Origin
Kirkland, WA
Afternoon in Kirkland on Friday
Local time
12:47 PM
PDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Kirkland, WA to Three Lakes, WA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
46m
Distance
25.8 mi
42 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 42m
★
6 AM
0h 46m
8 AM
0h 54m
10 AM
0h 49m
12 PM
0h 48m
3 PM
0h 49m
5 PM
0h 54m
8 PM
0h 44m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Kirkland, WA
Wikimedia Commons
Three Lakes, WA
JOHN CALLERY
Trip Overview
Kirkland, WA to Three Lakes, WA is 25.8 miles and takes about 46m via State Route 9 and I 405, with a fuel budget near $5 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a short, easy drive primarily within Washington state, moving from the Pacific Coast region to another part of the Pacific Coast region. Expect a highway-focused experience that's perfect for a quick trip or an add-on to another adventure. Given its brevity, you can easily complete this journey in a single day, leaving you plenty of time to explore your destination.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 46m. Total distance: 25.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
46m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (62%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This drive is largely highway-focused, with 62% of the journey on faster roads. You'll encounter stretches on I 405 and State Route 9, offering a generally smooth and efficient experience. The longest uninterrupted segment is 9.5 miles on State Route 9, so you'll have a good amount of time on this particular road. The route transitions between different highway types, providing a varied driving feel without being overly complex. Overall, it's a straightforward drive designed for getting you to your destination efficiently.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 22 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
State Route 9 is the longest continuous segment at about 9.5 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
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 14 decision points packed into just 25.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 46m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (7th Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 2.8 miles (I 405): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 5.9 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
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
6
20.4 mi into trip
|
~33m in
|
Maple Avenue
Turn left onto Maple Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
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 Three Lakes, WA, road signs point toward Woodinville, Arlington and Snohomish.
Woodinville
5.9 mi in
|
~9m
Arlington
9.6 mi in
|
~14m
Snohomish
19.3 mi in
|
~30m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| State Route 9 | 9.5 mi | 15m |
| I 405 | 4.1 mi | 5m |
| Three Lakes Road | 3 mi | 7m |
| WA 522 | 2.4 mi | 2m |
| Maple Avenue | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| 2nd Street | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| Northeast 85th Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| 163rd Avenue Southeast | 0.7 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
State Route 9
— 9.5 mi, about 15m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Kirkland, WA and Three Lakes, 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
3.8 mi
·
5 min
·
State Route 9
16
Turn slight right
0.1 mi
·
21 sec
Toward Snohomish
17
Turn right onto 2nd Street
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
2nd Street
18
Turn left onto Maple Avenue
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Maple Avenue
Use the left lane.
19
Continue on Machias Road
0.4 mi
·
49 sec
·
Machias Road
20
Turn right onto Three Lakes Road
3.0 mi
·
7 min
·
Three Lakes Road
21
Turn left onto 163rd Avenue Southeast
0.7 mi
·
2 min
·
163rd Avenue Southeast
22
Arrive at destination
163rd Avenue Southeast
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.40 one way
$10.80 round trip
$5.32/gal
25.4 MPG avg
9 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.58 | $5.66 | $11.33 |
| premium | $5.77 | $5.86 | $11.72 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.70 | $11.39 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7.7 | 0 | $2.71 | $1.24 |
| Efficient EV | 6.5 | 0 | $2.26 | $1.03 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 10.3 | 0 | $3.61 | $1.65 |
Gas CO2
9 kg
EV CO2
3 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
Three Lakes, WA
Afternoon in Three Lakes on Friday
Local time
12:47 PM
PDT
Current temp
47°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
2 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
46m 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 Three Lakes, WA covers 25.8 miles and takes about 46m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are State Route 9, I 405, Three Lakes Road. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 12.9 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 $5.40 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 14 decision points packed into just 25.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 46m.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (7th Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 2.8 miles (I 405): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 5.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Kirkland, WA and Three Lakes, WA, road signs point toward Woodinville, Arlington and Snohomish.
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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