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Trip from Kirkland, WA to Lake Stevens, WA

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

47m

Distance

27.6 mi

44 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$6

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 12 min
4 AM
0h 43m ★
6 AM
0h 47m
8 AM
0h 55m
10 AM
0h 50m
12 PM
0h 49m
3 PM
0h 51m
5 PM
0h 55m
8 PM
0h 45m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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city in King County, Washington, United States

Kirkland, WA

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Lake Stevens, WA, WA

Lake Stevens, WA

JOHN CALLERY

Trip Overview

Embarking on a journey from Kirkland, WA to Lake Stevens, WA covers a modest 27.6 miles and is estimated to take about 47 minutes of driving time. This short, straightforward trip is easily manageable as a day trip, requiring no overnight stays. The primary roads you'll navigate include I-405 and State Route 9, with a portion on South Lake Stevens Road. With a projected fuel cost of around $6, this route is quite budget-friendly. Given its proximity within the Pacific Coast region and the state of Washington, you'll experience a familiar, comfortable drive without significant regional transitions.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
State Route 9 13.9 mi 21m
I 405 4.1 mi 5m
South Lake Stevens Road 2.9 mi 7m
WA 522 2.4 mi 2m
East Lakeshore Drive 0.8 mi 2m
Northeast 85th Street 0.7 mi 1m
7th Avenue 0.5 mi 1m
Main Street 0.2 mi <1m
Longest stretch: State Route 9 — 13.9 mi, about 21m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Kirkland, WA and Lake Stevens, 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

0.7 mi · 1 min · Northeast 85th Street
7

Take the ramp

0.4 mi · 54 sec
8

Merge onto I 405

1.1 mi · 1 min · I 405
9

Keep slight right at fork onto I 405

3.0 mi · 3 min · I 405
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10

Take the exit

1.0 mi · 1 min
Exit 23 Toward WA 522: Bothell, Woodinville Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Keep slight right at fork

0.3 mi · 25 sec
Toward WA 522 East: Woodinville
12

Merge onto WA 522

2.4 mi · 2 min · WA 522
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 42 sec
Toward WA 9 North: Snohomish, Arlington Use the slight right lane.
14

Turn left onto WA 9

5.7 mi · 9 min · State Route 9
Use the left lane.
15

Continue on WA 9

5.3 mi · 7 min · State Route 9
16

Enter roundabout onto WA 9

83 ft · 1 sec · State Route 9
17

Continue on WA 9

2.8 mi · 4 min · State Route 9
Use the straight lane.
18

Enter roundabout onto South Lake Stevens Road

39 ft · 0 sec · South Lake Stevens Road
19

Continue on South Lake Stevens Road

1.6 mi · 3 min · South Lake Stevens Road
20

Continue on South Lake Stevens Road

1.4 mi · 4 min · South Lake Stevens Road
21

Continue on East Lakeshore Drive

0.8 mi · 2 min · East Lakeshore Drive
22

Turn left onto Main Street

0.2 mi · 40 sec · Main Street
23

Arrive at destination

Main Street

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 15

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 9.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

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

6
2.8 mi into trip | ~5m in | I 405

Keep slight right at fork onto I 405

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
5.9 mi into trip | ~9m in

Take the exit toward WA 522: Bothell, Woodinville

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. Exit 23 Toward WA 522: Bothell, Woodinville
7
9.6 mi into trip | ~14m in

Take the exit toward WA 9 North: Snohomish, Arlington

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight right lane. Toward WA 9 North: Snohomish, Arlington

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$5.78 one way

$11.55 round trip

$5.32/gal 25.4 MPG avg 10 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $5.58 $6.06 $12.12
premium $5.77 $6.27 $12.54
diesel $5.61 $6.09 $12.19

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$6

Estimated CO2 emission: 9.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 8.3 0 $2.90 $1.32
Efficient EV 6.9 0 $2.42 $1.10
EV Truck/SUV 11 0 $3.86 $1.77

Gas CO2

10 kg

EV CO2

3 kg (70% 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.

Forecast as of Apr 16, 2026

Origin

Kirkland, WA

Morning in Kirkland on Saturday

Local time

11:33 AM

PDT

Current temp

57°F

Sunny

SSW 5 mph 2% chance Live forecast

Freeze Warning

Freeze Warning issued April 16 at 6:46AM PDT until April 17 at 9:00AM PDT by NWS Pendleton OR

Freeze Warning

Freeze Warning issued April 16 at 6:46AM PDT until April 17 at 9:00AM PDT by NWS Pendleton OR

Destination

Lake Stevens, WA

Morning in Lake Stevens on Saturday

Local time

11:33 AM

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

11 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

47m on the road

The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

What kind of drive is this?

This drive is predominantly highway-focused, with 74% of the journey utilizing faster roadways. You'll encounter a longest uninterrupted stretch of 13.9 miles along State Route 9, offering a good opportunity to settle into a rhythm. While much of the route involves higher-speed travel, the transition between I-405 and State Route 9 will provide a change of pace. Expect a consistent driving experience, characteristic of well-maintained state highways and interstates in the region.

74% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
23 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 13.9 mi on State Route 9.

How Hard Is This Drive?

9/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on State Route 9 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 9/10

Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a short but busy drive. With 15 decision points packed into just 27.6 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 47m.

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 2.8 miles (I 405): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

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 Lake Stevens, WA, road signs point toward Woodinville and Arlington.

Woodinville

5.9 mi in | ~9m

Arlington

9.6 mi in | ~14m

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 47m. Total distance: 27.6 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

47m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (74%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 13.9 miles on State Route 9. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Lake Stevens, WA before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.

Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.

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 2.8 miles (I 405): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Yes — Klondike Gold Rush - Seattle Unit National Historical Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Lake Stevens, WA before heading back.

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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