The drive from Tacoma, WA to Forks, WA covers 162.2 miles and takes about 3h 53m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on East Lauridsen Boulevard, Olympic Highway, WA 16 for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is mixed drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 55.4 miles on East Lauridsen Boulevard.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $33.95 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
81.1 miles from Tacoma, WA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 51m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 53m. Total distance: 162.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 53m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
The drive from Tacoma, WA to Forks, WA covers 162.2 miles and takes about 3h 53m, using a mix of highways and local roads.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 22 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
East Lauridsen Boulevard is the longest continuous segment at about 55.4 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 14 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 1.7 miles in.
Driving Effort6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 162.2 miles you will encounter 14 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 1.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 1.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.3 miles (WA 16): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 14 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
1.7 mi into trip|~4m in
Take the exit
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
6
1.9 mi into trip|~5m in
Keep slight right at fork toward WA 16 West: Gig Harbor, Bremerton
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward WA 16 West: Gig Harbor, Bremerton
5
2.3 mi into trip|~5m in|WA 16
Merge onto WA 16
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
53.8 mi into trip|~1h 13m in|WA 104 / Hood Canal Bridge
Turn left onto WA 104 / Hood Canal Bridge
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
55.6 mi into trip|~1h 16m in|WA 104 / State Route 104
Enter roundabout onto WA 104 / State Route 104
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
East Lauridsen Boulevard
55.4 mi
1h 21m
Olympic Highway
34.7 mi
51m
WA 16
28.3 mi
36m
State Highway 3 Northwest
23.3 mi
31m
State Route 104
13.8 mi
17m
Hood Canal Floating Bridge
1.5 mi
2m
East Front Street
0.9 mi
2m
South 11th Street
0.9 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
East Lauridsen Boulevard
— 55.4 mi, about 1h 21m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Tacoma, WA and Forks, WA.
1
Start on South 11th Street
0.9 mi·2 min·South 11th Street
2
Turn left onto South Sprague Avenue
0.6 mi·1 min·South Sprague Avenue
3
Continue on Sprague Ramp
0.3 mi·41 sec·Sprague Ramp
4
Take the exit
0.2 mi·23 sec
5
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi·52 sec
Toward WA 16 West: Gig Harbor, Bremerton
6
Merge onto WA 16
28 mi·36 min·WA 16
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Continue on WA 3
23 mi·31 min·State Highway 3 Northwest
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Turn left onto WA 104
0.1 mi·13 sec·Hood Canal Bridge
Use the left lane.
9
Continue on WA 104
1.5 mi·2 min·Hood Canal Floating Bridge
10
Continue on WA 104
0.2 mi·16 sec·State Route 104
11
Enter roundabout onto WA 104
117 ft·1 sec·State Route 104
12
Continue on WA 104
4.9 mi·6 min·State Route 104
13
Enter roundabout onto WA 104
142 ft·1 sec·State Route 104
14
Continue on WA 104
8.7 mi·10 min·State Route 104
15
Keep slight right at fork onto WA 104
0.4 mi·29 sec·State Highway 104
16
Merge onto US 101
35 mi·51 min·Olympic Highway
17
Take the exit onto US 101
392 ft·11 sec·East Front Street
18
Merge onto US 101
0.9 mi·2 min·East Front Street
19
Turn left onto North Race Street
0.7 mi·1 min·North Race Street
20
Turn right onto Lauridsen Boulevard
0.8 mi·2 min·Lauridsen Boulevard
21
At end of road, turn left onto US 101
55 mi·1 hr 21 min·East Lauridsen Boulevard
22
Arrive at destination
US 101
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 81.1 miles from Tacoma, WA, or about 1h 51m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 55.4 miles.
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 36 miles or 49m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 81.1 miles or 1h 51m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 10m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Forks, WA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Tacoma, 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 Tacoma, WA
This is one driving day of about 162.2 miles and 3h 53m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 36 miles from Tacoma, 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.
The longest stretch is on East Lauridsen Boulevard for about 55.4 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 81.1 mi from Tacoma, WA
· 1h 51m into the drive
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Klondike Gold Rush - Seattle Unit National Historical Park
National Historical Park
Seattle flourished during and after the Klondike Gold Rush. Merchants supplied people from around the world passing through this port city on their way to a remarkable adventure in the Yukon Territory...
16 mi from route
~40 min detour
Free
near mile 22.4
With its incredible range of precipitation and elevation, diversity is the hallmark of Olympic National Park. Encompassing nearly a million acres, the park protects a vast wilderness, thousands of yea...
19 mi from route
~46 min detour
$30
near mile 117.4
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$33.95 one way
$67.89 round trip
$5.32/gal25.4 MPG avg57 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$5.58
$35.60
$71.20
premium
$5.77
$36.83
$73.67
diesel
$5.61
$35.81
$71.62
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$34
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$59–$84
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 56.8 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $17 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
48.7
0
$17.03
$7.79
Efficient EV
40.6
0
$14.19
$6.49
EV Truck/SUV
64.9
0
$22.71
$10.38
Gas CO2
57 kg
EV CO2
19 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.
Forecast as of Apr 18, 2026
Origin
Tacoma, WA
Night
in Tacoma on Friday
Local time
10:30 PM
PDT
Current temp
42°F
Mostly Cloudy
N 3 mph1% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Forks, WA
Night
in Forks on Friday
Local time
10:30 PM
PDT
Current temp
45°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
3 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
3h 53m 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 Tacoma, WA to Forks, WA covers 162.2 miles and takes about 3h 53m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are East Lauridsen Boulevard, Olympic Highway, WA 16. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 81.1 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 $33.95 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. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 162.2 miles you will encounter 14 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 1.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 1.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.3 miles (WA 16): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Tacoma, WA to Forks, WA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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.
