Origin
Kirkland, WA
Afternoon in Kirkland on Friday
Local time
12:59 PM
PDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Kirkland, WA to Esperance, WA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
28m
Distance
12.8 mi
21 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 26m
★
6 AM
0h 28m
8 AM
0h 33m
10 AM
0h 30m
12 PM
0h 30m
3 PM
0h 30m
5 PM
0h 33m
8 PM
0h 27m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Kirkland, WA
Wikimedia Commons
Esperance, WA
Eclipse Chasers
Trip Overview
Kirkland to Esperance is 12.8 miles and takes about 28 minutes via Ballinger Way Northeast and Simonds Road Northeast, with a fuel budget near $3 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short drive stays within Washington and the Pacific Coast region, offering a straightforward local journey. It's ideal for a quick trip where you want to get from point A to point B efficiently without a significant time commitment. Consider this route if you're looking for a simple, direct connection between these two nearby locations.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 28m. Total distance: 12.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
28m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
This route is characterized by frequent turns, making it a distinctly local drive with no highway mileage. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 2.4 miles on Ballinger Way Northeast. As you navigate, expect the road to feel like a typical local thoroughfare, requiring your attention for lane changes and turns rather than sustained high-speed cruising. The profile indicates a route where you'll be actively managing your direction more than on a highway.
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.
Ballinger Way Northeast is the longest continuous segment at about 2.4 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 6 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near 9th Avenue.
Driving Effort
5/10
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 12.8 miles you will encounter 6 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: near the start (9th Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 3.6 miles (Simonds Road Northeast): Lane positioning matters here; at 6.2 miles (68th Avenue Northeast): Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 6 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
9th Avenue
Turn left onto 9th Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
3.6 mi into trip
|
~8m in
|
Simonds Road Northeast
Turn left onto Simonds Road Northeast
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
6.2 mi into trip
|
~13m in
|
68th Avenue Northeast
Turn right onto 68th Avenue Northeast
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
4
6.7 mi into trip
|
~15m in
|
WA 522 / Northeast Bothell Way
Turn left onto WA 522 / Northeast Bothell Way
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
4
11.6 mi into trip
|
~26m in
|
WA 104 / Edmonds Way
Keep slight right at fork onto WA 104 / Edmonds Way
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Ballinger Way Northeast | 2.4 mi | 5m |
| Simonds Road Northeast | 2.2 mi | 4m |
| 100th Avenue Northeast | 1.5 mi | 3m |
| Edmonds Way | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| Northeast Bothell Way | 1 mi | 2m |
| 98th Avenue Northeast | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| Market Street | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Northeast 205th Street - Lake Ballinger Way | 0.7 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Ballinger Way Northeast
— 2.4 mi, about 5m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Kirkland, WA and Esperance, WA.
1
Start on 1st Street
207 ft
·
11 sec
·
1st Street
2
Turn left onto 9th Avenue
283 ft
·
11 sec
·
9th Avenue
3
Turn right onto Market Street
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Market Street
4
Continue on 98th Avenue Northeast
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
98th Avenue Northeast
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
Continue on Northeast 120th Place
0.2 mi
·
15 sec
·
Northeast 120th Place
6
Continue on 100th Avenue Northeast
1.5 mi
·
3 min
·
100th Avenue Northeast
7
Turn left onto Simonds Road Northeast
2.2 mi
·
4 min
·
Simonds Road Northeast
Use the left lane.
8
Continue on Northeast 170th Street
0.4 mi
·
59 sec
·
Northeast 170th Street
9
Turn right onto 68th Avenue Northeast
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
68th Avenue Northeast
Use the right lane.
10
Turn left onto WA 522
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Northeast Bothell Way
Use the left lane.
11
Continue on WA 522
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
·
Bothell Way Northeast
12
Turn right onto WA 104
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Ballinger Way Northeast
13
Continue on WA 104
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Ballinger Way Northeast
14
Continue on WA 104
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
·
Lake Ballinger Way
15
Continue on WA 104
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Ballinger Way Northeast
Use the straight / left lanes.
16
Continue on WA 104
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Northeast 205th Street - Lake Ballinger Way
17
Continue on WA 104
0.4 mi
·
45 sec
·
North 205th Street - Lake Ballinger Way
18
Keep slight right at fork onto WA 104
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Edmonds Way
19
Arrive at destination
WA 104
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.68 one way
$5.36 round trip
$5.32/gal
25.4 MPG avg
5 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.58 | $2.81 | $5.62 |
| premium | $5.77 | $2.91 | $5.81 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.83 | $5.65 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 4.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 75% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3.8 | 0 | $1.34 | $0.61 |
| Efficient EV | 3.2 | 0 | $1.12 | $0.51 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 5.1 | 0 | $1.79 | $0.82 |
Gas CO2
4 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (75% 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
Esperance, WA
Afternoon in Esperance on Friday
Local time
12:59 PM
PDT
Current temp
46°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
3 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
28m 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 Esperance, WA covers 12.8 miles and takes about 28m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Ballinger Way Northeast, Simonds Road Northeast, 100th Avenue Northeast. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 6.4 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 $2.68 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 12.8 miles you will encounter 6 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: near the start (9th Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 3.6 miles (Simonds Road Northeast): Lane positioning matters here; at 6.2 miles (68th Avenue Northeast): Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Kirkland, WA to Esperance, WA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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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