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Trip from Lake Los Angeles, CA to Riverside, CA

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 24m

Distance

65.4 mi

105 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$15

one way

EV Charging

Good

8 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 19 min
4 AM
1h 18m ★
6 AM
1h 24m
8 AM
1h 37m
10 AM
1h 29m
12 PM
1h 27m
3 PM
1h 29m
5 PM
1h 37m
8 PM
1h 20m

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

census-designated place in Los Angeles County, California, United States

Lake Los Angeles, CA

Wikimedia Commons

county seat of Riverside County, California, United States

Riverside, CA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Connecting Lake Los Angeles to Riverside is a straightforward 65.5-mile journey that typically takes about 1 hour and 21 minutes. This route functions perfectly as a simple day trip, requiring no overnight stays or complex logistics. You can expect to spend approximately $9 on fuel for the entire excursion, making it a budget-friendly way to travel between these two Pacific Coast locations. Because the trip is entirely local, you won't need to worry about long-distance planning or heavy highway traffic. It is an ideal choice if you prefer a direct, no-nonsense drive that gets you from point A to point B efficiently.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 24m. Total distance: 65.4 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 24m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (46%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Drive Character

Expect a turn-heavy local drive rather than a monotonous interstate cruise, as this route features zero highway miles. You will navigate primarily via Park Valley Avenue, 170th Street East, and 165th Street East. Because the road is composed entirely of local streets, there is no long-distance "longest stretch" to speak of, keeping your attention engaged behind the wheel. The experience is defined by the constant turns and transitions between these specific local roads. You should be prepared for a steady, hands-on driving experience that requires focus throughout the entire 65.5-mile duration.

Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 17 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Antelope Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 20.5 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Park Valley Avenue.

Driving Effort 6/10

Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 65.4 miles you will encounter 9 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: near the start (Park Valley Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (170th Street East): Navigation decision point; at 40.7 miles (I 215 / Barstow Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 9 key points

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

5
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | Park Valley Avenue

Turn left onto Park Valley Avenue

Navigation decision point

4
0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | 170th Street East

Turn right onto 170th Street East

Navigation decision point

6
40.7 mi into trip | ~55m in | I 215 / Barstow Freeway

Keep slight left at fork onto I 215 / Barstow Freeway

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
8
64.5 mi into trip | ~1h 21m in

Take the exit toward Central Avenue, Riverside Plaza Avenue

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 62 Toward Central Avenue, Riverside Plaza Avenue
5
64.7 mi into trip | ~1h 22m in | Central Avenue

Turn right onto Central Avenue

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / right lanes.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Antelope Highway 20.5 mi 28m
Barstow Freeway 9.5 mi 10m
Riverside Freeway 8.9 mi 10m
Barstow and Mojave Freeway 6.3 mi 6m
Pearblossom Highway 5.7 mi 7m
San Bernardino Freeway 5.6 mi 6m
170th Street East 5.1 mi 7m
165th Street East 2.5 mi 3m
Longest stretch: Antelope Highway — 20.5 mi, about 28m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Lake Los Angeles, CA and Riverside, CA.

1

Start on 169th Street East

11 ft · 5 sec · 169th Street East
2

Turn left onto Park Valley Avenue

318 ft · 18 sec · Park Valley Avenue
3

Turn right onto 170th Street East

5.1 mi · 7 min · 170th Street East
4

Continue on 165th Street East

2.5 mi · 3 min · 165th Street East
5

Turn left onto CA 138

5.7 mi · 7 min · Pearblossom Highway
6

Continue on CA 138

21 mi · 28 min · Antelope Highway
7

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 40 sec
8

Continue on I 15; US 66 Hist

6.3 mi · 6 min · Barstow and Mojave Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Continue on I 215

0.2 mi · 13 sec · Barstow Freeway
Exit 123
10

Keep slight left at fork onto I 215

9.3 mi · 10 min · Barstow Freeway
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
11

Continue on I 215

5.6 mi · 6 min · San Bernardino Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12

Continue on I 215

5.3 mi · 6 min · Riverside Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13

Continue on CA 91

3.6 mi · 4 min · Riverside Freeway
Exit 34B Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 33 sec
Exit 62 Toward Central Avenue, Riverside Plaza Avenue Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15

Turn right onto Central Avenue

0.7 mi · 1 min · Central Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
16

Turn slight left

171 ft · 12 sec
Use the left lane.
17

Arrive at destination

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 32.7 mi from Lake Los Angeles, CA · 45m into the drive

Downtown Wrightwood, CA, CA

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Wrightwood, CA

33 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.

Popular next leg

Wrightwood, CA to Riverside, CA

42.8 mi · 54m

Pacing Suggestions

Piñon Hills, CA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 14 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Crestline, CA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 32.7 miles from Lake Los Angeles, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Riverside, CA

The final approach into Riverside, CA usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$15.03 one way

$30.06 round trip

$5.84/gal 25.4 MPG avg 23 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $6.02 $15.49 $30.98
premium $6.18 $15.90 $31.81
diesel $5.61 $14.44 $28.88

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$15

Estimated CO2 emission: 22.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 19.6 0 $6.87 $3.14
Efficient EV 16.4 0 $5.72 $2.62
EV Truck/SUV 26.2 0 $9.16 $4.19

Gas CO2

23 kg

EV CO2

8 kg (65% 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.

Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Lake Los Angeles, CA

Morning in Lake Los Angeles on Friday

Local time

8:56 AM

PDT

Current temp

68°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Riverside, CA

Morning in Riverside on Friday

Local time

8:56 AM

PDT

Current temp

52°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

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

1h 24m 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Lake Los Angeles, CA to Riverside, CA covers 65.4 miles and takes about 1h 24m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are Antelope Highway, Barstow Freeway, Riverside Freeway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 32.7 miles from Lake Los Angeles, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $15.03 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 65.4 miles you will encounter 9 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.

The main spots that need attention: near the start (Park Valley Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (170th Street East): Navigation decision point; at 40.7 miles (I 215 / Barstow Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

The route from Lake Los Angeles, CA to Riverside, CA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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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