Trip from Palouse, WA to Federal Way, WA

Drive Time

5h 1m

Distance

294.9 mi

475 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$62

one way

EV Charging

station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 41 min

4 AM

4h 48m ★

6 AM

5h 2m

8 AM

5h 29m

10 AM

5h 11m

12 PM

5h 9m

3 PM

5h 13m

5 PM

5h 28m

8 PM

4h 54m

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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Trip Overview

The drive from Palouse, WA to Federal Way, WA covers 294.9 miles and takes about 5h 1m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on East Main Street, South Bridge Street, West Almota Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $61.89 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.

Break Rhythm

1 planned break

Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.

Midpoint

147.4 miles from Palouse, WA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 30m into the drive .

Drive Character

Expect a 5h 1m drive with frequent turns across 294.9 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.

There are about 33 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.

East Main Street is one of the defining roads on this drive.

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.

Route Complexity 3/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

This is a straightforward 5h 1m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Palouse, WA to Federal Way, WA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
East Main Street	Unavailable	Refreshing
South Bridge Street	Unavailable	Refreshing
West Almota Road	Unavailable	Refreshing
Highway 27	Unavailable	Refreshing
Clear Creek Road	Unavailable	Refreshing
State Route 272	Unavailable	Refreshing
East Canyon Street	Unavailable	Refreshing
South Main Street	Unavailable	Refreshing

Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.

Longest stretch: East Main Street — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Palouse, WA and Federal Way, WA.

Start on North Beach Street

135 ft · 8 sec · North Beach Street

Turn right onto East Main Street

272 ft · 11 sec · East Main Street

Turn left onto South Bridge Street

341 ft · 12 sec · South Bridge Street

Continue on West Almota Road

0.4 mi · 1 min · West Almota Road

Continue on State Highway 27

2.8 mi · 3 min · State Highway 27

Turn right onto Clear Creek Road

0.4 mi · 33 sec · Clear Creek Road

Continue on Clear Creek Road

8.2 mi · 12 min · Clear Creek Road

Turn straight onto State Route 272

4.8 mi · 8 min · State Route 272

Continue on East Canyon Street

0.6 mi · 1 min · East Canyon Street

Turn left onto South Main Street

0.4 mi · 1 min · South Main Street

Continue on South Main Street

0.2 mi · 24 sec · South Main Street

Turn right onto West Fairview Street

0.6 mi · 1 min · West Fairview Street

Continue on West Almota Road

0.2 mi · 30 sec · West Almota Road

Turn right onto Colfax Airport Road

3.0 mi · 4 min · Colfax Airport Road

Turn left

129 mi · 2 hr 44 min

Continue on I 90 West: Seattle

0.7 mi · 1 min · I 90 West: Seattle

Merge slight left

112 mi · 2 hr 2 min

Take the exit slight right toward WA 18 West: Auburn

0.2 mi · 30 sec · WA 18 West: Auburn

Keep slight left to continue on SR 18 west, Snoqualmie Parkway: Auburn, Tacoma

449 ft · 13 sec · SR 18 west, Snoqualmie Parkway: Auburn, Tacoma

Merge slight right onto Snoqualmie Parkway

0.3 mi · 25 sec · Snoqualmie Parkway

Continue on State Route 18

24 mi · 31 min · State Route 18

Take the exit slight right toward WA 167: Renton, Puyallup

0.2 mi · 19 sec · WA 167: Renton, Puyallup

Keep slight left to continue on WA 167 South: Puyallup, West Valley Highway

0.3 mi · 26 sec · WA 167 South: Puyallup, West Valley Highway

Keep slight left to continue on West Valley Highway

0.1 mi · 24 sec · West Valley Highway

At the end of the road, turn left onto West Valley Highway North

0.1 mi · 20 sec · West Valley Highway North

Turn right onto South Peasley Canyon Road

0.7 mi · 1 min · South Peasley Canyon Road

Enter the roundabout and take exit 1 toward South Peasley Canyon Road

69 ft · 2 sec · South Peasley Canyon Road

Exit the roundabout onto South Peasley Canyon Road

1.0 mi · 1 min · South Peasley Canyon Road

Continue on South 320th Street

1.4 mi · 3 min · South 320th Street

Turn right onto Pacific Highway South

0.5 mi · 55 sec · Pacific Highway South

Turn right onto South 312th Street

157 ft · 6 sec · South 312th Street

Turn right

23 ft · 2 sec

Arrive at your destination

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.

Evening Departure

A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.

You can normally do this drive in one day.

Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.

The halfway point lands around 147.4 miles from Palouse, WA, or about 2h 30m into the drive.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

Departure

Before you leave

Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.

First stop

Around 80 miles or 1h 21m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 147.4 miles or 2h 30m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 4h 7m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Federal Way, WA than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

Open the route before leaving Palouse, WA so your first major turns are already loaded.

Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.

Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Palouse, WA

This is one driving day of about 294.9 miles and 5h 1m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Palouse, WA.

This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.

Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 147.4 mi from Palouse, WA · 2h 30m into the drive

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Yakima, WA

147 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.

Popular next leg

Yakima, WA to Federal Way, WA

149.2 mi · 2h 31m

Pacing Suggestions

College Place, WA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Yakima, WA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 147.4 miles from Palouse, WA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Federal Way, WA

The final approach into Federal Way, WA usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.

Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Federal Way, WA.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$61.89 one way

$123.79 round trip

$5.33/gal 25.4 MPG avg 103 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$5.57	$64.63	$129.27
premium	$5.77	$67.00	$134.01
diesel	$5.64	$65.52	$131.03

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$62

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$87–$112

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 103.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $31 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	Stops	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	88.5	1	$30.96	$14.16
Efficient EV	73.7	0	$25.80	$11.80
EV Truck/SUV	118	1	$41.29	$18.87

Gas CO2

103 kg

EV CO2

35 kg (66% less)

Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.

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 data refreshed 3 days ago

Origin

Palouse, WA

Morning in Palouse on Monday

Local time

8:36 AM

PDT

Current temp

32°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Federal Way, WA

Morning in Federal Way on Monday

Local time

8:36 AM

PDT

Current temp

38°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Seasonal Notes

Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.

Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.

Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.

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 warmer at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

5h 1m on the road

An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.

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

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Palouse, WA to Federal Way, WA covers 294.9 miles and takes about 5h 1m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are East Main Street, South Bridge Street, West Almota Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 147.4 miles from Palouse, WA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $61.89 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.

An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.

Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.

This is a straightforward 5h 1m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Palouse, WA to Federal Way, WA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

The route from Palouse, WA to Federal Way, WA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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