Origin
Los Angeles, CA
Late night in Los Angeles on Wednesday
Local time
12:03 AM
PDT
Current temp
54°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Los Angeles, CA to Alta Sierra, CA
Data updated 0 seconds ago
Drive Time
8h 9m
Distance
436.4 mi
702 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
2-day trip
Fuel Cost
$100
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
8h 1m
★
6 AM
8h 10m
8 AM
8h 26m
10 AM
8h 15m
12 PM
8h 14m
3 PM
8h 16m
5 PM
8h 25m
8 PM
8h 5m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Los Angeles, CA
Stephen Leonardi
Alta Sierra, CA
Patrick Gamelkoorn
Trip Overview
The drive from Los Angeles, CA to Alta Sierra, CA covers 436.4 miles and takes about 8h 9m behind the wheel. It usually feels better as a 2-day road trip than as one long push.
The route leans on North Broadway, US 101 North, Santa Ana Freeway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $100.30 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
2 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
218.2 miles from Los Angeles, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 4h 4m into the drive .
Loading map...
Drive Character
Expect a 8h 9m drive with frequent turns across 436.4 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 33 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
North Broadway is one of the defining roads on this drive.
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.
Route Complexity
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
The route itself is not hard, but at 8h 9m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 0 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Los Angeles, CA to Alta Sierra, CA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| North Broadway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| US 101 North | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Santa Ana Freeway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Hollywood Freeway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Golden State Freeway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| I 5 | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Westside Freeway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| US 50 | Unavailable | Refreshing |
Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.
Longest stretch:
North Broadway
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Los Angeles, CA and Alta Sierra, CA.
1
Start on West 1st Street
0.1 mi
·
32 sec
·
West 1st Street
2
Turn right onto North Broadway
0.4 mi
·
49 sec
·
North Broadway
3
Take the ramp right toward US 101 North, CA 110
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
·
US 101 North, CA 110
4
Merge slight left onto Santa Ana Freeway
0.7 mi
·
55 sec
·
Santa Ana Freeway
5
Continue on Hollywood Freeway
15 mi
·
19 min
·
Hollywood Freeway
6
Keep slight left
0.9 mi
·
59 sec
7
Merge slight left onto Golden State Freeway
4.5 mi
·
5 min
·
Golden State Freeway
8
Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway
2.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Golden State Freeway
9
Keep slight right to continue on I 5 Truck North, CA 14 Truck
1.5 mi
·
1 min
·
I 5 Truck North, CA 14 Truck
10
Keep slight left
36 mi
·
41 min
11
Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway
22 mi
·
25 min
·
Golden State Freeway
12
Keep slight right to continue on Westside Freeway
226 mi
·
4 hr 1 min
·
Westside Freeway
13
Keep slight right to continue on Westside Freeway
26 mi
·
27 min
·
Westside Freeway
14
Keep left to continue on Westside Freeway
46 mi
·
50 min
·
Westside Freeway
15
Take the exit slight right toward US 50, I 80 East: San Francisco, South Lake Tahoe
0.2 mi
·
13 sec
·
US 50, I 80 East: San Francisco, South Lake Tahoe
16
Keep slight right to continue on US 50 East, I 80 Business East: South Lake Tahoe, Broadway
0.2 mi
·
13 sec
·
US 50 East, I 80 Business East: South Lake Tahoe, Broadway
17
Keep slight left to continue on US 50 East, I 80 East: South Lake Tahoe
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
US 50 East, I 80 East: South Lake Tahoe
18
Merge slight left onto Capital City Freeway
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Capital City Freeway
19
Keep slight right to continue on Capital City Freeway
9.4 mi
·
10 min
·
Capital City Freeway
20
Continue on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
7.0 mi
·
8 min
·
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
21
Continue on Alan S. Hart Freeway
17 mi
·
19 min
·
Alan S. Hart Freeway
22
Take the exit slight right toward CA 49 North: Grass Valley, Placerville
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
CA 49 North: Grass Valley, Placerville
23
Turn left onto Grass Valley Highway
5.8 mi
·
9 min
·
Grass Valley Highway
24
Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward Grass Valley Highway
118 ft
·
3 sec
·
Grass Valley Highway
25
Exit the roundabout onto Grass Valley Highway
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Grass Valley Highway
26
Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward Grass Valley Highway
118 ft
·
3 sec
·
Grass Valley Highway
27
Exit the roundabout onto Grass Valley Highway
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Grass Valley Highway
28
Continue on State Highway 49
9.2 mi
·
12 min
·
State Highway 49
29
Turn right onto Alta Sierra Drive
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Alta Sierra Drive
30
Continue on Alta Sierra Drive
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Alta Sierra Drive
31
Turn left onto Francis Drive
344 ft
·
16 sec
·
Francis Drive
32
Turn right onto Upper Circle Drive
0.1 mi
·
34 sec
·
Upper Circle Drive
33
Arrive at your 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 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 218.2 miles from Los Angeles, CA, or about 4h 4m into the drive.
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 96 miles or 1h 47m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 218.2 miles or 4h 4m 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 218.2 miles or 4h 4m
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 2m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Alta Sierra, 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 218 miles and 4.1 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Alta Sierra, CA
Aim for roughly 218 miles and 4.1 hours of wheel time on this day.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 96 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.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 218.2 mi from Los Angeles, CA · 4h 4m into the drive
Mid-route town
Overnight candidate
218 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, CAOvernight Options
Night 1
218 mi · about 4.1h in
A practical overnight split lands near Turlock, CA after about 218 miles or 4.1 hours of driving.
Find hotelsPacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 96 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 218.2 miles from Los Angeles, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Overnight split
Hotel stopFor a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 218 miles or 4.1 hours on the road.
Arriving in Alta Sierra, CA
The final approach into Alta Sierra, 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 Alta Sierra, CA.
On a multi-day trip, keep the last day a little lighter so you reach Alta Sierra, CA with some flexibility left in the schedule.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$100.30 one way
$200.61 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
153 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $103.36 | $206.72 |
| premium | $6.18 | $106.13 | $212.26 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $96.35 | $192.70 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$100
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$230–$340
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 152.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $46 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 130.9 | 1 | $45.82 | $20.95 |
| Efficient EV | 109.1 | 1 | $38.18 | $17.46 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 174.6 | 2 | $61.10 | $27.93 |
Gas CO2
153 kg
EV CO2
51 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.
Destination
Alta Sierra, CA
Late night in Alta Sierra on Wednesday
Local time
12:03 AM
PDT
Current temp
59°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
5 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
8h 9m 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 Alta Sierra, CA covers 436.4 miles and takes about 8h 9m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are North Broadway, US 101 North, Santa Ana Freeway. 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 218 miles on day one.
The midpoint is about 218.2 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 $100.30 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.
The route itself is not hard, but at 8h 9m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 0 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Los Angeles, CA to Alta Sierra, CA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Los Angeles, CA to Alta Sierra, CA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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