Trip from Fresno, CA to Imperial, CA

Drive Time

8h 2m

Distance

425.2 mi

684 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

2-day trip

Fuel Cost

$98

one way

EV Charging

None

0 DC fast

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 25 min

4 AM

7h 54m ★

6 AM

8h 2m

8 AM

8h 19m

10 AM

8h 8m

12 PM

8h 6m

3 PM

8h 9m

5 PM

8h 18m

8 PM

7h 57m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly

Google Maps Waze Apple Maps

Download GPX

Fresno, CA

Stephen Leonardi

Trip Overview

The drive from Fresno, CA to Imperial, CA covers 425.2 miles and takes about 8h 2m behind the wheel. It usually feels better as a 2-day road trip than as one long push.

The route leans on Golden State Freeway, CA 86, Golden State Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 92.8 miles on Golden State Freeway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $98.47 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

2 planned breaks

Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.

Midpoint

212.6 miles from Fresno, CA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 3h 56m into the drive .

Drive Character

This is a 8h 2m highway drive covering 425.2 miles, with most of the trip on Golden State Freeway and CA 86. The longest continuous stretch is about 92.8 miles on Golden State Freeway.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.

There are about 37 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.

Golden State Freeway is the longest continuous segment at about 92.8 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Golden State Freeway and CA 86. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2.2 miles in.

Route Complexity 10/10

High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day

This is a demanding drive. With 28 significant decision points across 425.2 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 2.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 218.6 miles (I 210 / Foothill Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 242.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 28 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

2.2 mi into trip | ~3m in

Take the exit toward CA 99 South: Bakersfield, Los Angeles

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 126A Toward CA 99 South: Bakersfield, Los Angeles

218.6 mi into trip | ~4h 3m in | I 210 / Foothill Freeway

Keep slight right at fork onto I 210 / Foothill Freeway toward CA 134 West, I 210 East: San Bernardino, Ventura

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight right lane. Toward CA 134 West, I 210 East: San Bernardino,...

242.4 mi into trip | ~4h 32m in

Take the exit toward I 10 East, I 10 West: San Bernardino, Los Angeles

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 22A; 22B Toward I 10 East, I 10 West: San Bernardino, Lo...

242.5 mi into trip | ~4h 32m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 10 East: San Bernardino Freeway, San Bernardino

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight left / slight right lanes. Exit 22B Toward I 10 East: San Bernardino Freeway, San B...

345.2 mi into trip | ~6h 26m in | CA 86

Keep slight right at fork onto CA 86 toward CA 86 South: CA 86 South, Brawley, El Centro

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight lane. Toward CA 86 South: CA 86 South, Brawley, El Ce...

Towns Along This Route

Between Fresno, CA and Imperial, CA, road signs point toward Ventura, Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Redlands, Palm Springs and Brawley - among others.

Ventura

218.6 mi in | ~4h 3m | via I 210

Los Angeles

242.4 mi in | ~4h 32m

San Bernardino

242.5 mi in | ~4h 32m

Redlands

272.4 mi in | ~5h 7m | via I 10

Palm Springs

272.4 mi in | ~5h 7m | via I 10

Brawley

345.2 mi in | ~6h 26m | via CA 86

El Centro

345.2 mi in | ~6h 26m | via CA 86

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
Golden State Freeway	92.8 mi	1h 44m
CA 86	78.4 mi	1h 32m
Golden State Highway	58.6 mi	1h 2m
Foothill Freeway	44 mi	50m
Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway	40.3 mi	44m
CA 99	39.6 mi	42m
Sonny Bono Memorial Freeway	32.5 mi	34m
San Bernardino Freeway	20.1 mi	23m

Longest stretch: Golden State Freeway — 92.8 mi, about 1h 44m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Fresno, CA and Imperial, CA.

Start on East Washington Avenue

30 ft · 1 sec · East Washington Avenue

Turn left onto North First Street

0.3 mi · 49 sec · North First Street

Turn right onto East Tulare Avenue

0.2 mi · 29 sec · East Tulare Avenue

Continue on Tulare Street

0.1 mi · 22 sec · Tulare Street

Take the ramp left toward CA 41 South

0.2 mi · 32 sec · CA 41 South

Merge slight left onto Dwight David Eisenhower Memorial Freeway

0.2 mi · 13 sec · Dwight David Eisenhower Memorial Freeway

Continue on Yosemite Freeway

1.1 mi · 1 min · Yosemite Freeway

Take the exit slight right toward CA 99 South: Bakersfield, Los Angeles

0.7 mi · 1 min · CA 99 South: Bakersfield, Los Angeles

Merge slight left

40 mi · 42 min

Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Highway

59 mi · 1 hr 2 min · Golden State Highway

Continue on Golden State Freeway

5.2 mi · 5 min · Golden State Freeway

Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway

27 mi · 30 min · Golden State Freeway

Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway

58 mi · 1 hr 6 min · Golden State Freeway

Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway

2.0 mi · 2 min · Golden State Freeway

Take the exit slight right toward I 210 East: Pasadena

0.3 mi · 18 sec · I 210 East: Pasadena

Continue on Foothill Freeway

24 mi · 28 min · Foothill Freeway

Keep slight right to continue on Foothill Freeway

19 mi · 22 min · Foothill Freeway

Keep slight right to continue on Foothill Freeway

0.5 mi · 33 sec · Foothill Freeway

Take the exit slight right toward CA 57 South: Santa Ana

0.9 mi · 1 min · CA 57 South: Santa Ana

Continue on Orange Freeway

3.4 mi · 3 min · Orange Freeway

Take the exit slight right toward I 10 East, I 10 West: San Bernardino, Los Angeles

0.2 mi · 23 sec · I 10 East, I 10 West: San Bernardino, Los Angeles

Keep slight left to continue on I 10 East: San Bernardino Freeway, San Bernardino

0.7 mi · 1 min · I 10 East: San Bernardino Freeway, San Bernardino

Merge slight left onto San Bernardino Freeway

1.9 mi · 2 min · San Bernardino Freeway

Keep slight right to continue on San Bernardino Freeway

4.0 mi · 4 min · San Bernardino Freeway

Keep slight left to continue on I-10 Metro ExpressLanes

9.0 mi · 9 min · I-10 Metro ExpressLanes

Merge slight right onto San Bernardino Freeway

14 mi · 16 min · San Bernardino Freeway

Continue on Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway

40 mi · 44 min · Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway

Keep slight left to continue on Sonny Bono Memorial Freeway

32 mi · 34 min · Sonny Bono Memorial Freeway

Keep slight right to continue on CA 86 South: CA 86 South, Brawley, El Centro

70 mi · 1 hr 22 min · CA 86 South: CA 86 South, Brawley, El Centro

Turn right onto South 1st Street

0.4 mi · 28 sec · South 1st Street

Continue on South Brawley Avenue

0.9 mi · 1 min · South Brawley Avenue

Turn left

325 ft · 18 sec

Turn right

0.1 mi · 46 sec

At the end of the road, turn right

472 ft · 24 sec

Turn left

8.4 mi · 10 min

Turn right onto East Barioni Boulevard

102 ft · 3 sec · East Barioni Boulevard

Arrive at your destination

Trip Plan

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 212.6 miles from Fresno, CA, or about 3h 56m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 92.8 miles.

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 94 miles or 1h 42m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 212.6 miles or 3h 56m 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 212.6 miles or 3h 56m

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 6h 49m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Imperial, CA than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

Open the route before leaving Fresno, 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 Fresno, CA

Aim for roughly 213 miles and 4 hours of wheel time on this day.

Day 2

Finish the approach into Imperial, CA

Aim for roughly 213 miles and 4 hours of wheel time on this day.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 94 miles from Fresno, 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.

The longest stretch is on Golden State Freeway for about 92.8 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 212.6 mi from Fresno, CA · 3h 56m into the drive

Mid-route town

Overnight candidate

Los Angeles, CA

213 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 Los Angeles, CA

Overnight Options

Night 1

Los Angeles, CA

213 mi · about 4h in

A practical overnight split lands near Los Angeles, CA after about 213 miles or 4 hours of driving.

Find hotels

Pacing Suggestions

Bakersfield, CA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 94 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Los Angeles, CA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 212.6 miles from Fresno, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before Golden State Freeway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 92.8 miles.

Overnight split

Hotel stop

For a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 213 miles or 4 hours on the road.

Arriving in Imperial, CA

The final approach into Imperial, 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 Imperial, CA.

On a multi-day trip, keep the last day a little lighter so you reach Imperial, 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.

National Parks Near This Route

Worth a detour if your schedule allows.

Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area

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...

22 mi from route ~54 min detour Free near mile 190.6

View on nps.gov

Joshua Tree National Park

National Park

Two distinct desert ecosystems, the Mojave and the Colorado, come together in Joshua Tree National Park. A fascinating variety of plants and animals make their homes in a land sculpted by strong winds...

25 mi from route ~63 min detour $30 near mile 351.9

View on nps.gov

César E. Chávez National Monument

National Monument

Yes, we can! Widely recognized as the most important Latino leader in the United States during the twentieth century, Cesar Chavez led farm workers and supporters in the establishment of the country's...

26 mi from route ~65 min detour Free near mile 117.3

View on nps.gov

Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$98.47 one way

$196.93 round trip

$5.88/gal 25.4 MPG avg 149 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$6.07	$101.55	$203.09
premium	$6.24	$104.51	$209.02
diesel	$5.64	$94.46	$188.93

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$98

Hotel (1n)

$80–$140

Meals

$50–$100

Total

$228–$338

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 148.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $45 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	Stops	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	127.6	1	$44.65	$20.41
Efficient EV	106.3	1	$37.21	$17.01
EV Truck/SUV	170.1	2	$59.53	$27.21

Gas CO2

149 kg

EV CO2

50 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.

Forecast data refreshed 3 days ago

Origin

Fresno, CA

Late night in Fresno on Monday

Local time

1:57 AM

PDT

Current temp

76°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Imperial, CA

Late night in Imperial on Monday

Local time

1:57 AM

PDT

Current temp

60°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

16 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

8h 2m 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 Fresno, CA to Imperial, CA covers 425.2 miles and takes about 8h 2m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are Golden State Freeway, CA 86, Golden State Highway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.

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 213 miles on day one.

The midpoint is about 212.6 miles from Fresno, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $98.47 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.

Between Fresno, CA and Imperial, CA, road signs point toward Ventura, Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Redlands, Palm Springs and Brawley - among others.

Was this route helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!

/500

Explore More

Explore more options from Fresno, CA or browse trips ending in Imperial, CA.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse CA road trips.

Explore maps for Fresno, CA or Imperial, CA on MapSof.net.

Trip from Fresno, CA to Imperial, CA

Best Time to Leave

Trip Overview

Drive Character

How Hard Is This Drive?

Critical Maneuvers

Towns Along This Route

Main Roads

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Trip Plan

Before You Leave

Where to Stop

Overnight Options

Pacing Suggestions

Arriving in Imperial, CA

National Parks Near This Route

Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area

Joshua Tree National Park

César E. Chávez National Monument

Fuel & Cost

Travel Intel

Fresno, CA

Imperial, CA

Same local time

16 degrees cooler at arrival

8h 2m on the road

Frequently Asked Questions

Was this route helpful?

Explore More

Continue From Imperial, CA

More from Fresno, CA

More trips to Imperial, CA