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Trip from Lancaster, CA to Fontana, CA

Drive Time

1h 39m

Distance

71.1 mi

114 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$16

one way

EV Charging

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station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 23 min
4 AM
1h 32m ★
6 AM
1h 40m
8 AM
1h 55m
10 AM
1h 45m
12 PM
1h 43m
3 PM
1h 46m
5 PM
1h 54m
8 PM
1h 35m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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Downtown Lancaster, CA, CA

Lancaster, CA

Stephen Leonardi

Trip Overview

The drive from Lancaster, CA to Fontana, CA covers 71.1 miles and takes about 1h 39m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Antelope Highway, Pearblossom Highway, Sierra Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 20.5 miles on Antelope Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $16.46 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

0 planned breaks

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

35.6 miles from Lancaster, CA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 52m into the drive .

Drive Character

Expect a 1h 39m drive with frequent turns across 71.1 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 13 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?

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 6 Hist / Sierra Highway.

Route Complexity 4/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

This is a straightforward 1h 39m drive. You will face about 8 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 6 Hist / Sierra Highway): Lane positioning matters here; at 13.7 miles (CA 138 / 47th Street East): Navigation decision point; at 64.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 8 key points

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

4
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | US 6 Hist / Sierra Highway

Depart onto US 6 Hist / Sierra Highway

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
4
13.7 mi into trip | ~21m in | CA 138 / 47th Street East

Turn right onto CA 138 / 47th Street East

Navigation decision point

7
64.6 mi into trip | ~1h 29m in

Take the exit toward Sierra Avenue

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 119 Toward Sierra Avenue
5
64.8 mi into trip | ~1h 29m in | Sierra Avenue

Turn left onto Sierra Avenue

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
6
71.1 mi into trip | ~1h 39m in | Merrill Avenue

Turn left onto Merrill Avenue

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Antelope Highway 20.5 mi 28m
Pearblossom Highway 18 mi 25m
Sierra Highway 9.8 mi 14m
Barstow and Mojave Freeway 6.3 mi 6m
Sierra Avenue 6.2 mi 9m
I 15 4.3 mi 4m
East Avenue S 3.9 mi 6m
Fort Tejon Road 1.1 mi 1m
Longest stretch: Antelope Highway — 20.5 mi, about 28m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Lancaster, CA and Fontana, CA.

1

Start on US 6 Hist

9.8 mi · 14 min · Sierra Highway
Use the left lane.
2

Turn left onto East Avenue S

3.9 mi · 6 min · East Avenue S
3

Turn right onto CA 138

0.3 mi · 26 sec · 47th Street East
4

Continue on CA 138

1.1 mi · 1 min · Fort Tejon Road
5

Continue on CA 138

18 mi · 25 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

Take the exit onto I 15

4.3 mi · 4 min · I 15
10

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 38 sec
Exit 119 Toward Sierra Avenue Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Turn left onto Sierra Avenue

6.2 mi · 9 min · Sierra Avenue
Use the left lane.
12

Turn left onto Merrill Avenue

205 ft · 4 sec · Merrill Avenue
Use the left lane.
13

Arrive at destination

Merrill Avenue

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.

Evening Departure

Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 35.6 miles from Lancaster, CA, or about 52m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 20.5 miles.

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 71.1 miles or 1h 39m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 35.6 miles or 52m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 1h 24m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Lancaster, 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 Lancaster, CA

This is one driving day of about 71.1 miles and 1h 39m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Lancaster, CA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.
The longest stretch is on Antelope Highway for about 20.5 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 35.6 mi from Lancaster, CA · 52m into the drive

Mid-route town

Meal stop

San Bernardino, CA

36 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.

Pacing Suggestions

Riverside, CA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 71.1 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

San Bernardino, CA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 35.6 miles from Lancaster, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Fontana, CA

The final approach into Fontana, 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 Fontana, CA.

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

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$16.46 one way

$32.93 round trip

$5.88/gal 25.4 MPG avg 25 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $6.07 $16.98 $33.96
premium $6.24 $17.48 $34.95
diesel $5.64 $15.80 $31.59

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$16

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$41–$66

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 24.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 21.3 0 $7.47 $3.41
Efficient EV 17.8 0 $6.22 $2.84
EV Truck/SUV 28.4 0 $9.95 $4.55

Gas CO2

25 kg

EV CO2

8 kg (68% 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 data refreshed 17 hours ago

Origin

Lancaster, CA

Afternoon in Lancaster on Sunday

Local time

1:36 PM

PDT

Current temp

49°F

Light Rain

SW 15 to 20 mph 99% chance Live forecast

Wind Advisory

Wind Advisory issued April 11 at 7:00PM PDT until April 12 at 10:00PM PDT by NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard CA

Wind Advisory

Wind Advisory issued April 11 at 6:23PM PDT until April 12 at 11:00PM PDT by NWS Las Vegas NV

Destination

Fontana, CA

Afternoon in Fontana on Sunday

Local time

1:36 PM

PDT

Current temp

52°F

Rain Showers

SW 10 to 15 mph 81% chance Live forecast

Wind Advisory

Wind Advisory issued April 11 at 7:00PM PDT until April 12 at 10:00PM PDT by NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard CA

Wind Advisory

Wind Advisory issued April 11 at 6:23PM PDT until April 12 at 11:00PM PDT by NWS Las Vegas NV

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

Same local time

Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.

Temperature spread

3 degrees warmer at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

1h 39m on the road

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.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Lancaster, CA to Fontana, CA covers 71.1 miles and takes about 1h 39m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Antelope Highway, Pearblossom Highway, Sierra Highway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 35.6 miles from Lancaster, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $16.46 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 is a straightforward 1h 39m drive. You will face about 8 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 6 Hist / Sierra Highway): Lane positioning matters here; at 13.7 miles (CA 138 / 47th Street East): Navigation decision point; at 64.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Lancaster, CA to Fontana, CA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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Return Trip

Fontana, CA to Lancaster, CA

Plan the drive back the other way.

71.3 mi 1h 39m

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