Origin
Ellijay, GA
Afternoon in Ellijay on Saturday
Local time
4:21 PM
EDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Ellijay, GA to California, GA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 30m
Distance
69.9 mi
113 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$11
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 23m
★
6 AM
1h 30m
8 AM
1h 44m
10 AM
1h 35m
12 PM
1h 34m
3 PM
1h 36m
5 PM
1h 43m
8 PM
1h 26m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Ellijay, GA
Wikimedia Commons
California, GA
Lesli Whitecotton
Trip Overview
The drive from Ellijay, GA to California, GA covers 69.9 miles and takes about 1h 30m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on APD Highway, Phillip Landrum Memorial Highway, A P D Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly surface roads. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 24.8 miles on APD Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $10.93 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
35 miles from Ellijay, GA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 43m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| APD Highway | 24.8 mi | 30m |
| Phillip Landrum Memorial Highway | 19 mi | 20m |
| A P D Highway | 10.1 mi | 10m |
| Dallas Highway | 6.1 mi | 9m |
| Ernest West Barrett Parkway | 4.6 mi | 8m |
| Barrett Parkway | 1.8 mi | 3m |
| Charles Hardy Parkway | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| River Street | 0.9 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
APD Highway
— 24.8 mi, about 30m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Ellijay, GA and California, GA.
1
Start on North Church Street
419 ft
·
24 sec
·
North Church Street
2
Turn left onto North Main Street
412 ft
·
15 sec
·
North Main Street
3
Enter roundabout onto GA 2; GA 52
311 ft
·
17 sec
·
River Street
4
Continue on GA 2; GA 52
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
River Street
5
Turn slight right onto GA 2
443 ft
·
12 sec
·
GA 2
Use the slight right lane.
6
Take the ramp
144 ft
·
3 sec
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Merge onto GA 5; GA 515
25 mi
·
30 min
·
APD Highway
Use the straight lane.
8
Continue on I 575; GA 5
10 mi
·
10 min
·
A P D Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on I 575; GA 5
10 mi
·
10 min
·
Phillip Landrum Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight right at fork onto I 575; GA 5
8.8 mi
·
9 min
·
Phillip Landrum Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
Exit 1
Toward Barrett Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight left at fork
113 ft
·
2 sec
Exit 1
Toward GA 5 West Connector
Use the left lane.
13
Keep slight right at fork
218 ft
·
5 sec
Toward GA 5 Connector West
Use the slight right lane.
14
Merge onto GA 5 Connector
1.8 mi
·
3 min
·
Barrett Parkway
Use the left / straight lanes.
15
Continue on GA 5 Connector
4.6 mi
·
8 min
·
Ernest West Barrett Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Turn right onto GA 120
6.1 mi
·
9 min
·
Dallas Highway
Use the left lane.
17
Continue on GA 120
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Charles Hardy Parkway
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
18
Turn left onto GA 92
0.5 mi
·
52 sec
·
Hiram Acworth Highway
19
Arrive at destination
GA 92
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 35 miles from Ellijay, GA, or about 43m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 24.8 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 15 miles or 20m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 35 miles or 43m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 13m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near California, GA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Ellijay, GA so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Ellijay, GA
This is one driving day of about 69.9 miles and 1h 30m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 15 miles from Ellijay, GA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on APD Highway for about 24.8 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
35 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 15 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 35 miles from Ellijay, GA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 115 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 55.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
GA 2; GA 52 / River Street
Enter roundabout onto GA 2; GA 52 / River Street
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
6
46.3 mi into trip
|
~55m in
|
I 575; GA 5 / Phillip Landrum Memorial Highway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 575; GA 5 / Phillip Landrum Memorial Highway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
7
55 mi into trip
|
~1h 5m in
Take the exit toward Barrett Parkway
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 1
Toward Barrett Parkway
8
55.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 6m in
Keep slight left at fork toward GA 5 West Connector
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Exit 1
Toward GA 5 West Connector
8
55.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 6m in
Keep slight right at fork toward GA 5 Connector West
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward GA 5 Connector West
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.93 one way
$21.86 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
25 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $11.95 | $23.90 |
| premium | $4.70 | $12.94 | $25.87 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $15.43 | $30.87 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$11
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$36–$61
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 24.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 21 | 0 | $7.34 | $3.36 |
| Efficient EV | 17.5 | 0 | $6.12 | $2.80 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 28 | 0 | $9.79 | $4.47 |
Gas CO2
24 kg
EV CO2
8 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
California, GA
Afternoon in California on Saturday
Local time
4:21 PM
EDT
Current temp
54°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
53°F
Canton, GA
35 mi in
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.
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
3 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 30m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
69.9 mi in 1h 30m across surface roads — expect steady turns and local traffic rather than long highway runs.
Only 11% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 24.8 mi on APD Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near GA 2; GA 52 / River Street.
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 69.9 miles you will encounter 11 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 0.2 miles (GA 2; GA 52 / River Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 46.3 miles (I 575; GA 5 / Phillip Landrum Memorial Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 55 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 30m. Total distance: 69.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 30m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 24.8 miles on APD Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at California, GA before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (GA 2; GA 52 / River Street): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 46.3 miles (I 575; GA 5 / Phillip Landrum Memorial Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 55 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at California, GA before heading back.
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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