Origin
Lake Los Angeles, CA
Morning in Lake Los Angeles on Friday
Local time
8:56 AM
PDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
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
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Lake Los Angeles, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Riverside, CA
Wikimedia Commons
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
Turn left onto Park Valley Avenue
Navigation decision point
Turn right onto 170th Street East
Navigation decision point
Keep slight left at fork onto I 215 / Barstow Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
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
Turn right onto Central Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
| 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 |
Step-by-step road directions between Lake Los Angeles, CA and Riverside, CA.
Start on 169th Street East
Turn left onto Park Valley Avenue
Turn right onto 170th Street East
Continue on 165th Street East
Turn left onto CA 138
Continue on CA 138
Take the exit
Continue on I 15; US 66 Hist
Continue on I 215
Keep slight left at fork onto I 215
Continue on I 215
Continue on I 215
Continue on CA 91
Take the exit
Turn right onto Central Avenue
Turn slight left
Arrive at destination
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
Mid-route town
Meal stop
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.
A short stop after about 14 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 32.7 miles from Lake Los Angeles, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
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.
Regular Gas
$15.03 one way
$30.06 round trip
| 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Morning in Lake Los Angeles on Friday
Local time
8:56 AM
PDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
Destination
Morning in Riverside on Friday
Local time
8:56 AM
PDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
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
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.
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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