Origin
Chico, CA
Morning in Chico on Sunday
Local time
11:36 AM
PDT
Current temp
50°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Chico, CA to Fontana, CA
Drive Time
9h 40m
Distance
517.1 mi
832 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
2-day trip
Fuel Cost
$120
one way
Trip Overview
Spanning 517.1 miles from Chico to Fontana, this cross-state journey requires roughly 9 hours and 40 minutes of pure driving time. Because the trip traverses the Pacific Coast region of California, you should expect a significant change in scenery as you head south. While a single-day push is technically possible, splitting the drive over two days is highly recommended to keep the pace manageable. Budget approximately $70 for fuel to cover the distance. Navigating via local routes like Broadway Street, Oroville Avenue, and Park Avenue means you will be relying on surface streets rather than major interstates. It is a long-distance commitment that demands careful planning for your comfort and safety.
Trip Pace
Best split across 2 days
Treat the return leg as its own travel day rather than an afterthought.
Break Rhythm
2 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
258.5 miles from Chico, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 4h 50m into the drive .
Drive Character
Expect a unique driving experience on this route, as it relies entirely on local roads rather than high-speed interstates. With a 0% highway share, you will navigate through various town environments rather than cruising along a monotonous freeway. The longest stretch you will encounter is on Broadway Street, where you will face continuous navigation rather than long, uninterrupted segments. Because the route is composed of local thoroughfares, your focus will remain on the changing road conditions of Oroville Avenue and Park Avenue. This is a deliberate, ground-level way to travel that requires more attention than a standard highway cruise.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 33 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Broadway Street is one of the defining roads on this drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
At 9h 40m, 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 9h 40m, 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 Chico, CA to Fontana, CA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Broadway Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Oroville Avenue | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Park Avenue | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| East Park Avenue | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Oroville | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| 5th Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| E Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Bernie Richter Memorial Highway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.
Longest stretch:
Broadway Street
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Chico, CA and Fontana, CA.
1
Start on East 5th Street
518 ft
·
30 sec
·
East 5th Street
2
Turn left onto Broadway Street
0.2 mi
·
49 sec
·
Broadway Street
3
Turn slight left onto Oroville Avenue
0.2 mi
·
18 sec
·
Oroville Avenue
4
Continue on Park Avenue
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Park Avenue
5
Continue on East Park Avenue
0.5 mi
·
56 sec
·
East Park Avenue
6
Take the ramp slight right
0.5 mi
·
32 sec
7
Merge slight left
8.0 mi
·
9 min
8
Keep slight left to continue on Oroville, Marysville
5.5 mi
·
6 min
·
Oroville, Marysville
9
Merge slight right
19 mi
·
22 min
10
Continue straight
11 mi
·
12 min
11
Continue straight
1.5 mi
·
3 min
12
Turn right onto 5th Street
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
5th Street
13
Turn left onto E Street
4.2 mi
·
5 min
·
E Street
14
Keep slight right
18 mi
·
20 min
15
Merge slight left onto Bernie Richter Memorial Highway
4.9 mi
·
5 min
·
Bernie Richter Memorial Highway
16
Continue on Golden State Highway
7.7 mi
·
8 min
·
Golden State Highway
17
Merge slight left onto Westside Freeway
66 mi
·
1 hr 13 min
·
Westside Freeway
18
Keep slight left to continue on Westside Freeway
0.8 mi
·
49 sec
·
Westside Freeway
19
Keep slight left to continue on Westside Freeway
237 mi
·
4 hr 13 min
·
Westside Freeway
20
Keep slight right
58 mi
·
1 hr 6 min
21
Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Golden State Freeway
22
Take the exit slight right toward I 210 East: Pasadena
0.3 mi
·
18 sec
·
I 210 East: Pasadena
23
Continue on Foothill Freeway
24 mi
·
28 min
·
Foothill Freeway
24
Keep slight right to continue on Foothill Freeway
19 mi
·
22 min
·
Foothill Freeway
25
Keep slight right to continue on Foothill Freeway
2.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Foothill Freeway
26
Keep slight right to continue on Foothill Freeway
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Foothill Freeway
27
Keep slight right to continue on Foothill Freeway
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Foothill Freeway
28
Keep slight right to continue on Foothill Freeway
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Foothill Freeway
29
Keep slight right to continue on Foothill Freeway
16 mi
·
18 min
·
Foothill Freeway
30
Take the exit slight right toward Sierra Avenue
0.3 mi
·
46 sec
·
Sierra Avenue
31
Turn right onto Sierra Avenue
3.0 mi
·
4 min
·
Sierra Avenue
32
Turn left onto Merrill Avenue
207 ft
·
4 sec
·
Merrill Avenue
33
Arrive at your destination
Trip Plan
Given the 9-hour and 40-minute duration, plan to leave early in the morning to maximize daylight hours for your navigation. Incorporating two scheduled stops will help break up the fatigue of driving on non-highway roads. Since you are relying on local streets, keep a close watch on your GPS to avoid missing turns on Broadway Street or Oroville Avenue. If you choose to split the trip, look for lodging options halfway through the 517.1-mile journey to ensure a fresh start for the second half. Always keep your fuel budget of $70 in mind, as frequent stops in local areas may lead to varying gas prices along the route.
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 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 258.5 miles from Chico, CA, or about 4h 50m 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 114 miles or 2h 8m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 258.5 miles or 4h 50m 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 258.5 miles or 4h 50m
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 8h 33m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Fontana, CA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Chico, 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 Chico, CA
Aim for roughly 259 miles and 4.8 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Fontana, CA
Aim for roughly 259 miles and 4.8 hours of wheel time on this day.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 114 miles from Chico, CA.
This route usually feels better as a 2-day drive than as one long push.
Plan about 2 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 258.5 mi from Chico, CA · 4h 50m into the drive
First major stop
Coffee and fuel
171 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
341 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 Santa Clarita, CAOvernight Options
Night 1
259 mi · about 4.8h in
A practical overnight split lands near Modesto, CA after about 259 miles or 4.8 hours of driving.
Find hotelsPacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 114 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 258.5 miles from Chico, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Overnight split
Hotel stopFor a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 259 miles or 4.8 hours on the road.
Arriving in Fontana, CA
The final approach into Fontana, 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 Fontana, CA.
On a multi-day trip, keep the last day a little lighter so you reach Fontana, 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
$119.75 one way
$239.49 round trip
$5.88/gal
25.4 MPG avg
181 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.07 | $123.49 | $246.99 |
| premium | $6.24 | $127.10 | $254.19 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $114.88 | $229.76 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$120
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$250–$360
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 180.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $54 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 155.1 | 1 | $54.30 | $24.82 |
| Efficient EV | 129.3 | 1 | $45.25 | $20.68 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 206.8 | 2 | $72.39 | $33.09 |
Gas CO2
181 kg
EV CO2
61 kg (66% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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
Fontana, CA
Morning in Fontana on Sunday
Local time
11:36 AM
PDT
Current temp
54°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
4 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
9h 40m 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 Chico, CA to Fontana, CA covers 517.1 miles and takes about 9h 40m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Broadway Street, Oroville Avenue, Park Avenue. 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 259 miles on day one.
The midpoint is about 258.5 miles from Chico, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $119.75 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 2 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 9h 40m, 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 Chico, CA to Fontana, CA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Chico, CA to Fontana, CA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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