Origin
Tacoma, WA
Morning in Tacoma on Saturday
Local time
9:18 AM
PDT
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Tacoma, WA to Ames Lake, WA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 11m
Distance
51 mi
82 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$11
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 6m
★
6 AM
1h 11m
8 AM
1h 23m
10 AM
1h 15m
12 PM
1h 14m
3 PM
1h 16m
5 PM
1h 22m
8 PM
1h 8m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Ames Lake, WA
John De Leon
Trip Overview
Tacoma to Ames Lake is 51 miles and takes about 1 hour 11 minutes via I 5, I 405, and WA 520, with a fuel budget near $11 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a straightforward, highway-focused trip primarily within Washington state, moving from the Pacific Coast region towards another part of the same region. Expect a consistent driving experience with minimal detours, making it a practical choice for a quick commute or a short hop between these two points. Given its short duration and low fuel cost, this route is ideal for a same-day excursion.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 11m. Total distance: 51 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 11m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (79%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This route is overwhelmingly a highway-focused drive, with 79% of the journey utilizing major interstates like I 5, I 405, and WA 520. You'll experience long stretches of consistent speed, including a 20.1-mile segment on I 5 that offers uninterrupted progress. The character of the drive is primarily that of efficient travel between points, with the landscape largely defined by the urban and suburban corridors of the Puget Sound area. Expect a smooth, fast-paced experience for the majority of your trip.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 26 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 20.1 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 5 and I 405. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 22.2 miles in.
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 51 miles you will encounter 22 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: at 22.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 22.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 36.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 22 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
8
22.2 mi into trip
|
~29m in
Take the exit toward WA 518 West, I 405 North: Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, Bellevue
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 154A-B
Toward WA 518 West, I 405 North: Seattle-Tacoma...
9
22.3 mi into trip
|
~29m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 405 North: Renton, Bellevue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 154B
Toward I 405 North: Renton, Bellevue
8
36.5 mi into trip
|
~47m in
Take the exit toward WA 520: Seattle, Redmond
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 14
Toward WA 520: Seattle, Redmond
8
37 mi into trip
|
~48m in
Keep slight right at fork toward WA 520 East: 124th Avenue Northeast, Redmond
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward WA 520 East: 124th Avenue Northeast, Red...
8
37.1 mi into trip
|
~49m in
Keep slight left at fork toward 124th Avenue Northeast
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward 124th Avenue Northeast
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Tacoma, WA and Ames Lake, WA, road signs point toward Bellevue, Redmond and 124Th Avenue Northeast.
Bellevue
22.2 mi in
|
~29m
Redmond
36.5 mi in
|
~47m
124Th Avenue Northeast
37.1 mi in
|
~49m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 5 | 20.1 mi | 25m |
| I 405 | 13.8 mi | 17m |
| WA 520 | 5.3 mi | 6m |
| Northeast Redmond Fall City Road | 5.2 mi | 7m |
| Northeast Ames Lake Road | 1.4 mi | 3m |
| Redmond Way | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| I 705 | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Northeast Quail Creek Drive | 0.3 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
I 5
— 20.1 mi, about 25m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Tacoma, WA and Ames Lake, WA.
1
Start on South 11th Street
0.1 mi
·
29 sec
·
South 11th Street
2
Turn right onto Market Street
0.1 mi
·
31 sec
·
Market Street
3
Turn left onto South 13th Street
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
·
South 13th Street
4
Turn right onto I 705 SB Ramp
213 ft
·
11 sec
·
I 705 SB Ramp
5
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
Toward Port of Tacoma
6
Merge onto I 705
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
I 705
7
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
Toward I 5 North: Seattle
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
Toward I 5 North: Seattle
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
9
Merge onto I 5
20 mi
·
25 min
·
I 5
Use the slight right lane.
10
Take the exit
448 ft
·
10 sec
Exit 154A-B
Toward WA 518 West, I 405 North: Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, Bellevue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
Exit 154B
Toward I 405 North: Renton, Bellevue
Use the slight right lane.
12
Merge onto I 405
14 mi
·
17 min
·
I 405
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
59 sec
Exit 14
Toward WA 520: Seattle, Redmond
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Keep slight right at fork
453 ft
·
11 sec
Toward WA 520 East: 124th Avenue Northeast, Redmond
Use the slight right lane.
15
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
Toward 124th Avenue Northeast
Use the slight left lane.
16
Merge onto WA 520
5.3 mi
·
6 min
·
WA 520
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
53 sec
Toward WA 202: Redmond Way
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Turn right onto WA 202
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Redmond Way
Use the straight lane.
19
Continue on WA 202
5.2 mi
·
7 min
·
Northeast Redmond Fall City Road
20
Turn left onto Northeast Ames Lake Road
1.4 mi
·
3 min
·
Northeast Ames Lake Road
Use the left lane.
21
Turn right onto Northeast Quail Creek Drive
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Northeast Quail Creek Drive
22
Turn left onto Quail Creek Way Northeast
282 ft
·
14 sec
·
Quail Creek Way Northeast
23
Turn right onto Northeast 26th Street
239 ft
·
16 sec
·
Northeast 26th Street
24
Turn left onto 279th Court Northeast
249 ft
·
11 sec
·
279th Court Northeast
25
Turn slight left
190 ft
·
13 sec
26
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 25.5 mi from Tacoma, WA · 34m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
26 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 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 25.5 miles from Tacoma, WA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Ames Lake, WA
The final approach into Ames 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
$10.67 one way
$21.35 round trip
$5.32/gal
25.4 MPG avg
18 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.58 | $11.19 | $22.39 |
| premium | $5.77 | $11.58 | $23.16 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.26 | $22.52 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 17.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 15.3 | 0 | $5.35 | $2.45 |
| Efficient EV | 12.8 | 0 | $4.46 | $2.04 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 20.4 | 0 | $7.14 | $3.26 |
Gas CO2
18 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (67% 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
Ames Lake, WA
Morning in Ames Lake on Saturday
Local time
9:18 AM
PDT
Current temp
66°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
7 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 11m 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 Tacoma, WA to Ames Lake, WA covers 51 miles and takes about 1h 11m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 5, I 405, WA 520. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 25.5 miles from Tacoma, WA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $10.67 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 51 miles you will encounter 22 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: at 22.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 22.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 36.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Tacoma, WA and Ames Lake, WA, road signs point toward Bellevue, Redmond and 124Th Avenue Northeast.
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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