Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 13m
Distance
58.8 mi
95 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$14
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Santa Clarita, CA
Wikimedia Commons
The drive from Anaheim, CA to Santa Clarita, CA covers 58.8 miles and takes about 1h 13m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Golden State Freeway, Santa Ana Freeway, I 5 Truck for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 27.7 miles on Golden State Freeway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $13.51 one way before food or hotel costs.
Founded 1857
Anaheim is a city in Orange County, California. It is best known for being the home of Disneyland. Its second claim to fame is hosting the National Hockey League's Anaheim Ducks and Major League Baseball's Los Angeles Angels.
Top landmarks
Founded 1987
Santa Clarita is the third largest city in Los Angeles County in Southern California, with a population of 229,000 in 2020. It is generally considered to be a suburb of Greater Los Angeles. It consists of the neighborhoods of Canyon Country, Newhall, Saugus, and Valencia. It is part of the Santa Clarita Valley, which also includes the unincorporated "satellite communities" of Castaic, Stevenson Ranch, Val Verde, and Agua Dulce.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 13m. Total distance: 58.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 13m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (94%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
This is a 1h 13m highway drive covering 58.8 miles, with most of the trip on Golden State Freeway and Santa Ana Freeway. The longest continuous stretch is about 27.7 miles on Golden State Freeway.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Golden State Freeway and Santa Ana Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 4.6 miles in near I 5 / Santa Ana Freeway.
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 58.8 miles you will encounter 15 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 4.6 miles (I 5 / Santa Ana Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 22.6 miles (I 5 / Golden State Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 50.3 miles (I 5 Truck): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 / Santa Ana Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 / Golden State Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 Truck toward I 5 Truck North, CA 14 Truck
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward Lyons Avenue, Pico Canyon Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork toward Lyons Avenue, Newhall, William S. Hart Park, The Master's University
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Golden State Freeway | 27.7 mi | 32m |
| Santa Ana Freeway | 21.3 mi | 24m |
| I 5 Truck | 6.3 mi | 7m |
| Wiley Canyon Road | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| West Lincoln Avenue | 1 mi | 2m |
| 16th Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Lyons Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Orchard Village Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Anaheim, CA and Santa Clarita, CA.
Start on this road
Turn left onto South Anaheim Boulevard
Turn left onto West Lincoln Avenue
Turn left
Merge onto I 5
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 Truck
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5 Truck
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork
Turn straight onto Lyons Avenue
Turn left onto Wiley Canyon Road
Turn right onto Orchard Village Road
Turn left onto 16th Street
Turn left onto Newhall Avenue
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 29.4 mi from Anaheim, CA · 36m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
29 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.
A short stop after about 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 29.4 miles from Anaheim, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
The final approach into Santa Clarita, CA 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.
Regular Gas
$13.51 one way
$27.03 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $13.93 | $27.85 |
| premium | $6.18 | $14.30 | $28.60 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.98 | $25.96 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$14
Estimated CO2 emission: 20.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 17.6 | 0 | $6.17 | $2.82 |
| Efficient EV | 14.7 | 0 | $5.15 | $2.35 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 23.5 | 0 | $8.23 | $3.76 |
Gas CO2
21 kg
EV CO2
7 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Morning in Anaheim on Saturday
Local time
7:43 AM
PDT
Current temp
56°F
Mostly Clear
Destination
Morning in Santa Clarita on Saturday
Local time
7:43 AM
PDT
Current temp
48°F
Unavailable
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
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.
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