Origin
Palmdale, CA
Night in Palmdale on Friday
Local time
10:20 PM
PDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Palmdale, CA to Oban, CA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
20m
Distance
16.8 mi
27 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 19m
★
6 AM
0h 21m
8 AM
0h 24m
10 AM
0h 22m
12 PM
0h 22m
3 PM
0h 22m
5 PM
0h 24m
8 PM
0h 20m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Palmdale, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Oban, CA
Stephen Leonardi
Trip Overview
The drive from Palmdale, CA to Oban, CA covers 16.8 miles and takes about 20m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Antelope Valley Freeway, East Palmdale Boulevard, West Avenue D for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 13.7 miles on Antelope Valley Freeway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $3.86 one way before food or hotel costs.
About the Cities
Starting in Palmdale, CA
Full guide →Palmdale is a city in the far north of Los Angeles County in the Antelope Valley region of the Mojave Desert in Southern California.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 20m. Total distance: 16.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
20m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (85%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 20m highway drive covering 16.8 miles, with most of the trip on Antelope Valley Freeway and East Palmdale Boulevard. The longest continuous stretch is about 13.7 miles on Antelope Valley Freeway.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 9 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Antelope Valley Freeway is the longest continuous segment at about 13.7 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Antelope Valley Freeway and East Palmdale Boulevard. You will hit about 6 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 1.1 miles in near CA 138.
Driving Effort
5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 16.8 miles you will encounter 6 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 1.1 miles (CA 138): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.5 miles (CA 14; CA 138 / Antelope Valley Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 11.8 miles (CA 14; CA 138 / Antelope Valley Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 6 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
1.1 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
CA 138
Take the exit onto CA 138 toward CA 14 North, CA 138 West: Mojave
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward CA 14 North, CA 138 West: Mojave
5
1.5 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
CA 14; CA 138 / Antelope Valley Freeway
Merge onto CA 14; CA 138 / Antelope Valley Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
11.8 mi into trip
|
~14m in
|
CA 14; CA 138 / Antelope Valley Freeway
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 14; CA 138 / Antelope Valley Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
8
15.2 mi into trip
|
~18m in
|
CA 138
Take the exit onto CA 138 toward CA 138: Avenue D, Gorman
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.
Exit 49
Toward CA 138: Avenue D, Gorman
5
15.5 mi into trip
|
~18m in
|
West Avenue D
Turn right onto West Avenue D
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Palmdale, CA to Oban, CA, road signs begin pointing toward Gorman along the way.
Gorman
15.2 mi in
|
~18m
|
via CA 138
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Antelope Valley Freeway | 13.7 mi | 15m |
| East Palmdale Boulevard | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| West Avenue D | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| CA 138 | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Sierra Highway | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Antelope Valley Freeway
— 13.7 mi, about 15m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Palmdale, CA and Oban, CA.
1
Start on CA 138
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
·
East Palmdale Boulevard
2
Continue on CA 138
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
East Palmdale Boulevard
3
Take the exit onto CA 138
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
·
CA 138
Toward CA 14 North, CA 138 West: Mojave
4
Merge onto CA 14; CA 138
10 mi
·
12 min
·
Antelope Valley Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 14; CA 138
3.3 mi
·
3 min
·
Antelope Valley Freeway
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit onto CA 138
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
·
CA 138
Exit 49
Toward CA 138: Avenue D, Gorman
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Turn right onto West Avenue D
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
West Avenue D
Use the right lane.
8
At end of road, turn right onto US 6 Hist
0.2 mi
·
15 sec
·
Sierra Highway
9
Arrive at destination
US 6 Hist
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.86 one way
$7.72 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $3.98 | $7.96 |
| premium | $6.18 | $4.09 | $8.17 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.71 | $7.42 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 5.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5 | 0 | $1.76 | $0.81 |
| Efficient EV | 4.2 | 0 | $1.47 | $0.67 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 6.7 | 0 | $2.35 | $1.08 |
Gas CO2
6 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (67% 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
Oban, CA
Night in Oban on Friday
Local time
10:20 PM
PDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
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
28 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
20m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Palmdale, CA to Oban, CA covers 16.8 miles and takes about 20m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Antelope Valley Freeway, East Palmdale Boulevard, West Avenue D. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 8.4 miles from Palmdale, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $3.86 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 16.8 miles you will encounter 6 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 1.1 miles (CA 138): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.5 miles (CA 14; CA 138 / Antelope Valley Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 11.8 miles (CA 14; CA 138 / Antelope Valley Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Palmdale, CA to Oban, CA, road signs begin pointing toward Gorman along the way.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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