Seattle to Big Lake is 66.5 miles and takes about 1 hour 26 minutes via I 5, with a fuel budget near $14 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This straightforward drive stays within Washington state, moving from the Pacific Coast region north towards the same region. Expect a primarily highway-focused experience, making it a quick and convenient trip for those looking to cover ground efficiently. It's a good option if you need to get from Seattle to Big Lake without much fuss.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 26m. Total distance: 66.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 26m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
This route is overwhelmingly a highway-focused drive, with 93% of it on major roadways. You'll spend the majority of your time on I 5, experiencing a longest stretch of 60.2 miles on this interstate. While the profile is predominantly highway, there are brief transitions to East Division Street and State Route 9 as you approach your destination. The road character is consistent for most of the journey, offering a predictable driving experience.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 15 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 5 is the longest continuous segment at about 60.2 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 5 and East Division Street. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Madison Street.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 26m drive. You will face about 11 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 (Madison Street): Navigation decision point; near the start (4th Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.2 miles (University Street): Navigation decision point.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 11 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0 mi into trip|~0m in|Madison Street
Turn left onto Madison Street
Navigation decision point
7
0 mi into trip|~0m in|4th Avenue
Turn right onto 4th Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
5
0.2 mi into trip|~0m in|University Street
Turn right onto University Street
Navigation decision point
5
0.7 mi into trip|~2m in|I 5
Merge onto I 5
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
65.1 mi into trip|~1h 24m in|WA 9 / State Route 9
At end of road, turn right onto WA 9 / State Route 9
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 5
60.2 mi
1h 12m
East Division Street
2.4 mi
5m
State Route 9
1.5 mi
2m
Mount Vernon Big Lake Road
0.7 mi
1m
Broad Street
0.5 mi
1m
South 15th Street
0.4 mi
<1m
4th Avenue
0.2 mi
<1m
University Street
0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 5
— 60.2 mi, about 1h 12m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Seattle, WA and Big Lake, WA.
1
Start on this road
31 ft·7 sec·this road
2
Turn left onto Madison Street
204 ft·11 sec·Madison Street
3
Turn right onto 4th Avenue
0.2 mi·39 sec·4th Avenue
Use the straight lane.
4
Turn right onto University Street
0.1 mi·26 sec·University Street
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·41 sec
Toward I 5 North
6
Merge onto I 5
60 mi·1 hr 12 min·I 5
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.2 mi·24 sec
Toward WA 536 West: Kincaid Street
8
Turn sharp right onto Broad Street
0.5 mi·1 min·Broad Street
9
Turn left onto South 15th Street
0.4 mi·58 sec·South 15th Street
10
Turn right onto East Division Street
1.6 mi·4 min·East Division Street
11
Enter roundabout onto East Division Street
76 ft·2 sec·East Division Street
12
Continue on East Division Street
0.8 mi·1 min·East Division Street
13
Continue on Mount Vernon Big Lake Road
0.7 mi·1 min·Mount Vernon Big Lake Road
14
At end of road, turn right onto WA 9
1.5 mi·2 min·State Route 9
15
Arrive at destination
WA 9
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 33.3 mi from Seattle, WA
· 41m into the drive
The midpoint is around 33.3 miles from Seattle, WA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel check
Top up before I 5 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 60.2 miles.
Arriving in Big Lake, WA
The final approach into Big Lake, WA usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$13.92 one way
$27.84 round trip
$5.32/gal25.4 MPG avg23 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$5.58
$14.60
$29.19
premium
$5.77
$15.10
$30.20
diesel
$5.61
$14.68
$29.36
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$14
Estimated CO2 emission: 23.3 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging
· 0 stops
· 65% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
20
0
$6.98
$3.19
Efficient EV
16.6
0
$5.82
$2.66
EV Truck/SUV
26.6
0
$9.31
$4.26
Gas CO2
23 kg
EV CO2
8 kg (65% 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.
Forecast as of Apr 16, 2026
Origin
Seattle, WA
Afternoon
in Seattle on Friday
Local time
2:09 PM
PDT
Current temp
56°F
Mostly Sunny
S 6 mph2% chanceLive forecast
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued April 16 at 6:46AM PDT until April 17 at 9:00AM PDT by NWS Pendleton OR
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued April 16 at 6:46AM PDT until April 17 at 9:00AM PDT by NWS Pendleton OR
Destination
Big Lake, WA
Afternoon
in Big Lake on Friday
Local time
2:09 PM
PDT
Current temp
56°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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
1h 26m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Seattle, WA to Big Lake, WA covers 66.5 miles and takes about 1h 26m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 5, East Division Street, State Route 9. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 33.3 miles from Seattle, WA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $13.92 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 1h 26m drive. You will face about 11 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Madison Street): Navigation decision point; near the start (4th Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.2 miles (University Street): Navigation decision point.
The route from Seattle, WA to Big Lake, WA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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.
