Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
3h 14m
Distance
161.5 mi
260 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$37
one way
EV Charging
Excellent
22 DC fast
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Laguna, CA
Tori Pezzulla❤️
Ukiah, CA
Wikimedia Commons
The drive from Laguna, CA to Ukiah, CA covers 161.5 miles and takes about 3h 14m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Saint Helena Highway, Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, Redwood Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 51.2 miles on Saint Helena Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $37.12 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.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
80.7 miles from Laguna, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 37m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Saint Helena Highway | 51.2 mi | 59m |
| Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway | 37.9 mi | 43m |
| Redwood Highway | 36.1 mi | 44m |
| South Sacramento Freeway | 9.9 mi | 11m |
| CA 12 | 6.7 mi | 8m |
| Capital City Freeway | 5 mi | 5m |
| Yolo Causeway | 3.9 mi | 4m |
| Main Street | 2.4 mi | 2m |
Step-by-step road directions between Laguna, CA and Ukiah, CA.
Start on Fall Breeze Court
Turn right onto Mapleview Way
Turn right onto November Drive
Turn left onto Seasons Drive
Turn left onto Bruceville Road
Turn right onto Laguna Boulevard
Continue on Bond Road
Take the ramp
Merge onto CA 99
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Continue on US 50
Continue on I 80
Continue on I 80
Take the exit onto CA 12
Continue on Airport Boulevard
Turn right onto 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
Take the exit
Turn left onto East Perkins Street
Turn right onto US 101 Business
Arrive at destination
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
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 36 miles or 44m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 80.7 miles or 1h 37m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 37m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Ukiah, CA than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Laguna, 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.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Laguna, CA
This is one driving day of about 161.5 miles and 3h 14m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
81 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.
A short stop after about 36 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 80.7 miles from Laguna, CA, 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.
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.8 and 160.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn right onto Laguna Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward US 50 West, US 50 East: San Francisco, South Lake Tahoe
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork toward US 50 West: San Francisco
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit onto CA 12
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward Perkins Street, Central Ukiah
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$37.12 one way
$74.24 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $38.25 | $76.50 |
| premium | $6.18 | $39.28 | $78.55 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $35.66 | $71.31 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$37
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$62–$87
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 56.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
EV Charging Along Route
22 DC fast chargers · Coverage: excellent
Laguna 99 Plaza - Tesla Supercharger
Elk Grove, CA
16 DCFC
Laguna Promenade - Tesla Supercharger
Elk Grove, CA
12 DCFC
TownePlace Suites Sacramento
Elk Grove, CA
8 DCFC
Ethan Conrad Elk Grove #71
Elk Grove, CA
6 DCFC
Holiday Inn Express Sacramento
Elk Grove, CA
6 DCFC
Marketplace 99
Elk Grove, CA
6 DCFC
Chevron Elk Grove Gas Station
Elk Grove, CA
4 DCFC
Laguna Village (Sacramento, CA)
Sacramento, CA
4 DCFC
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $17 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 48.4 | 0 | $16.96 | $7.75 |
| Efficient EV | 40.4 | 0 | $14.13 | $6.46 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 64.6 | 0 | $22.61 | $10.34 |
Gas CO2
57 kg
EV CO2
19 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Morning in Laguna on Saturday
Local time
11:38 AM
PDT
Current temp
78°F
Sunny
Destination
Morning in Ukiah on Saturday
Local time
11:38 AM
PDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
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
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
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.
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
National Memorial
On July 17, 1944, a massive explosion jolted the San Francisco East Bay area, shattering windows and lighting up the night sky. At Port Chicago Naval Magazine, 320 men were killed instantly when two s...
National Historical Park
Celebrate and honor the contributions and sacrifices of American civilians on the WWII home front. Discover how diverse communities lived, worked, and interacted. Many faces, many stories, many truths...
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 Historical Park
Established in 1988, San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park celebrates America’s maritime heritage on the Pacific Coast. Our 50-acre park has grown around Aquatic Park Cove, a protected area...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Expect a 3h 14m drive with frequent turns across 161.5 miles of local and secondary roads.
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 0.8 miles in near Laguna Boulevard.
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 17 significant decision points across 161.5 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 0.8 miles (Laguna Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 12.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 12.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Laguna, CA to Ukiah, CA, road signs begin pointing toward Lake Tahoe along the way.
Lake Tahoe
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 14m. Total distance: 161.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 14m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local 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, NREL for EV charging, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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