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Trip from Auburn Lake Trails, CA to Sacramento, CA

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 6m

Distance

44.2 mi

71 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$10

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 17 min
4 AM
1h 1m ★
6 AM
1h 7m
8 AM
1h 18m
10 AM
1h 11m
12 PM
1h 9m
3 PM
1h 11m
5 PM
1h 17m
8 PM
1h 4m

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

Downtown Auburn Lake Trails, CA, CA

Auburn Lake Trails, CA

Robert So

capital city of the U.S. state of California and seat of Sacramento County

Sacramento, CA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Auburn Lake Trails, CA to Sacramento, CA covers 44.2 miles and takes about 1h 6m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Alan S. Hart Freeway, Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, Capital City Freeway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 17.1 miles on Alan S. Hart Freeway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $10.16 one way before food or hotel costs.

About the Cities

Arriving in Sacramento, CA

Full guide →

Sacramento is the state capital of California in the United States. It is the regional center for the Greater Sacramento metropolitan area, which dominates much of the surrounding Sacramento Valley and stretches into parts of Gold Country. Sacramento is the oldest incorporated city in California, settled between the confluences of the Sacramento and American rivers. The city has been the site of many important historic events that have shaped California and U.S. history, most notably the California Gold Rush and location of the original terminus of the First Transcontinental Railroad. Much of this historical legacy has been preserved, especially in the historic Old Sacramento district, where buildings and railroads from that era continue to attract visitors. However, Sacramento is not a city that is stuck in the past. As the capital of the most populous U.S.

City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 6m. Total distance: 44.2 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 6m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (64%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Drive Character

This is a 1h 6m highway drive covering 44.2 miles, with most of the trip on Alan S. Hart Freeway and Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway. The longest continuous stretch is about 17.1 miles on Alan S. Hart Freeway.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 21 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Alan S. Hart Freeway is the longest continuous segment at about 17.1 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Alan S. Hart Freeway and Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2.4 miles in near CA 193 / Georgetown Road.

Driving Effort 9/10

Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 44.2 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 2.4 miles (CA 193 / Georgetown Road): Navigation decision point; at 35.2 miles (I 80 Business / Capital City Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 40.1 miles (CA 160 / North Sacramento Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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.

5
2.4 mi into trip | ~9m in | CA 193 / Georgetown Road

At end of road, turn right onto CA 193 / Georgetown Road

Navigation decision point

8
35.2 mi into trip | ~55m in | I 80 Business / Capital City Freeway

Keep slight right at fork onto I 80 Business / Capital City Freeway toward I 80 Business West: Sacramento

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 95 Toward I 80 Business West: Sacramento
7
40.1 mi into trip | ~1h 1m in | CA 160 / North Sacramento Freeway

Keep slight right at fork onto CA 160 / North Sacramento Freeway toward CA 160 West: Downtown Sacramento

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward CA 160 West: Downtown Sacramento
6
43.3 mi into trip | ~1h 5m in | CA 160; US 40 Historic / 12th Street

Keep slight left at fork onto CA 160; US 40 Historic / 12th Street

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / left / right lanes.
6
44 mi into trip | ~1h 6m in | I Street

Turn right onto I Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / right lanes.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Alan S. Hart Freeway 17.1 mi 19m
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway 7.1 mi 8m
Capital City Freeway 4.9 mi 5m
CA 49 3.6 mi 7m
North Sacramento Freeway 2.6 mi 2m
El Dorado Street 2.4 mi 5m
Georgetown Road 2.2 mi 3m
Sweetwater Trail 1.6 mi 6m
Longest stretch: Alan S. Hart Freeway — 17.1 mi, about 19m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Auburn Lake Trails, CA and Sacramento, CA.

1

Start on Cascade Trail

0.2 mi · 40 sec · Cascade Trail
2

Turn right onto Brown Bear Trail

0.5 mi · 1 min · Brown Bear Trail
3

At end of road, turn right onto Hidden Gold Trail

0.1 mi · 40 sec · Hidden Gold Trail
4

Turn left onto Sweetwater Trail

1.6 mi · 6 min · Sweetwater Trail
5

At end of road, turn right onto CA 193

2.2 mi · 3 min · Georgetown Road
6

Turn right onto CA 49

0.2 mi · 19 sec · CA 49
7

Continue on CA 49

3.4 mi · 7 min · CA 49
8

Continue on CA 49

2.3 mi · 5 min · El Dorado Street
9

Enter roundabout onto CA 49

78 ft · 2 sec · El Dorado Street
10

Continue on CA 49

0.2 mi · 32 sec · El Dorado Street
11

Turn right onto CA 49

0.3 mi · 1 min · Elm Avenue
12

Take the ramp

0.1 mi · 17 sec
Toward I 80 West: Sacramento
13

Merge onto I 80; CA 49

17 mi · 19 min · Alan S. Hart Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14

Continue on I 80

7.1 mi · 8 min · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15

Keep slight right at fork onto I 80 Business

4.9 mi · 5 min · Capital City Freeway
Exit 95 Toward I 80 Business West: Sacramento Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16

Keep slight right at fork onto CA 160

2.6 mi · 2 min · North Sacramento Freeway
Toward CA 160 West: Downtown Sacramento Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17

Continue on CA 160; US 40 Historic

0.6 mi · 56 sec · North 12th Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
18

Keep slight left at fork onto CA 160; US 40 Historic

0.6 mi · 1 min · 12th Street
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
19

Turn right onto I Street

0.2 mi · 31 sec · I Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
20

Turn left onto 9th Street

71 ft · 1 sec · 9th Street
21

Arrive at destination

9th Street

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 22.1 mi from Auburn Lake Trails, CA · 40m into the drive

city and the county seat of Placer County, California, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Auburn, CA

22 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.

Pacing Suggestions

Auburn, CA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Loomis, CA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 22.1 miles from Auburn Lake Trails, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Sacramento, CA

The final approach into Sacramento, 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.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$10.16 one way

$20.32 round trip

$5.84/gal 25.4 MPG avg 16 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $6.02 $10.47 $20.94
premium $6.18 $10.75 $21.50
diesel $5.61 $9.76 $19.52

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$10

Estimated CO2 emission: 15.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 13.3 0 $4.64 $2.12
Efficient EV 11.1 0 $3.87 $1.77
EV Truck/SUV 17.7 0 $6.19 $2.83

Gas CO2

15 kg

EV CO2

5 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 16, 2026

Origin

Auburn Lake Trails, CA

Afternoon in Auburn Lake Trails on Friday

Local time

3:35 PM

PDT

Current temp

45°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Sacramento, CA

Afternoon in Sacramento on Friday

Local time

3:35 PM

PDT

Current temp

68°F

Sunny

NNW 10 to 20 mph 0% chance Live forecast

64°F

Auburn, CA

22 mi in

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

23 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

1h 6m 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 Auburn Lake Trails, CA to Sacramento, CA covers 44.2 miles and takes about 1h 6m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are Alan S. Hart Freeway, Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, Capital City Freeway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 22.1 miles from Auburn Lake Trails, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $10.16 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 44.2 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 2.4 miles (CA 193 / Georgetown Road): Navigation decision point; at 35.2 miles (I 80 Business / Capital City Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 40.1 miles (CA 160 / North Sacramento Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

The route from Auburn Lake Trails, CA to Sacramento, CA 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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