Origin
Mead Valley, CA
Evening in Mead Valley on Thursday
Local time
5:54 PM
PDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Mead Valley, CA to Los Angeles, CA
Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026
Drive Time
1h 24m
Distance
66.2 mi
107 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$15
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 18m
★
6 AM
1h 24m
8 AM
1h 37m
10 AM
1h 29m
12 PM
1h 28m
3 PM
1h 29m
5 PM
1h 37m
8 PM
1h 20m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Mead Valley, CA
Tori Pezzulla❤️
Los Angeles, CA
Stephen Leonardi
Trip Overview
The drive from Mead Valley, CA to Los Angeles, CA covers 66.2 miles and takes about 1h 24m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Santa Ana Freeway, CA 91, Riverside Freeway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 20.8 miles on Santa Ana Freeway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $15.22 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 24m. Total distance: 66.2 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 (76%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 1h 24m highway drive covering 66.2 miles, with most of the trip on Santa Ana Freeway and CA 91. The longest continuous stretch is about 20.8 miles on Santa Ana Freeway.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 18 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Santa Ana Freeway is the longest continuous segment at about 20.8 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Santa Ana Freeway and CA 91. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 4.5 miles in near El Sobrante Road.
Driving Effort
9/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 66.2 miles you will encounter 15 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: at 4.5 miles (El Sobrante Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 13.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 18.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 15 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
4.5 mi into trip
|
~7m in
|
El Sobrante Road
Turn right onto El Sobrante Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
6
13.6 mi into trip
|
~20m in
Take the ramp toward CA 91 West
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward CA 91 West
7
18.1 mi into trip
|
~26m in
Take the exit toward Main Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 50
Toward Main Street
7
43.9 mi into trip
|
~55m in
Take the exit toward I 5 North: Los Angeles
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 24
Toward I 5 North: Los Angeles
8
65.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 22m in
Take the exit toward Alameda Street, Union Station
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 2B
Toward Alameda Street, Union Station
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Santa Ana Freeway | 20.8 mi | 24m |
| CA 91 | 16.7 mi | 19m |
| Riverside Freeway | 13.1 mi | 15m |
| El Sobrante Road | 5.8 mi | 7m |
| Cajalco Road | 4.2 mi | 6m |
| La Sierra Avenue | 3.3 mi | 5m |
| North Los Angeles Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Brown Street | 0.2 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Santa Ana Freeway
— 20.8 mi, about 24m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Mead Valley, CA and Los Angeles, CA.
1
Start on Oakwood Street
66 ft
·
4 sec
·
Oakwood Street
2
Turn right onto Brown Street
0.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Brown Street
3
Turn left onto Cajalco Road
4.2 mi
·
6 min
·
Cajalco Road
4
Turn right onto El Sobrante Road
5.8 mi
·
7 min
·
El Sobrante Road
Use the right lane.
5
Turn right onto La Sierra Avenue
3.3 mi
·
5 min
·
La Sierra Avenue
6
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
25 sec
Toward CA 91 West
Use the left lane.
7
Merge onto CA 91
4.2 mi
·
4 min
·
Riverside Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
20 sec
Exit 50
Toward Main Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on CA 91
17 mi
·
19 min
·
CA 91
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 91
8.8 mi
·
10 min
·
Riverside Freeway
Use the slight right lane.
11
Take the exit
0.8 mi
·
1 min
Exit 24
Toward I 5 North: Los Angeles
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Merge onto I 5
18 mi
·
20 min
·
Santa Ana Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight left at fork onto US 101
2.9 mi
·
4 min
·
Santa Ana Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
Exit 2B
Toward Alameda Street, Union Station
Use the slight right lane.
15
Continue on I 10 EXPR
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
·
East Arcadia Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
16
Turn left onto North Los Angeles Street
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
·
North Los Angeles Street
17
Turn right onto East 1st Street
461 ft
·
17 sec
·
East 1st Street
18
Arrive at destination
West 1st Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 33.1 mi from Mead Valley, CA · 43m 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.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 15 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 33.1 miles from Mead Valley, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Los Angeles, CA
The final approach into Los Angeles, 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.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$15.22 one way
$30.43 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
23 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $15.68 | $31.36 |
| premium | $6.18 | $16.10 | $32.20 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $14.62 | $29.23 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$15
Estimated CO2 emission: 23.2 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 | 19.9 | 0 | $6.95 | $3.18 |
| Efficient EV | 16.6 | 0 | $5.79 | $2.65 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 26.5 | 0 | $9.27 | $4.24 |
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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Los Angeles, CA
Evening in Los Angeles on Thursday
Local time
5:54 PM
PDT
Current temp
73°F
Mostly Sunny
SW 10 mph
0% chance
Live forecast
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
21 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 24m 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 Mead Valley, CA to Los Angeles, CA covers 66.2 miles and takes about 1h 24m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Santa Ana Freeway, CA 91, Riverside Freeway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 33.1 miles from Mead Valley, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $15.22 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 66.2 miles you will encounter 15 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: at 4.5 miles (El Sobrante Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 13.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 18.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Mead Valley, CA to Los Angeles, CA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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