Drive Time
10h 53m
Distance
533.6 mi
859 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
2-day trip
Fuel Cost
$72
one way
Photo: Stephen Leonardi
The drive from Fontana, CA to Susanville, CA covers 533.6 miles and takes about 10h 53m behind the wheel. It usually feels better as a 2-day road trip than as one long push.
The route leans on Sierra Avenue, I 15 North, Ontario Freeway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is long-distance drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $72.48 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
266.8 miles from Fontana, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 5h 26m into the drive .
At 533.6 miles and 10h 53m of driving, this is a route where fuel stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single turn. The main roads are Sierra Avenue and I 15 North.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Sierra Avenue | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| I 15 North | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Ontario Freeway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Barstow and Mojave Freeway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| CHP Officer Larry L | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| US 395 North | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Blue Star Memorial Highway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Red Mountain Road | Unavailable | Refreshing |
Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.
Step-by-step road directions between Fontana, CA and Susanville, CA.
Start on Merrill Avenue
Turn right onto Sierra Avenue
Take the ramp right toward I 15 North
Merge slight left onto Ontario Freeway
Continue on Barstow and Mojave Freeway
Continue on CHP Officer Larry L. Wetterling and San Bernardino County Sheriff's Lieutenant Alfred E. Stewart Memorial Highway
Continue on Barstow and Mojave Freeway
Take the exit right toward US 395 North: Adelanto, Bishop
Continue on US 395 North: Adelanto, Bishop
Continue on Blue Star Memorial Highway
Continue on Red Mountain Road
Continue on Blue Star Memorial Highway
Continue on Grand Army of the Republic Highway
Continue on South Main Street
Continue on Grand Army of the Republic Highway
Continue on South Edwards Street
Continue on Grand Army of the Republic Highway
Continue on North Main Street
Continue on Grand Army of the Republic Highway
Continue on El Camino Sierra
Continue on South Main Street
Turn left onto West Line Street
Turn right onto North Barlow Lane
Turn left onto North Sierra Highway
Turn right onto Sinclair Street
Turn left onto Emigrant Street
Continue on Route 395
Continue on Main Street
Continue straight
Turn left onto County Road
Enter the roundabout and take exit 1 toward Woodfords Road
Exit the roundabout onto Woodfords Road
Turn left
Take the exit slight right toward I 580 North, US 395 North, US 50 East: Reno, Dayton, Fallon
Merge slight left onto Carson City Deputy Sheriff Carl Howell Memorial Freeway
Continue straight
Continue straight
Turn left onto Foss Street
Arrive at your 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 117 miles or 2h 23m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 266.8 miles or 5h 26m 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 266.8 miles or 5h 26m
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 9h 40m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Susanville, 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 267 miles and 5.4 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Susanville, CA
Aim for roughly 267 miles and 5.4 hours of wheel time on this day.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 266.8 mi from Fontana, CA · 5h 26m into the drive
First major stop
Coffee and fuel
176 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
352 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 South Lake Tahoe, CANight 1
267 mi · about 5.4h in
A practical overnight split lands near South Lake Tahoe, CA after about 267 miles or 5.4 hours of driving.
Find hotelsA short stop after about 117 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 266.8 miles from Fontana, 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 267 miles or 5.4 hours on the road.
Final-third reset
Rest stopPlan one more short stretch-and-water break in the final third of the drive so the last arrival window feels easier.
The final approach into Susanville, 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 Susanville, CA.
On a multi-day trip, keep the last day a little lighter so you reach Susanville, 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.
Regular Gas
$72.48 one way
$144.95 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $3.85 | $80.88 | $161.76 |
| premium | $4.15 | $87.18 | $174.37 |
| diesel | $3.75 | $78.78 | $157.56 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$72
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$202–$312
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 186.7 kg one way.
Driving Electric?
About $56 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 160.1 | 1 | $56.03 | $25.61 |
| Efficient EV | 133.4 | 1 | $46.69 | $21.34 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 213.4 | 2 | $74.70 | $34.15 |
Gas CO2
187 kg
EV CO2
62 kg (67% 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. If you're planning ahead, check the forecast closer to your travel date.
Origin
Morning in Fontana on Saturday
Local time
8:15 AM
PDT
Current temp
54°F
Forecast unavailable right now
Destination
Morning in Susanville on Saturday
Local time
8:15 AM
PDT
Current temp
63°F
Forecast unavailable right now
Along the Route
75°F
Sanger, CA
176 mi in
30°F
South Lake Tahoe, CA
352 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.
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.
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