How far is Federal Way, WA from Big Lake, WA?

The driving distance from Federal Way, WA to Big Lake, WA is about 88.2 miles (142 km), with a travel time of about 01h 55m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 74.8 miles (120.3 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 03h 51m 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
88.25 mi
01h 55m
Flight
74.73 mi
120.27 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Federal Way.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
74.73 mi
Kilometers
120.27 km
Flight Time
00h 09m

Driving Distance

Road route
88.25 mi
Kilometers
142.02 km
Drive Time
01h 55m

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 55m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Big Lake
Thu, Oct 15, 7:24 PM PDT
Return by in Federal Way
Thu, Oct 15, 9:19 PM PDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Federal Way
2026-10-15T17:28
Arrive Big Lake
Thu, Oct 15, 7:24 PM PDT
Route Timing
01h 55m
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 Federal Way
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
Mill Creek
WA

City in Snohomish County, Washington, USA

From Federal Way
44.1 mi
00h 57m
To Big Lake
44.1 mi
00h 57m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
72ยฐF
This Afternoon

Sunny

Starts
Thu, Oct 15 12:00 PM PDT
Wind
6 mph NNW
Destination
67ยฐF
Thursday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Thu, Oct 15 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
2 mph SSE

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Federal Way and Big Lake.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Federal Way and Big Lake.

  1. 1

    Start on the route

    7 m ยท 7 sec

  2. 2

    Turn left onto South 312th Street

    48 m ยท 8 sec ยท South 312th Street

  3. 3

    Turn right onto Pacific Highway South

    2.5 mi ยท 4 min ยท Pacific Highway South

  4. 4

    Turn right onto South 272nd Street

    1.1 km ยท 2 min ยท South 272nd Street

  5. 5

    Take the ramp left toward I-5 North: Seattle

    2172 ft ยท 55 sec

  6. 6

    Merge slight left

    79 mi ยท 1 hr 36 min

  7. 7

    Take the exit slight right toward WA 536 West: Kincaid Street

    1007 ft ยท 25 sec

  8. 8

    Turn sharp right onto Broad Street

    2481 ft ยท 1 min ยท Broad Street

  9. 9

    Turn left onto South 15th Street

    1968 ft ยท 58 sec ยท South 15th Street

  10. 10

    Turn right onto East Division Street

    1.6 mi ยท 4 min ยท East Division Street

  11. 11

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward East Division Street

    23 m ยท 2 sec ยท East Division Street

  12. 12

    Exit the roundabout onto East Division Street

    1.3 km ยท 2 min ยท East Division Street

  13. 13

    Continue on Mount Vernon Big Lake Road

    1.2 km ยท 2 min ยท Mount Vernon Big Lake Road

  14. 14

    At the end of the road, turn right onto State Route 9

    1.5 mi ยท 2 min ยท State Route 9

  15. 15

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m ยท 1 sec ยท State Route 9

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Federal Way and Big Lake.

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
15 steps
9 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
5
1 merges, 4 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
17 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
I-5 North
79.4 mi ยท 90%
Pacific Highway South
2.48 mi ยท 3%
East Division Street
2.45 mi ยท 3%
State Route 9
1.46 mi ยท 2%
Mount Vernon Big Lake Road
0.73 mi ยท 1%
South 272nd Street
0.69 mi ยท 1%
Longest Stretch

I-5 North

Merge slight left

79 mi ยท 01h 36m

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 55m
Day trip friendly
Same-Day Return
03h 52m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+13.4 mi
74.8 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Mill Creek
00h 57m from Federal Way
Leave By
2:38 PM PDT
Morning start is best
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving Federal Way and Mostly Sunny near Big Lake.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Federal Way to Big Lake?

The road trip is about 88.2 miles (142 km) and usually takes 01h 55m 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?

Mill Creek is a useful midpoint, sitting about 44.1 miles from Federal Way and 44.1 miles from Big Lake.

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

The direct path is about 74.8 miles (120.3 km), while the road route adds roughly 13.4 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 $16.90 one way or $33.81 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 27.6 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Sunny around Federal Way and Mostly Sunny near Big Lake.

Stop Ideas Near Mill Creek

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

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Mill Creek, 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 Mill Creek.

RAIL

Everett Station

13 mi away
3201 Smith Ave.
RAIL

Edmonds station

14 mi away
211 Railroad Ave.
BUS

Monroe, Washington

18 mi away
118 North Lewis St., Suite 112
BUS

Monroe (Eastbound), WA

18 mi away
19746 US Highway 2

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Federal Way and Big Lake. Straight-line distance: 74.73 mi (120.27 km).

Federal Way

#1 Federal Way

A city in King County, Washington.

Population96,307
Coordinates47.3223200, -122.3126200
Altitude141
CountryUnited States
Photo coming soon

#2 Big Lake

Located east of Mount Vernon in Skagit County, this residential community surrounds its namesake body of water in the low-lying foothills of the Cascade Range.

Population0
Coordinates48.4028800, -122.2412700
Altitude28
CountryUnited States
Start: Federal Way (-122.31262, 47.32232)
End: Big Lake (-122.24127, 48.40288)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 142 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)02h 56m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)02h 12m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)01h 45m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)01h 28m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)01h 15m
80 mph (129 km/h)01h 06m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
3.11 gal
11.79 L ยท about $16.90
Round trip
$33.81
6.22 gal ยท 23.58 L
Estimated CO2
27.6 kg one way
Round trip: 55.3 kg / 122 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $5.44 $16.90 $33.81
Mid-grade $5.72 $17.79 $35.57
Premium $5.98 $18.59 $37.18
Diesel $7.29 $22.68 $45.36

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 ยท Oct 15, 2026

There is no time difference between Federal Way and Big Lake. The current time is 17:28:56.

Distance to Other Cities

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