Origin
Kirkland, WA
Evening in Kirkland on Thursday
Local time
5:09 PM
PDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Kirkland, WA to Summit, WA
Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026
Drive Time
59m
Distance
43.9 mi
71 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 54m
★
6 AM
0h 59m
8 AM
1h 9m
10 AM
1h 2m
12 PM
1h 2m
3 PM
1h 3m
5 PM
1h 8m
8 PM
0h 56m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Kirkland, WA
Wikimedia Commons
Summit, WA
Mr Alex Photography
Trip Overview
The drive from Kirkland, WA to Summit, WA covers 43.9 miles and takes about 59m 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, WA 161 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 19.9 miles on Valley Freeway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $9.19 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 59m. Total distance: 43.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
59m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (91%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 59m highway drive covering 43.9 miles, with most of the trip on Valley Freeway and I 405. The longest continuous stretch is about 19.9 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 16 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 19.9 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
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 12 decision points packed into just 43.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 59m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (7th Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 16.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 16.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 12 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
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
37 mi into trip
|
~49m in
Take the exit toward WA 512 West, WA 161 South: Puyallup, Olympia
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 512 West, WA 161 South: Puyallup, Oly...
7
43.4 mi into trip
|
~57m in
Take the exit toward Canyon Road, Summit
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 Canyon Road, Summit
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 Summit, WA, road signs point toward Rainier Avenue South and Olympia.
Rainier Avenue South
16.2 mi in
|
~22m
Olympia
37 mi in
|
~49m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Valley Freeway | 19.9 mi | 24m |
| I 405 | 14.7 mi | 18m |
| WA 161 | 5.4 mi | 6m |
| 7th Avenue | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Northeast 85th Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Canyon Road East | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| 6th Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| 1st Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Valley Freeway
— 19.9 mi, about 24m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Kirkland, WA and Summit, 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
20 mi
·
24 min
·
Valley Freeway
Use the straight / right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.9 mi
·
1 min
Toward WA 512 West, WA 161 South: Puyallup, Olympia
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Continue on WA 161; WA 512
5.4 mi
·
6 min
·
WA 161; WA 512
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
Toward Canyon Road, Summit
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Turn right onto Canyon Road East
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
Canyon Road East
Use the straight / right lanes.
16
Arrive at destination
Canyon Road East
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 22 mi from Kirkland, WA · 30m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
22 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 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 22 miles from Kirkland, WA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Summit, WA
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Summit, WA if you are unfamiliar with the area.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.19 one way
$18.38 round trip
$5.32/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.58 | $9.64 | $19.27 |
| premium | $5.77 | $9.97 | $19.94 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.69 | $19.39 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 15.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 13.2 | 0 | $4.61 | $2.11 |
| Efficient EV | 11 | 0 | $3.84 | $1.76 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 17.6 | 0 | $6.15 | $2.81 |
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (67% 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
Summit, WA
Evening in Summit on Thursday
Local time
5:09 PM
PDT
Current temp
43°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
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
59m 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 Summit, WA covers 43.9 miles and takes about 59m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Valley Freeway, I 405, WA 161. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 22 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 $9.19 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 short but busy drive. With 12 decision points packed into just 43.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 59m.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (7th Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 16.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 16.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Between Kirkland, WA and Summit, WA, road signs point toward Rainier Avenue South and Olympia.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Summit, WA
More trips to Summit, WA
Explore more options from Kirkland, WA or browse trips ending in Summit, WA.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse WA road trips.
Explore maps for Kirkland, WA or Summit, WA on MapSof.net.