How far is Ellensburg, WA from Kennewick, WA?

The driving distance from Ellensburg, WA to Kennewick, WA is about 107.7 miles (173.3 km), with a travel time of about 01h 56m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 86.2 miles (138.7 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 03h 52m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM PDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This route works well as a day trip with time at the destination. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
107.7 mi
01h 56m
Flight
86.18 mi
138.7 km direct

This route works well as a day trip with time at the destination.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Ellensburg.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
86.18 mi
Kilometers
138.7 km
Flight Time
00h 10m

Driving Distance

Road route
107.7 mi
Kilometers
173.33 km
Drive Time
01h 56m

Gas Cost Calculator

Leave and Arrive Planner

Pick a departure time to see your estimated arrival and same-day return window.

Drive time stays fixed at 01h 56m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Kennewick
Tue, Jun 2, 1:35 AM PDT
Return by in Ellensburg
Tue, Jun 2, 3:31 AM PDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Ellensburg
2026-06-01T23:39
Arrive Kennewick
Tue, Jun 2, 1:35 AM PDT
Route Timing
01h 56m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
8:00 AM to 10:00 AM PDT
Aim for a morning departure
Arrive between
9:56 AM to 11:56 AM PDT

A morning start gives you useful time at the destination and keeps the return out of the late evening.

Leave by
2:38 PM PDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 03h 00m at the destination.
Back in Ellensburg
9:30 PM PDT
Morning start is best

You are leaving earlier than the recommended window, which gives you extra margin for breaks and traffic.

Halfway Point

A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.

Mid-route stop
Granger
WA

Human settlement in Yakima County, Washington, United States of America

From Ellensburg
59.7 mi
00h 58m
To Kennewick
48.1 mi
00h 58m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
48°F
Tonight

Mostly Cloudy

Starts
Mon, Jun 1 6:00 PM PDT
Wind
0 to 6 mph N
Destination
81°F
This Afternoon

Partly Sunny

Starts
Mon, Jun 1 3:00 PM PDT
Wind
7 mph N

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Ellensburg and Kennewick.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Ellensburg and Kennewick.

  1. 1

    Start on West 5th Avenue

    66 m · 15 sec · West 5th Avenue

  2. 2

    Turn left onto North Main Street

    1.4 km · 3 min · North Main Street

  3. 3

    Continue on Canyon Road

    1.5 km · 2 min · Canyon Road

  4. 4

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward I 90 East: Spokane, Yakima

    40 m · 11 sec

  5. 5

    Exit the roundabout onto I 90 East: Spokane, Yakima

    2123 ft · 56 sec

  6. 6

    Merge slight left

    2541 ft · 31 sec

  7. 7

    Take the exit slight right toward I 82 East, US 97 South: Yakima

    37.8 mi · 43 min

  8. 8

    Keep slight left

    64.1 mi · 1 hr 9 min

  9. 9

    Take the exit slight right toward I‑182 east, US 12 east: Richland, Pasco

    5.5 mi · 6 min

  10. 10

    Take the exit slight right toward SR 240 east: Kennewick

    7.3 mi · 9 min

  11. 11

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward West Columbia Drive

    718 ft · 9 sec · West Columbia Drive

  12. 12

    Exit the roundabout onto West Columbia Drive

    2794 ft · 1 min · West Columbia Drive

  13. 13

    Turn right onto North Fruitland Street

    2961 ft · 2 min · North Fruitland Street

  14. 14

    Turn right onto West Kennewick Avenue

    2790 ft · 1 min · West Kennewick Avenue

  15. 15

    Turn right onto North Newport Street

    706 ft · 31 sec · North Newport Street

  16. 16

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · North Newport Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Ellensburg and Kennewick.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Highway-focused drive

Most of the mileage stays on named highways, so the important moments are ramps, exits, merges, and the final local approach.

Directions
16 steps
8 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
8
1 merges, 7 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
14.9 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
I 82 East
102 mi · 95%
SR 240 east
7.29 mi · 7%
I‑182 east
5.55 mi · 5%
Canyon Road
0.95 mi · 1%
I 90 East
0.91 mi · 1%
North Main Street
0.84 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

I 82 East

Keep slight left

64.1 mi · 01h 09m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

A comfortable day-trip route

This route works well as a day trip. You can leave in the morning, spend meaningful time at the destination, and still return the same day.

Drive Time
01h 56m
Day trip friendly
Same-Day Return
03h 52m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+21.5 mi
86.2 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Granger
00h 58m from Ellensburg
Leave By
2:38 PM PDT
Morning start is best
Weather Watch

Mostly Cloudy leaving Ellensburg and Partly Sunny near Kennewick.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Ellensburg to Kennewick?

The road trip is about 107.7 miles (173.3 km) and usually takes 01h 56m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This route works well as a day trip. You can leave in the morning, spend meaningful time at the destination, and still return the same day.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Granger is a useful midpoint, sitting about 59.7 miles from Ellensburg and 48.1 miles from Kennewick.

How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?

The direct path is about 86.2 miles (138.7 km), while the road route adds roughly 21.5 extra miles because roads do not follow the straight air line.

When is the best time to leave for this route?

A good departure window is usually 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM PDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 2:38 PM PDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $19.89 one way or $39.77 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 33.8 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Cloudy around Ellensburg and Partly Sunny near Kennewick.

Stop Ideas Near Granger

Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Granger, so nearby transit and meeting points are shown instead.
Reviewed stop coverage is still thin around this midpoint, so practical transit waypoints are shown on the right.

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Granger.

RAIL

Pasco Intermodal Train Station

86 mi away
535 North 1st Avenue
RAIL

Wishram

97 mi away
1 Railroad Avenue
BUS

Quincy, Washington

103 mi away
102 B St NE
BUS

Moses Lake, Washington

111 mi away
1819 East Kittleson Road

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Ellensburg and Kennewick. Straight-line distance: 86.18 mi (138.7 km).

Ellensburg

#1 Ellensburg

City in Kittitas County, Washington, United States

Population21,576
Coordinates46.9965100, -120.5478500
Altitude470
CountryUnited States
Kennewick

#2 Kennewick

The second most populous city in Benton County, Washington.

Population84,515
Coordinates46.2112500, -119.1372300
Altitude124
CountryUnited States
Start: West 5th Avenue (-120.547851, 46.996526)
End: North Newport Street (-119.137182, 46.21125)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 173 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)03h 35m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)02h 41m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)02h 09m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)01h 47m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)01h 32m
80 mph (129 km/h)01h 20m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
3.8 gal
14.39 L · about $19.89
Round trip
$39.77
7.6 gal · 28.78 L
Estimated CO2
33.8 kg one way
Round trip: 67.5 kg / 149 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $5.23 $19.89 $39.77
Mid-grade $5.57 $21.15 $42.31
Premium $5.77 $21.93 $43.86
Diesel $5.47 $20.77 $41.55

Assumes 8.3 L/100 km (about 28.3 MPG). CO2 is an estimate and varies by vehicle, fuel blend, traffic, and terrain.

Prices in Washington · Jun 02, 2026

There is no time difference between Ellensburg and Kennewick. The current time is 23:39:39.

Distance to Other Cities

Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.