Trip from Palouse, WA to Tacoma, WA

Drive Time

5h 8m

Distance

302.2 mi

486 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$63

one way

EV Charging

station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 40 min

4 AM

4h 55m ★

6 AM

5h 8m

8 AM

5h 35m

10 AM

5h 17m

12 PM

5h 15m

3 PM

5h 19m

5 PM

5h 34m

8 PM

5h 0m

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 Tacoma, WA covers 302.2 miles and takes about 5h 8m 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 $63.43 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

151.1 miles from Palouse, WA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 34m into the drive .

Drive Character

Expect a 5h 8m drive with frequent turns across 302.2 miles of local and secondary roads.

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

There are about 35 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 8m 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 Tacoma, 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 Tacoma, 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

27 mi · 34 min · State Route 18

Take the exit slight right toward I 5: Seattle, Tacoma

0.6 mi · 1 min · I 5: Seattle, Tacoma

Keep slight left to continue on I 5 South, WA 161: Enchanted Parkway South, Tacoma

0.6 mi · 1 min · I 5 South, WA 161: Enchanted Parkway South, Tacoma

Keep slight left to continue on I 5 South: Tacoma

0.2 mi · 32 sec · I 5 South: Tacoma

Merge slight left

7.2 mi · 9 min

Take the exit slight right toward WA 7 South, I 705 North: City Center, Tacoma Dome

0.1 mi · 19 sec · WA 7 South, I 705 North: City Center, Tacoma Dome

Keep slight right to continue on I 705 North: City Center, Tacoma Dome Station

335 ft · 8 sec · I 705 North: City Center, Tacoma Dome Station

Keep slight left to continue on I 705 North: City Center

0.4 mi · 51 sec · I 705 North: City Center

Merge slight right

0.3 mi · 22 sec

Take the exit slight left toward A Street, City Center

0.3 mi · 38 sec · A Street, City Center

Keep slight left to continue on South 15 Street, Pacific Avenue

0.2 mi · 31 sec · South 15 Street, Pacific Avenue

Continue on South 15th Street

0.3 mi · 1 min · South 15th Street

Turn right onto Tacoma Avenue South

0.3 mi · 49 sec · Tacoma Avenue South

Turn right onto South 11th Street

43 ft · 2 sec · South 11th Street

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 151.1 miles from Palouse, WA, or about 2h 34m 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 151.1 miles or 2h 34m 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 12m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Tacoma, 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 302.2 miles and 5h 8m.

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 151.1 mi from Palouse, WA · 2h 34m into the drive

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Yakima, WA

151 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

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 151.1 miles from Palouse, WA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Tacoma, WA

The final approach into Tacoma, 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 Tacoma, 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

$63.43 one way

$126.85 round trip

$5.33/gal 25.4 MPG avg 106 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$5.57	$66.23	$132.47
premium	$5.77	$68.66	$137.32
diesel	$5.64	$67.14	$134.28

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$63

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$88–$113

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 105.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $32 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	Stops	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	90.7	1	$31.73	$14.51
Efficient EV	75.6	0	$26.44	$12.09
EV Truck/SUV	120.9	1	$42.31	$19.34

Gas CO2

106 kg

EV CO2

35 kg (67% 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

8:34 AM

PDT

Current temp

32°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Tacoma, WA

Morning in Tacoma on Monday

Local time

8:34 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 8m 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 Tacoma, WA covers 302.2 miles and takes about 5h 8m 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 151.1 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 $63.43 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 8m 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 Tacoma, WA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

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

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