Origin
Mount Vernon, WA
Late night in Mount Vernon on Saturday
Local time
4:06 AM
PDT
Current temp
58°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Mount Vernon, WA to Lake Cavanaugh, WA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
39m
Distance
20 mi
32 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 36m
★
6 AM
0h 39m
8 AM
0h 46m
10 AM
0h 41m
12 PM
0h 41m
3 PM
0h 42m
5 PM
0h 45m
8 PM
0h 37m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Mount Vernon, WA
Wikimedia Commons
Lake Cavanaugh, WA
John De Leon
Trip Overview
Mount Vernon to Lake Cavanaugh is 20 miles and takes about 39 minutes via Lake Cavanaugh Road and State Route 9, with a fuel budget near $4 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short, one-day trip stays entirely within Washington's Pacific Coast region, making it an easy local excursion. Expect a very turn-heavy drive that's more about the journey itself than covering vast distances. It's a perfect option if you're looking for a quick escape without committing to an overnight stay. The entire route is under an hour, so you can easily fit it into an afternoon.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 39m. Total distance: 20 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
39m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (23%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
This route is characterized by its frequent turns, making it a dynamic local drive rather than a monotonous highway cruise. With only 23% of the drive on highways, you'll spend most of your time on local roads, including State Route 9 and East Division Street. The longest uninterrupted stretch is 10.2 miles along Lake Cavanaugh Road, offering a bit more consistent driving before more turns appear. Prepare for a winding experience that keeps you engaged behind the wheel as you navigate through the area.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 12 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Lake Cavanaugh Road is the longest continuous segment at about 10.2 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near East Division Street.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 39m drive. You will face about 6 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (East Division Street): Navigation decision point; at 2.2 miles (East Division Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 3.7 miles (WA 9 / State Route 9): Navigation decision point.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 6 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
East Division Street
Turn left onto East Division Street
Navigation decision point
4
2.2 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
East Division Street
Enter roundabout onto East Division Street
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
5
3.7 mi into trip
|
~9m in
|
WA 9 / State Route 9
At end of road, turn right onto WA 9 / State Route 9
Navigation decision point
3
8.4 mi into trip
|
~17m in
|
Lake Cavanaugh Road
Turn left onto Lake Cavanaugh Road
Navigation decision point
3
18.6 mi into trip
|
~34m in
|
South Shore Drive
Turn right onto South Shore Drive
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Lake Cavanaugh Road | 10.2 mi | 17m |
| State Route 9 | 4.7 mi | 7m |
| East Division Street | 3 mi | 7m |
| Mount Vernon Big Lake Road | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| West Shore Drive | 0.7 mi | 2m |
| South Shore Drive | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| East Tree Bark Lane | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| North 5th Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Lake Cavanaugh Road
— 10.2 mi, about 17m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Mount Vernon, WA and Lake Cavanaugh, WA.
1
Start on North 5th Street
13 ft
·
5 sec
·
North 5th Street
2
Turn left onto East Division Street
2.2 mi
·
5 min
·
East Division Street
3
Enter roundabout onto East Division Street
76 ft
·
2 sec
·
East Division Street
4
Continue on East Division Street
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
East Division Street
5
Continue on Mount Vernon Big Lake Road
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Mount Vernon Big Lake Road
6
At end of road, turn right onto WA 9
4.7 mi
·
7 min
·
State Route 9
7
Turn left onto Lake Cavanaugh Road
10 mi
·
17 min
·
Lake Cavanaugh Road
8
Turn right onto South Shore Drive
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
South Shore Drive
9
Continue on West Shore Drive
115 ft
·
4 sec
·
West Shore Drive
10
Continue on West Shore Drive
0.7 mi
·
2 min
·
West Shore Drive
11
Turn right onto East Tree Bark Lane
316 ft
·
14 sec
·
East Tree Bark Lane
12
Arrive at destination
East Tree Bark Lane
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.19 one way
$8.37 round trip
$5.32/gal
25.4 MPG avg
7 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.58 | $4.39 | $8.78 |
| premium | $5.77 | $4.54 | $9.08 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.42 | $8.83 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 71% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6 | 0 | $2.10 | $0.96 |
| Efficient EV | 5 | 0 | $1.75 | $0.80 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 8 | 0 | $2.80 | $1.28 |
Gas CO2
7 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (71% 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
Lake Cavanaugh, WA
Late night in Lake Cavanaugh on Saturday
Local time
4:06 AM
PDT
Current temp
63°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
5 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
39m 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 Mount Vernon, WA to Lake Cavanaugh, WA covers 20 miles and takes about 39m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Lake Cavanaugh Road, State Route 9, East Division Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 10 miles from Mount Vernon, WA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $4.19 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 straightforward 39m drive. You will face about 6 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (East Division Street): Navigation decision point; at 2.2 miles (East Division Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 3.7 miles (WA 9 / State Route 9): Navigation decision point.
The route from Mount Vernon, WA to Lake Cavanaugh, WA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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