Trip from Anaheim, CA to McCloud, CA

Drive Time

11h 43m

Distance

635.7 mi

1,023 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

2-day trip

Fuel Cost

$147

one way

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 32 min

4 AM

11h 33m ★

6 AM

11h 43m

8 AM

12h 5m

10 AM

11h 51m

12 PM

11h 49m

3 PM

11h 52m

5 PM

12h 3m

8 PM

11h 37m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

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McCloud, CA

Stephen Leonardi

Trip Overview

The drive from Anaheim, CA to McCloud, CA covers 635.7 miles and takes about 11h 43m behind the wheel. It usually feels better as a 2-day road trip than as one long push.

The route leans on South Anaheim Boulevard, West Lincoln Avenue, I 5 North for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is long-distance drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $147.21 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Best split across 2 days

Treat the return leg as its own travel day rather than an afterthought.

Break Rhythm

3 planned breaks

Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.

Midpoint

317.9 miles from Anaheim, CA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 5h 51m into the drive .

Drive Character

At 635.7 miles and 11h 43m of driving, this is a route where fuel stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single turn. The main roads are South Anaheim Boulevard and West Lincoln Avenue.

Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.

There are about 21 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.

South Anaheim Boulevard is one of the defining roads on this drive.

How Hard Is This Drive?

At 11h 43m, this is a long-haul route where pacing matters more than any single turn. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way.

Route Complexity 4/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

The route itself is not hard, but at 11h 43m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 0 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.

Where does it get tricky?

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Anaheim, CA to McCloud, CA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
South Anaheim Boulevard	Unavailable	Refreshing
West Lincoln Avenue	Unavailable	Refreshing
I 5 North	Unavailable	Refreshing
Santa Ana Freeway	Unavailable	Refreshing
Golden State Freeway	Unavailable	Refreshing
I 5	Unavailable	Refreshing
Westside Freeway	Unavailable	Refreshing
Cascade Wonderland Highway	Unavailable	Refreshing

Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.

Longest stretch: South Anaheim Boulevard — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Anaheim, CA and McCloud, CA.

Start on the route

200 ft · 17 sec · the route

Turn left onto South Anaheim Boulevard

423 ft · 22 sec · South Anaheim Boulevard

Turn left onto West Lincoln Avenue

1.0 mi · 2 min · West Lincoln Avenue

Turn left onto I 5 North: Los Angeles

0.2 mi · 14 sec · I 5 North: Los Angeles

Merge slight left onto Santa Ana Freeway

3.3 mi · 3 min · Santa Ana Freeway

Keep slight right to continue on Santa Ana Freeway

18 mi · 20 min · Santa Ana Freeway

Keep slight right to continue on Golden State Freeway

25 mi · 29 min · Golden State Freeway

Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway

2.2 mi · 2 min · Golden State Freeway

Keep slight right to continue on I 5 Truck North, CA 14 Truck

1.5 mi · 1 min · I 5 Truck North, CA 14 Truck

Keep slight left

36 mi · 41 min

Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway

22 mi · 25 min · Golden State Freeway

Keep slight right to continue on Westside Freeway

226 mi · 4 hr 1 min · Westside Freeway

Keep slight right to continue on Westside Freeway

26 mi · 27 min · Westside Freeway

Keep left to continue on Westside Freeway

54 mi · 59 min · Westside Freeway

Keep slight left to continue on Westside Freeway

121 mi · 2 hr 10 min · Westside Freeway

Continue on Cascade Wonderland Highway

90 mi · 1 hr 41 min · Cascade Wonderland Highway

Take the exit slight right toward McCloud

0.3 mi · 43 sec · McCloud

Merge slight left

8.6 mi · 10 min

Turn left onto West Colombero Drive

0.9 mi · 2 min · West Colombero Drive

Turn right onto Main Street

75 ft · 2 sec · Main Street

Arrive at your destination

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.

Evening Departure

This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.

This drive is better paced as a 2-day trip.

Plan roughly 3 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.

The halfway point lands around 317.9 miles from Anaheim, CA, or about 5h 51m into the drive.

Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.

Departure

Before you leave

Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.

First stop

Around 140 miles or 2h 34m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 317.9 miles or 5h 51m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Overnight split

Day 1 wrap after about 317.9 miles or 5h 51m

Stop before fatigue turns the last few hours into a grind. You want day two to start fresh, not just resumed.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 10h 37m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near McCloud, CA than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

Open the route before leaving Anaheim, CA 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.

Pick one backup stop option before the midpoint in case traffic changes your pacing.

Treat this as a 2-day road trip and book the overnight stop before the busiest arrival window.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Anaheim, CA

Aim for roughly 318 miles and 5.9 hours of wheel time on this day.

Day 2

Finish the approach into McCloud, CA

Aim for roughly 318 miles and 5.9 hours of wheel time on this day.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 140 miles from Anaheim, CA.

This route usually feels better as a 2-day drive than as one long push.

Plan about 3 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 317.9 mi from Anaheim, CA · 5h 51m into the drive

First major stop

Coffee and fuel

Fresno, CA

210 mi into the route

Best for: Coffee, fuel, and an easy first stretch

This is a natural early stop once the first hours of the drive are behind you.

Second major stop

Overnight candidate

Red Bluff, CA

420 mi into the route

Best for: Hotel check-in, dinner, and a fresh start

This lines up well with a realistic day-end stop if you are breaking the drive into stages.

Find hotels in Red Bluff, CA

Overnight Options

Night 1

Sacramento, CA

318 mi · about 5.9h in

A practical overnight split lands near Sacramento, CA after about 318 miles or 5.9 hours of driving.

Find hotels

Pacing Suggestions

Santa Clarita, CA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 140 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Sacramento, CA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 317.9 miles from Anaheim, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Overnight split

Hotel stop

For a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 318 miles or 5.9 hours on the road.

Final-third reset

Rest stop

Plan one more short stretch-and-water break in the final third of the drive so the last arrival window feels easier.

Arriving in McCloud, CA

The final approach into McCloud, CA usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.

Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around McCloud, CA.

On a multi-day trip, keep the last day a little lighter so you reach McCloud, CA with some flexibility left in the schedule.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$147.21 one way

$294.42 round trip

$5.88/gal 25.4 MPG avg 222 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$6.07	$151.82	$303.63
premium	$6.24	$156.25	$312.49
diesel	$5.64	$141.23	$282.46

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$147

Hotel (1n)

$80–$140

Meals

$50–$100

Total

$277–$387

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 222.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $67 in charging · 2 stops · 67% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	Stops	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	190.7	2	$66.75	$30.51
Efficient EV	158.9	1	$55.62	$25.43
EV Truck/SUV	254.3	3	$89.00	$40.68

Gas CO2

222 kg

EV CO2

74 kg (67% less)

Plan for 2 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.

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 data refreshed 3 days ago

Origin

Anaheim, CA

Afternoon in Anaheim on Sunday

Local time

12:53 PM

PDT

Current temp

76°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

McCloud, CA

Afternoon in McCloud on Sunday

Local time

12:53 PM

PDT

Current temp

33°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.

For long drives, weather on day two can matter just as much as conditions at departure, so check the whole travel window rather than only the first day.

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

43 degrees cooler at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

11h 43m on the road

This is long enough that the arrival forecast matters almost as much as departure conditions. Recheck both ends before you roll.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Anaheim, CA to McCloud, CA covers 635.7 miles and takes about 11h 43m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are South Anaheim Boulevard, West Lincoln Avenue, I 5 North. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.

Yes. This route is usually more comfortable as a 2-day drive. A sensible stopping point is after roughly 318 miles on day one.

The midpoint is about 317.9 miles from Anaheim, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $147.21 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.

Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour. This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.

Plan about 3 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.

The route itself is not hard, but at 11h 43m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 0 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Anaheim, CA to McCloud, CA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

The route from Anaheim, CA to McCloud, CA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.