Origin
Birchville, CA
Morning in Birchville on Saturday
Local time
7:01 AM
PDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Birchville, CA to Nevada City, CA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
20m
Distance
13.5 mi
22 km
Drive Score
5/10
Practical drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 19m
★
6 AM
0h 21m
8 AM
0h 25m
10 AM
0h 22m
12 PM
0h 22m
3 PM
0h 22m
5 PM
0h 24m
8 PM
0h 20m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Nevada City, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Birchville, CA to Nevada City, CA covers 13.5 miles and takes about 20m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on State Highway 49, Pleasant Valley Road, West Broad Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 10.9 miles on State Highway 49. At current regular gas prices, budget about $3.10 one way before food or hotel costs.
About the Cities
Arriving in Nevada City, CA
Full guide →Nevada City is a city in Nevada County in California's Gold Country. It's known for its well-preserved 19th century downtown and countercultural affiliations.
Top landmarks
- • Nevada Theatre — movie theater and former theater in Nevada City, California, United States
- • Nevada Brewery — commercial building in Nevada City, United States of America
- • Nevada City Downtown Historic District — historic district in California, United States
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 20m. Total distance: 13.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
20m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (81%). Straightforward navigation.
Drive Character
This is a 20m highway drive covering 13.5 miles, with most of the trip on State Highway 49 and Pleasant Valley Road. The longest continuous stretch is about 10.9 miles on State Highway 49.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 5 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
State Highway 49 is the longest continuous segment at about 10.9 miles.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
2,656 ft
1,303 ft
Total Climb
1,671 ft
Total Descent
939 ft
Highest Point
2,656 ft
~12.5 mi in
Elevation Range
1,353 ft
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on State Highway 49 and Pleasant Valley Road. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes around 1.8 miles in near CA 49 / State Highway 49.
Driving Effort
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Birchville, CA to Nevada City, CA is easy. At 20m with 81% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.8 miles (CA 49 / State Highway 49): Navigation decision point; at 12.7 miles (West Broad Street): Navigation decision point; at 13.4 miles: Navigation decision point.
Critical Maneuvers
3 of 3 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
1.8 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
CA 49 / State Highway 49
At end of road, turn right onto CA 49 / State Highway 49
Navigation decision point
4
12.7 mi into trip
|
~19m in
|
West Broad Street
Turn right onto West Broad Street
Navigation decision point
4
13.4 mi into trip
|
~20m in
Take the ramp
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| State Highway 49 | 10.9 mi | 14m |
| Pleasant Valley Road | 1.8 mi | 4m |
| West Broad Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
State Highway 49
— 10.9 mi, about 14m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Birchville, CA and Nevada City, CA.
1
Start on Pleasant Valley Road
1.8 mi
·
4 min
·
Pleasant Valley Road
2
At end of road, turn right onto CA 49
11 mi
·
14 min
·
State Highway 49
3
Turn right onto West Broad Street
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
West Broad Street
4
Take the ramp
239 ft
·
4 sec
5
Arrive at destination
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.10 one way
$6.21 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
5 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $3.20 | $6.39 |
| premium | $6.18 | $3.28 | $6.57 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.98 | $5.96 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 4.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 4.1 | 0 | $1.42 | $0.65 |
| Efficient EV | 3.4 | 0 | $1.18 | $0.54 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 5.4 | 0 | $1.89 | $0.86 |
Gas CO2
5 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (60% 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.
Destination
Nevada City, CA
Morning in Nevada City on Saturday
Local time
7:01 AM
PDT
Current temp
56°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
12 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
20m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Birchville, CA to Nevada City, CA covers 13.5 miles and takes about 20m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are State Highway 49, Pleasant Valley Road, West Broad Street. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 6.7 miles from Birchville, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $3.10 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.
The drive from Birchville, CA to Nevada City, CA is easy. At 20m with 81% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
The main spots that need attention: at 1.8 miles (CA 49 / State Highway 49): Navigation decision point; at 12.7 miles (West Broad Street): Navigation decision point; at 13.4 miles: Navigation decision point.
The route from Birchville, CA to Nevada City, CA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Gently rolling terrain. The route ranges from 1,303 ft to 2,656 ft elevation with about 1,671 ft of total climbing.
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, EIA for fuel prices, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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