Origin
Diamond Springs, CA
Afternoon in Diamond Springs on Friday
Local time
12:59 PM
PDT
Current temp
64°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Diamond Springs, 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
52m
Distance
42.7 mi
69 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 49m
★
6 AM
0h 53m
8 AM
1h 2m
10 AM
0h 56m
12 PM
0h 55m
3 PM
0h 56m
5 PM
1h 1m
8 PM
0h 50m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Diamond Springs, CA
Stephen Leonardi
Sacramento, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 42.7-mile drive from Diamond Springs, CA to Sacramento, CA is a quick, highway-focused journey that can easily be completed in about 52 minutes. It's an ideal day trip, requiring no overnight stays. The primary route utilizes US 50, making up 90% of the drive, with brief segments on Missouri Flat Road and 16th Street. With an estimated fuel cost of around $10, this trip is quite budget-friendly. Given its short duration and straightforward path through the Pacific Coast region, it's a convenient option for a quick transit or an easy excursion.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 52m. Total distance: 42.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
52m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (90%). Straightforward navigation.
Drive Character
Expect a predominantly highway experience on this 42.7-mile route, with a 90% highway share. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 38.4 miles on US 50, suggesting a consistent pace for much of the journey. While the profile is highway-focused, you'll transition onto local roads like Missouri Flat Road and 16th Street as you approach your destination. This mix means you'll experience efficient travel on the main thoroughfare before navigating more urbanized streets closer to Sacramento.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 10 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
US 50 is the longest continuous segment at about 38.4 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 50 and Missouri Flat Road. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near China Garden Road.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 52m drive. You will face about 8 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (China Garden Road): Navigation decision point; at 2.3 miles (US 50): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 40.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 8 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
China Garden Road
Turn right onto China Garden Road
Navigation decision point
5
2.3 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
US 50
Merge onto US 50
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
40.8 mi into trip
|
~49m in
Take the exit toward CA 160: 16th Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 5
Toward CA 160: 16th Street
5
41 mi into trip
|
~49m in
|
16th Street
Turn right onto 16th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
5
42.1 mi into trip
|
~51m in
|
I Street
Turn left onto I Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 50 | 38.4 mi | 43m |
| Missouri Flat Road | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| 16th Street | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| China Garden Road | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| I Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Pleasant Valley Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| 9th Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
US 50
— 38.4 mi, about 43m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Diamond Springs, CA and Sacramento, CA.
1
Start on CA 49
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
·
Pleasant Valley Road
2
Turn right onto China Garden Road
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
China Garden Road
3
At end of road, turn right onto Missouri Flat Road
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Missouri Flat Road
4
Turn left
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
5
Merge onto US 50
38 mi
·
43 min
·
US 50
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
Exit 5
Toward CA 160: 16th Street
Use the slight right lane.
7
Turn right onto 16th Street
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
16th Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
8
Turn left onto I Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
I Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
9
Turn left onto 9th Street
71 ft
·
1 sec
·
9th Street
10
Arrive at destination
9th Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 21.3 mi from Diamond Springs, CA · 26m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
21 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 42.7 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 21.3 miles from Diamond Springs, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Sacramento, CA
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Sacramento, CA if you are unfamiliar with the area.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.81 one way
$19.63 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $10.11 | $20.23 |
| premium | $6.18 | $10.38 | $20.77 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.43 | $18.86 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.8 | 0 | $4.48 | $2.05 |
| Efficient EV | 10.7 | 0 | $3.74 | $1.71 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 17.1 | 0 | $5.98 | $2.73 |
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.
Destination
Sacramento, CA
Afternoon in Sacramento on Friday
Local time
12:59 PM
PDT
Current temp
45°F
Clear
NNW 14 mph
0% chance
Live forecast
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued April 17 at 3:02AM MST until April 17 at 1:00PM MST by NWS Phoenix AZ
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued April 17 at 2:56AM PDT until April 17 at 2:00PM PDT by NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard CA
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
19 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
52m 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 Diamond Springs, CA to Sacramento, CA covers 42.7 miles and takes about 52m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are US 50, Missouri Flat Road, 16th 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 21.3 miles from Diamond Springs, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $9.81 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 is a straightforward 52m drive. You will face about 8 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (China Garden Road): Navigation decision point; at 2.3 miles (US 50): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 40.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Diamond Springs, 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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