Trip from Los Angeles, CA to Chico, CA

Drive Time

8h 49m

Distance

471.6 mi

759 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

2-day trip

Fuel Cost

$109

one way

EV Charging

station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 23 min

4 AM

8h 42m ★

6 AM

8h 50m

8 AM

9h 5m

10 AM

8h 55m

12 PM

8h 53m

3 PM

8h 56m

5 PM

9h 5m

8 PM

8h 45m

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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Los Angeles, CA

Stephen Leonardi

Chico, CA

Sebastián Casimiro

Trip Overview

Driving from Los Angeles to Chico covers 471.6 miles and typically takes about 8 hours and 49 minutes of pure road time. While you could technically push through in one long day, I highly recommend breaking this trip into two days to keep the experience manageable. You should budget approximately $64 for fuel to cover the journey. The route primarily traverses the Pacific Coast region, moving from the southern end of the state toward the northern interior. This is a highway-heavy transit, so it is best viewed as a functional trek rather than a leisurely cruise. Planning for an overnight stay allows you to arrive in Chico refreshed rather than exhausted from nearly nine hours behind the wheel.

Trip Pace

Best split across 2 days

Treat the return leg as its own travel day rather than an afterthought.

Break Rhythm

2 planned breaks

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

Midpoint

235.8 miles from Los Angeles, CA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 4h 22m into the drive .

Drive Character

Expect a serious interstate experience, as 96% of this trip is spent on highways. The route relies heavily on the Westside Freeway, which accounts for a substantial 304.9-mile stretch of your journey. You will also navigate segments of I-5 Truck and CA 70, creating a drive that is defined by speed and efficiency. Because the majority of the route consists of long, uninterrupted highway miles, the personality of the road is consistent and predictable. Be prepared for a focused, high-speed drive that prioritizes reaching your destination over winding, technical terrain.

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 304.9 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Westside Freeway and CA 70. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near North Broadway.

Route Complexity 8/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

This is a demanding drive. With 22 significant decision points across 471.6 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 0.1 miles (North Broadway): Lane positioning matters here; at 24.5 miles (I 5 Truck): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 84.5 miles (I 5 / Westside Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 22 key points

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

0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | North Broadway

Turn right onto North Broadway

Lane positioning matters here

Use the none lane.

24.5 mi into trip | ~31m 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

84.5 mi into trip | ~1h 40m in | I 5 / Westside Freeway

Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 / Westside Freeway toward I 5 North

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the none / straight / slight right lanes. Toward I 5 North

389.4 mi into trip | ~7h 9m in | CA 99 / Golden State Highway

Keep slight right at fork onto CA 99 / Golden State Highway toward CA 99 North, CA 70: Yuba City, Marysville

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

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward CA 99 North, CA 70: Yuba City, Marysvill...

401.8 mi into trip | ~7h 23m in | CA 70

Keep slight right at fork onto CA 70 toward CA 70 North: Marysville, Oroville

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

Use the none / straight / slight right lanes. Toward CA 70 North: Marysville, Oroville

Towns Along This Route

Between Los Angeles, CA and Chico, CA, road signs point toward Marysville and Oroville.

Marysville

389.4 mi in | ~7h 9m | via CA 99

Oroville

401.8 mi in | ~7h 23m | via CA 70

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
Westside Freeway	304.9 mi	5h 29m
CA 70	52 mi	1h
I 5 Truck	37.7 mi	43m
Golden State Freeway	29 mi	33m
Hollywood Freeway	15.5 mi	19m
CA 99	7.6 mi	8m
Golden State Highway	7.5 mi	8m
CA 149	5.7 mi	6m

Longest stretch: Westside Freeway — 304.9 mi, about 5h 29m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

Start on West 1st Street

0.1 mi · 32 sec · West 1st Street

Use the none lane.

Turn right onto North Broadway

0.4 mi · 49 sec · North Broadway

Use the none lane.

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 30 sec

Toward US 101 North, CA 110

Merge onto US 101

0.7 mi · 55 sec · Santa Ana Freeway

Use the none lane.

Continue on US 101

15 mi · 19 min · Hollywood Freeway

Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight left at fork

0.9 mi · 59 sec

Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.

Merge onto I 5

4.5 mi · 5 min · Golden State Freeway

Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight left at fork onto I 5

2.2 mi · 2 min · Golden State Freeway

Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.

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.

Keep slight left at fork onto I 5 Truck

36 mi · 41 min · I 5 Truck

Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight left at fork onto I 5

22 mi · 25 min · Golden State Freeway

Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight right at fork onto I 5

226 mi · 4 hr 1 min · Westside Freeway

Toward I 5 North Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight right at fork onto I 5

26 mi · 27 min · Westside Freeway

Keep left at fork onto I 5

54 mi · 59 min · Westside Freeway

Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight right at fork onto CA 99

7.5 mi · 8 min · Golden State Highway

Toward CA 99 North, CA 70: Yuba City, Marysville Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on CA 99

5.0 mi · 5 min · Bernie Richter Memorial Highway

Use the none lane.

Keep slight right at fork onto CA 70

22 mi · 25 min · CA 70

Toward CA 70 North: Marysville, Oroville Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.

Turn right onto 5th Street

0.2 mi · 38 sec · 5th Street

Turn left onto B Street

1.5 mi · 3 min · B Street

Use the straight / right lanes.

Continue on CA 70

30 mi · 35 min · CA 70

Use the left / none lanes.

Keep slight left at fork onto CA 149

5.7 mi · 6 min · CA 149

Use the straight lane.

Merge onto CA 99

7.6 mi · 8 min · CA 99

Use the straight lane.

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 25 sec

Toward Skyway

Turn left onto Skyway Road

0.4 mi · 41 sec · Skyway Road

Continue on East Park Avenue

0.4 mi · 48 sec · East Park Avenue

Turn slight right

150 ft · 6 sec

Turn straight onto Park Avenue

1.3 mi · 2 min · Park Avenue

Continue on Main Street

0.3 mi · 1 min · Main Street

Use the none / straight / right lanes.

Turn right onto East 5th Street

165 ft · 7 sec · East 5th Street

Arrive at destination

East 5th Street

Trip Plan

Since this is a lengthy 471.6-mile trip, aim to depart early in the morning to beat the worst of the traffic leaving Los Angeles. You will need to plan for at least two deliberate stops to maintain your energy and manage fatigue during the long stretches on the Westside Freeway. Keep a close eye on your fuel gauge, especially during that 304.9-mile primary highway segment, as stopping when you have a quarter-tank left is a smart way to avoid stress. If you choose to split the drive into two days, look for lodging options roughly halfway through the route to balance your daily mileage. Flexibility is key here, so use your two planned stops to stretch your legs and reset before tackling the final miles into Chico.

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 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.

The halfway point lands around 235.8 miles from Los Angeles, CA, or about 4h 22m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 304.9 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 104 miles or 2h 1m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 235.8 miles or 4h 22m 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 235.8 miles or 4h 22m

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 7h 35m

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

Before You Leave

Open the route before leaving Los Angeles, 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 Los Angeles, CA

Aim for roughly 236 miles and 4.4 hours of wheel time on this day.

Day 2

Finish the approach into Chico, CA

Aim for roughly 236 miles and 4.4 hours of wheel time on this day.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 104 miles from Los Angeles, CA.

This route usually feels better as a 2-day drive than as one long push.

Plan about 2 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.

The longest stretch is on Westside Freeway for about 304.9 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 235.8 mi from Los Angeles, CA · 4h 22m into the drive

Mid-route town

Overnight candidate

Turlock, CA

236 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 Turlock, CA

Overnight Options

Night 1

Turlock, CA

236 mi · about 4.4h in

A practical overnight split lands near Turlock, CA after about 236 miles or 4.4 hours of driving.

Find hotels

Pacing Suggestions

Bakersfield, CA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 104 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Turlock, CA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 235.8 miles from Los Angeles, 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 304.9 miles.

Overnight split

Hotel stop

For a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 236 miles or 4.4 hours on the road.

Arriving in Chico, CA

The final approach into Chico, 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 Chico, CA.

On a multi-day trip, keep the last day a little lighter so you reach Chico, 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

$109.21 one way

$218.42 round trip

$5.88/gal 25.4 MPG avg 165 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$6.07	$112.63	$225.25
premium	$6.24	$115.91	$231.83
diesel	$5.64	$104.77	$209.55

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$109

Hotel (1n)

$80–$140

Meals

$50–$100

Total

$239–$349

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 165 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $50 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	Stops	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	141.5	1	$49.52	$22.64
Efficient EV	117.9	1	$41.27	$18.86
EV Truck/SUV	188.6	2	$66.02	$30.18

Gas CO2

165 kg

EV CO2

55 kg (67% less)

Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.

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 3 days ago

Origin

Los Angeles, CA

Evening in Los Angeles on Sunday

Local time

5:31 PM

PDT

Current temp

77°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Chico, CA

Evening in Chico on Sunday

Local time

5:31 PM

PDT

Current temp

50°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

27 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

8h 49m 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 Los Angeles, CA to Chico, CA covers 471.6 miles and takes about 8h 49m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are Westside Freeway, CA 70, I 5 Truck. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.

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 236 miles on day one.

The midpoint is about 235.8 miles from 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 $109.21 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 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.