Origin
Seattle, WA
Afternoon in Seattle on Friday
Local time
12:28 PM
PDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Seattle, WA to Gold Bar, WA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 7m
Distance
46 mi
74 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Sparse
1 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 2m
★
6 AM
1h 8m
8 AM
1h 18m
10 AM
1h 11m
12 PM
1h 10m
3 PM
1h 12m
5 PM
1h 18m
8 PM
1h 4m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Seattle, WA
Wikimedia Commons
Gold Bar, WA
yun zhu
Trip Overview
This 46-mile drive from Seattle to Gold Bar, WA, is a straightforward 1-hour, 7-minute journey that's perfect as a day trip. Primarily utilizing US 2, WA 522, and I 405, this route keeps you on highways for about 92% of the way, making it a focused drive. With an estimated fuel cost of just $10, it's an economical option for a quick escape. Both your origin and destination are within the Pacific Coast region, so you won't experience a significant shift in landscape. This trip is ideal if you're looking for a simple, efficient drive to a nearby destination.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 7m. Total distance: 46 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 7m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (92%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
Expect a highway-focused experience on this route, with 92% of your travel occurring on major roads. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 13.6 miles along US 2. This drive is characterized by its efficiency, prioritizing speed and directness over winding scenic byways. You'll likely experience consistent highway speeds for most of the journey, with sections on I 405 and US 2 providing the bulk of your travel.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 21 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
US 2 is the longest continuous segment at about 13.6 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 2 and WA 522. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near 4th Avenue.
Driving Effort
10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 46 miles you will encounter 18 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (4th Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.5 miles (WA 520): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 9.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 18 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
7
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
4th Avenue
Turn right onto 4th Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
8
2.5 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
WA 520
Take the exit onto WA 520 toward WA 520: Bellevue, Kirkland
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 168B
Toward WA 520: Bellevue, Kirkland
7
9.3 mi into trip
|
~13m in
Take the exit toward I 405: Everett, Renton
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.
Toward I 405: Everett, Renton
7
9.4 mi into trip
|
~13m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 405 North: Everett
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward I 405 North: Everett
8
17.5 mi into trip
|
~24m 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
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Seattle, WA and Gold Bar, WA, road signs point toward Kirkland, Renton and Woodinville.
Kirkland
2.5 mi in
|
~4m
|
via WA 520
Renton
9.3 mi in
|
~13m
Woodinville
17.5 mi in
|
~24m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 2 | 13.6 mi | 23m |
| WA 522 | 13 mi | 16m |
| I 405 | 7.1 mi | 8m |
| WA 520 | 6.8 mi | 8m |
| I 5 | 1.8 mi | 2m |
| 4th Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| University Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| 4th Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
US 2
— 13.6 mi, about 23m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Seattle, WA and Gold Bar, 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
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
I 5
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit onto WA 520
6.8 mi
·
8 min
·
WA 520
Exit 168B
Toward WA 520: Bellevue, Kirkland
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
Toward I 405: Everett, Renton
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight left at fork
0.9 mi
·
2 min
Toward I 405 North: Everett
Use the slight left lane.
10
Merge onto I 405
4.1 mi
·
5 min
·
I 405
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight right at fork onto I 405
3.0 mi
·
3 min
·
I 405
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
1.0 mi
·
1 min
Exit 23
Toward WA 522: Bothell, Woodinville
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
25 sec
Toward WA 522 East: Woodinville
14
Merge onto WA 522
13 mi
·
16 min
·
WA 522
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
58 sec
Toward US 2 East: Wenatchee
Use the slight right lane.
16
Merge onto US 2
9.7 mi
·
16 min
·
US 2
17
Enter roundabout onto US 2
114 ft
·
2 sec
·
US 2
18
Continue on US 2
3.9 mi
·
6 min
·
US 2
19
Turn left onto 4th Street
0.1 mi
·
27 sec
·
4th Street
20
At end of road, turn right onto Lewis Avenue West
153 ft
·
6 sec
·
Lewis Avenue West
21
Arrive at destination
Lewis Avenue West
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 23 mi from Seattle, WA · 31m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
23 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 23 miles from Seattle, WA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Gold Bar, WA
The final approach into Gold Bar, 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
$9.63 one way
$19.25 round trip
$5.32/gal
25.4 MPG avg
16 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.58 | $10.10 | $20.19 |
| premium | $5.77 | $10.45 | $20.89 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.16 | $20.31 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 16.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 13.8 | 0 | $4.83 | $2.21 |
| Efficient EV | 11.5 | 0 | $4.02 | $1.84 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 18.4 | 0 | $6.44 | $2.94 |
Gas CO2
16 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (69% 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
Gold Bar, WA
Afternoon in Gold Bar on Friday
Local time
12:28 PM
PDT
Current temp
65°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
16 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
1h 7m 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 Seattle, WA to Gold Bar, WA covers 46 miles and takes about 1h 7m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are US 2, WA 522, I 405. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 23 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 $9.63 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 46 miles you will encounter 18 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (4th Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.5 miles (WA 520): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 9.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Seattle, WA and Gold Bar, WA, road signs point toward Kirkland, Renton and Woodinville.
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.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Gold Bar, WA
Explore more options from Seattle, WA or browse trips ending in Gold Bar, WA.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse WA road trips.