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Trip from Long Beach, CA to Happy Camp, CA

Data updated 1 hour ago

Drive Time

14h

Distance

734.1 mi

1,181 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

2-day trip

Fuel Cost

$169

one way

EV Charging

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station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 38 min
4 AM
13h 48m ★
6 AM
14h 0m
8 AM
14h 26m
10 AM
14h 9m
12 PM
14h 7m
3 PM
14h 10m
5 PM
14h 24m
8 PM
13h 53m

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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city in Los Angeles County, California, United States

Long Beach, CA

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Happy Camp, CA, CA

Happy Camp, CA

Connor Scott McManus

Trip Overview

The drive from Long Beach, CA to Happy Camp, CA covers 734.1 miles and takes about 14h behind the wheel. It usually feels better as a 2-day road trip than as one long push.

The route leans on Westside Freeway, Cascade Wonderland Highway, CA 96 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is long-distance drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 425.9 miles on Westside Freeway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $168.73 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

4 planned breaks

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

Midpoint

367 miles from Long Beach, CA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 6h 45m into the drive .

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Drive Character

At 734.1 miles and 14h of driving, this is a route where fuel stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single turn. The main roads are Westside Freeway and Cascade Wonderland Highway.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 30 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Westside Freeway is the longest continuous segment at about 425.9 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Westside Freeway and Cascade Wonderland Highway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 4.7 miles in.

Route Complexity 9/10

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

This is a demanding drive. With 26 significant decision points across 734.1 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 4.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 4.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 4.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 26 key points

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

7
4.7 mi into trip | ~7m in

Take the exit toward I 405 North, I 405 South: Santa Monica, San Diego

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. Toward I 405 North, I 405 South: Santa Monica,...
9
4.8 mi into trip | ~7m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 405 North, I 710: Long Beach Freeway North, Santa Monica

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

Use the straight lane. Toward I 405 North, I 710: Long Beach Freeway N...
8
4.9 mi into trip | ~8m in

Keep slight right at fork toward I 405 North: Santa Monica

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the sharp right lane. Toward I 405 North: Santa Monica
8
5.2 mi into trip | ~8m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 405 North: Santa Monica

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight lane. Toward I 405 North: Santa Monica
9
48.2 mi into trip | ~59m in | I 5 Truck

Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 Truck toward I 5 Truck North, CA 14 Truck

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

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 161A Toward I 5 Truck North, CA 14 Truck

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between Long Beach, CA and Happy Camp, CA, road signs point toward Yreka and Montague.

Yreka

663.3 mi in | ~12h 12m | via 776

Montague

663.3 mi in | ~12h 12m | via 776

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Westside Freeway 425.9 mi 7h 39m
Cascade Wonderland Highway 129.3 mi 2h 25m
CA 96 61.9 mi 1h 31m
San Diego Freeway 40.8 mi 47m
I 5 Truck 39.3 mi 45m
Golden State Freeway 22.3 mi 25m
North Main Street 8 mi 14m
Long Beach Freeway 2.3 mi 3m
Longest stretch: Westside Freeway — 425.9 mi, about 7h 39m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Long Beach, CA and Happy Camp, CA.

1

Start on East Ocean Boulevard

0.7 mi · 2 min · East Ocean Boulevard
2

Turn right onto North Golden Avenue

414 ft · 6 sec · North Golden Avenue
3

Keep slight left at fork

0.1 mi · 18 sec
Toward I 710 North
4

Merge onto Shoreline Drive

0.5 mi · 47 sec · Shoreline Drive
5

Keep slight left at fork

0.4 mi · 31 sec
Toward I 710 North
6

Merge onto I 710

0.5 mi · 41 sec · Seaside Freeway
7

Continue on I 710

2.3 mi · 3 min · Long Beach Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Take the exit

0.1 mi · 10 sec
Toward I 405 North, I 405 South: Santa Monica, San Diego Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Keep slight left at fork

0.2 mi · 21 sec
Toward I 405 North, I 710: Long Beach Freeway North, Santa Monica Use the straight lane.
10

Keep slight right at fork

0.3 mi · 32 sec
Toward I 405 North: Santa Monica Use the sharp right lane.
11

Keep slight left at fork

0.3 mi · 36 sec
Toward I 405 North: Santa Monica Use the straight lane.
12

Keep slight left at fork

0.3 mi · 40 sec
Toward I 405 North Use the straight lane.
13

Merge onto I 405

41 mi · 47 min · San Diego Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14

Merge onto I 5 Truck

1.6 mi · 1 min · I 5 Truck
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15

Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 Truck

1.5 mi · 1 min · I 5 Truck
Exit 161A Toward I 5 Truck North, CA 14 Truck Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16

Keep slight left at fork onto I 5 Truck

36 mi · 41 min · I 5 Truck
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17

Keep slight left at fork onto I 5

22 mi · 25 min · Golden State Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18

Keep slight right at fork onto I 5

226 mi · 4 hr 1 min · Westside Freeway
Toward I 5 North Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19

Keep slight right at fork onto I 5

26 mi · 27 min · Westside Freeway
20

Keep left at fork onto I 5

54 mi · 59 min · Westside Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
21

Keep slight left at fork onto I 5

121 mi · 2 hr 10 min · Westside Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
22

Continue on I 5

129 mi · 2 hr 25 min · Cascade Wonderland Highway
23

Take the exit onto 776

0.2 mi · 22 sec · 776
Toward Yreka, Montague
24

Keep slight left at fork

72 ft · 10 sec
25

Turn left onto I 5 BUS; CA 3

0.3 mi · 41 sec · Montague Road
26

Turn right onto CA 263; US 99 Hist

8.0 mi · 14 min · North Main Street
27

At end of road, turn left onto CA 96

62 mi · 1 hr 31 min · CA 96
28

Turn right onto 2nd Avenue

0.2 mi · 36 sec · 2nd Avenue
29

Turn right

130 ft · 9 sec
30

Arrive at 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 4 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 367 miles from Long Beach, CA, or about 6h 45m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 425.9 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 162 miles or 3h 5m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 367 miles or 6h 45m 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 367 miles or 6h 45m

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 12h 30m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Long Beach, 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 Long Beach, CA

Aim for roughly 367 miles and 7 hours of wheel time on this day.

Day 2

Finish the approach into Happy Camp, CA

Aim for roughly 367 miles and 7 hours of wheel time on this day.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 162 miles from Long Beach, CA.
This route usually feels better as a 2-day drive than as one long push.
Plan about 4 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Westside Freeway for about 425.9 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 367 mi from Long Beach, CA · 6h 45m into the drive

capital city of the U.S. state of California and seat of Sacramento County

First major stop

Coffee and fuel

Sacramento, CA

242 mi into the route

Best for: Coffee, fuel, and an easy first stretch

This is a natural early stop once the first hours of the drive are behind you.

Popular next leg

Sacramento, CA to Happy Camp, CA

327.7 mi · 6h 32m

seat of Josephine County, Oregon, USA

Second major stop

Overnight candidate

Grants Pass, OR

485 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 Grants Pass, OR

Overnight Options

Night 1

Red Bluff, CA

367 mi · about 7h in

A practical overnight split lands near Red Bluff, CA after about 367 miles or 7 hours of driving.

Find hotels

Pacing Suggestions

Fresno, CA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 162 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Stockton, CA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 367 miles from Long Beach, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before Westside Freeway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 425.9 miles.

Overnight split

Hotel stop

For a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 367 miles or 7 hours on the road.

Arriving in Happy Camp, CA

The final approach into Happy Camp, 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 Happy Camp, CA.

On a multi-day trip, keep the last day a little lighter so you reach Happy Camp, CA with some flexibility left in the schedule.

After long uninterrupted mileage, take five minutes before the last urban segment to reset and refocus on exits, merges, and city traffic.

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

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$168.73 one way

$337.45 round trip

$5.84/gal 25.4 MPG avg 257 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $6.02 $173.87 $347.74
premium $6.18 $178.53 $357.05
diesel $5.61 $162.08 $324.16

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$169

Hotel (1n)

$80–$140

Meals

$50–$100

Total

$299–$409

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 256.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $77 in charging · 2 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 220.2 2 $77.08 $35.24
Efficient EV 183.5 2 $64.23 $29.36
EV Truck/SUV 293.6 3 $102.77 $46.98

Gas CO2

257 kg

EV CO2

86 kg (67% less)

Plan for 2 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.

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 1 hour ago

Origin

Long Beach, CA

Evening in Long Beach on Tuesday

Local time

6:24 PM

PDT

Current temp

68°F

Sunny

WNW 10 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Wind Advisory

Wind Advisory issued April 14 at 2:09PM PDT until April 15 at 11:00PM PDT by NWS Reno NV

Lake Wind Advisory

Lake Wind Advisory issued April 14 at 2:09PM PDT until April 16 at 7:00AM PDT by NWS Reno NV

Destination

Happy Camp, CA

Evening in Happy Camp on Tuesday

Local time

6:24 PM

PDT

Current temp

48°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

20 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

14h 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 Long Beach, CA to Happy Camp, CA covers 734.1 miles and takes about 14h without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Westside Freeway, Cascade Wonderland Highway, CA 96. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
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 367 miles on day one.
The midpoint is about 367 miles from Long Beach, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $168.73 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 4 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
This is a demanding drive. With 26 significant decision points across 734.1 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.
The main spots that need attention: at 4.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 4.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 4.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Between Long Beach, CA and Happy Camp, CA, road signs point toward Yreka and Montague.

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