Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
12h 54m
Distance
672 mi
1,081 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
2-day trip
Fuel Cost
$154
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Fontana, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Fortuna, CA
Wikimedia Commons
The drive from Fontana, CA to Fortuna, CA covers 672 miles and takes about 12h 54m behind the wheel. It usually feels better as a 2-day road trip than as one long push.
The route leans on Westside Freeway, Redwood Highway, Foothill Freeway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is long-haul drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 225.6 miles on Westside Freeway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $154.45 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Best split across 2 days
Treat the return leg as its own travel day rather than an afterthought.
Break Rhythm
3 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
336 miles from Fontana, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 6h 12m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Westside Freeway | 225.6 mi | 4h 1m |
| Redwood Highway | 169.4 mi | 3h 28m |
| Foothill Freeway | 67.2 mi | 1h 17m |
| Saint Helena Highway | 51.2 mi | 59m |
| I 5 Truck | 37.1 mi | 42m |
| Golden State Freeway | 22.3 mi | 25m |
| Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway | 19.6 mi | 22m |
| William Elton Brown Freeway | 17 mi | 18m |
Step-by-step road directions between Fontana, CA and Fortuna, CA.
Start on Merrill Avenue
Turn right onto Sierra Avenue
Take the ramp
Merge onto CA 210
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 210
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 210
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 210
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 210
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 210
Keep slight right at fork onto I 210
Keep slight right at fork
Merge onto I 5 Truck
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5 Truck
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
Keep slight left at fork onto I 580
Keep slight right at fork onto I 580 Bypass
Merge onto I 580
Keep slight right at fork onto I 580
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork
Merge onto I 680
Continue on I 680
Keep slight left at fork onto I 680
Keep slight left at fork onto I 680
Keep slight right at fork onto I 680
Keep slight left at fork onto I 780
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto I 80
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Continue on CA 37
Take the exit
Turn right onto CA 29
Continue on CA 29
Continue on CA 29
Continue on CA 12; CA 29
Continue on CA 29; CA 128
Continue on CA 29; CA 128
Continue on CA 128
Continue on CA 128
Continue on CA 128
At end of road, turn right onto CA 128
Turn left onto CA 128
Take the exit onto CA 128
Merge onto US 101; CA 128
Continue on US 101
Take the exit
Merge onto US 101
Continue on US 101
Take the exit
Continue on 12th Street
Turn left onto US 101 Business
Turn right onto 9th Street
Turn right
Arrive at destination
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.
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 148 miles or 2h 50m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 336 miles or 6h 12m 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 336 miles or 6h 12m
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 11h 38m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Fortuna, CA than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Fontana, 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 Fontana, CA
Aim for roughly 336 miles and 6.5 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Fortuna, CA
Aim for roughly 336 miles and 6.5 hours of wheel time on this day.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
First major stop
Coffee and fuel
222 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
444 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 Windsor, CANight 1
336 mi · about 6.5h in
A practical overnight split lands near Windsor, CA after about 336 miles or 6.5 hours of driving.
Find hotelsA short stop after about 148 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 336 miles from Fontana, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Westside Freeway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 225.6 miles.
Overnight split
Hotel stopFor a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 336 miles or 6.5 hours on the road.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
5 decision points cluster between mile 45 and 427.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Keep slight right at fork onto I 210 / Foothill Freeway toward I 210 West: Sacramento
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward I 680 South, I 680 North: San Jose, Sacramento, Concord, Walnut Creek
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork toward I 680 North: Walnut Creek, Concord, Sacramento
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork onto I 680 / Senator Daniel E Boatwright Highway toward I 680 North: Martinez, Sacramento
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork toward I 80 East: Sacramento
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$154.45 one way
$308.91 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $159.16 | $318.33 |
| premium | $6.18 | $163.42 | $326.85 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $148.37 | $296.74 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$154
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$284–$394
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 235.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $71 in charging · 2 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 201.6 | 2 | $70.56 | $32.26 |
| Efficient EV | 168 | 1 | $58.80 | $26.88 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 268.8 | 3 | $94.08 | $43.01 |
Gas CO2
235 kg
EV CO2
79 kg (66% less)
Plan for 2 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Morning in Fontana on Saturday
Local time
11:20 AM
PDT
Current temp
53°F
Clear
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued April 18 at 1:22AM PDT until April 18 at 8:00AM PDT by NWS Eureka CA
Destination
Morning in Fortuna on Saturday
Local time
11:20 AM
PDT
Current temp
40°F
Mostly Cloudy
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued April 18 at 1:22AM PDT until April 18 at 8:00AM PDT by NWS Eureka CA
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
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
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National Historical Park
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National Historical Park
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National Recreation Area
The Santa Monica Mountains offer easy access to surprisingly wild places. Experience the famous beaches of Malibu or explore more than 500 miles of trails. The park abounds with historical and cultura...
National Monument
Walk among old growth coast redwoods, cooling their roots in the fresh water of Redwood Creek and lifting their crowns to reach the sun and fog. Federally protected as a National Monument since 1908,...
National Monument
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Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
672 mi / 12h 54m — a long-haul route where fuel stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single turn. Biggest road: Westside Freeway.
At 12h 54m, this is a long-haul route where pacing matters more than any single turn. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 45 miles in near I 210 / Foothill Freeway.
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 44 significant decision points across 672 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 45 miles (I 210 / Foothill Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 392.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 392.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Fontana, CA and Fortuna, CA, road signs point toward San Francisco, Sacramento, Concord, Walnut Creek, Novato and Auto Mall.
San Francisco
Sacramento
Concord
Walnut Creek
Novato
Auto Mall
Fontana is a city in San Bernardino County in Southern California.
Fortuna is a city in Humboldt County in the North Coast region of the state of California.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Solo Traveler
12h 54m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
Scenic Drive
Long-haul drive route profile with national parks nearby.
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 NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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