yakima
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Continue on WA 410
4.7 mi
·
6 min
·
WA 410
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Continue on WA 410
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
Elhi Hill Road
15
Continue on WA 410
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
State Route 410 East
16
Enter roundabout onto WA 410
72 ft
·
1 sec
·
State Route 410 East
17
Continue on WA 410
4.9 mi
·
8 min
·
State Route 410 East
18
Turn right onto Main Street
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
·
Main Street
19
Turn left onto North Cottage Street
119 ft
·
7 sec
·
North Cottage Street
20
Turn right
88 ft
·
6 sec
21
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 24.7 mi from Kirkland, WA · 33m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
25 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 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 24.7 miles from Kirkland, WA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Buckley, WA
The final approach into Buckley, 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
$10.34 one way
$20.68 round trip
$5.32/gal
25.4 MPG avg
17 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.58 | $10.84 | $21.69 |
| premium | $5.77 | $11.22 | $22.44 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.91 | $21.81 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 17.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.8 | 0 | $5.19 | $2.37 |
| Efficient EV | 12.4 | 0 | $4.32 | $1.98 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 19.8 | 0 | $6.92 | $3.16 |
Gas CO2
17 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (65% 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
Buckley, WA
Morning in Buckley on Friday
Local time
10:11 AM
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
16 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 10m 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 Buckley, WA covers 49.4 miles and takes about 1h 10m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Valley Freeway, I 405, State Route 410 East. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 24.7 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 $10.34 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 49.4 miles you will encounter 14 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 (7th Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (7th Avenue): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 16.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Kirkland, WA and Buckley, WA, road signs point toward Rainier Avenue South and Yakima.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Klondike Gold Rush - Seattle Unit National Historical Park and Mount Rainier National 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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