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Trip from Reno, NV to Gardnerville, NV

Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026

Drive Time

1h 2m

Distance

50.1 mi

81 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$10

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 15 min
4 AM
0h 58m ★
6 AM
1h 3m
8 AM
1h 13m
10 AM
1h 6m
12 PM
1h 5m
3 PM
1h 7m
5 PM
1h 12m
8 PM
1h 0m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

city in and county seat of Washoe County, Nevada, United States

Reno, NV

Wikimedia Commons

census-designated place in Douglas County, Nevada, United States

Gardnerville, NV

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

This straightforward 50.1-mile drive from Reno to Gardnerville, Nevada, will take you about 1 hour and 2 minutes to complete. Primarily following Martin Luther King Junior Memorial Highway and South Carson Street, this route is perfectly suited as a day trip, requiring no overnight stays. With an estimated fuel cost of $10, it's an economical journey. The drive offers a local feel, making it a relaxed way to travel between these two points within the Mountain West region.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 2m. Total distance: 50.1 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 2m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

Scenic Drive

Turn-heavy local drive route profile.

Drive Character

Expect a turn-heavy local drive on this route, with only a 50% highway share. While you'll experience a 34.7-mile stretch on Martin Luther King Junior Memorial Highway, the journey also incorporates local roads like County Road. This mix means you'll encounter varying speed limits and road conditions. The 'turn-heavy' profile suggests a need for attentive driving as you navigate through different segments of the route.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 17 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Martin Luther King Junior Memorial Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 34.7 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 13 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near East 4th Street.

Driving Effort 6/10

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 50.1 miles you will encounter 13 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 0.1 miles (East 4th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (University Way): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (East Maple Street): Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 13 key points

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

5
0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | East 4th Street

Turn right onto East 4th Street

Navigation decision point

5
0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | University Way

Turn left onto University Way

Navigation decision point

6
0.4 mi into trip | ~1m in | East Maple Street

Take the ramp onto East Maple Street toward I 80 East: Elko, Salt Lake City, Winnemucca

Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward I 80 East: Elko, Salt Lake City, Winnemu...
6
1.5 mi into trip | ~2m in

Take the exit toward I 580, US 395: Carson City, Susanville

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Exit 15 Toward I 580, US 395: Carson City, Susanville
6
1.6 mi into trip | ~3m in

Keep slight right at fork toward I 580, US 395: Carson City

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward I 580, US 395: Carson City

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Martin Luther King Junior Memorial Highway 34.7 mi 39m
South Carson Street 11 mi 14m
County Road 1.2 mi 2m
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway 0.9 mi 1m
US 395 0.8 mi 2m
Woodfords Road 0.3 mi <1m
University Way 0.3 mi <1m
East Maple Street 0.2 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Martin Luther King Junior Memorial Highway — 34.7 mi, about 39m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Reno, NV and Gardnerville, NV.

1

Start on this road

105 ft · 12 sec · this road
2

Turn left

171 ft · 14 sec
3

Turn right onto East 4th Street

186 ft · 13 sec · East 4th Street
4

Turn left onto University Way

0.3 mi · 53 sec · University Way
5

Take the ramp onto East Maple Street

0.2 mi · 16 sec · East Maple Street
Toward I 80 East: Elko, Salt Lake City, Winnemucca
6

Merge onto I 80

0.9 mi · 1 min · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
7

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 21 sec
Exit 15 Toward I 580, US 395: Carson City, Susanville
8

Keep slight right at fork

0.4 mi · 49 sec
Toward I 580, US 395: Carson City
9

Merge onto I 580; US 395

35 mi · 39 min · Martin Luther King Junior Memorial Highway
10

Turn left onto US 395

11 mi · 14 min · South Carson Street
Use the left lane.
11

Take the exit

488 ft · 13 sec
12

Turn straight onto NV 88

0.3 mi · 42 sec · Woodfords Road
13

Enter roundabout onto County Road

144 ft · 2 sec · County Road
14

Continue on County Road

1.1 mi · 2 min · County Road
15

At end of road, turn right onto US 395

0.8 mi · 2 min · US 395
16

Turn right onto NV 756

68 ft · 1 sec · Gilman Avenue
17

Arrive at destination

NV 756

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 25.1 mi from Reno, NV · 30m into the drive

independent city in and capital of Nevada, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Carson City, NV

25 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

Sparks, NV

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Carson City, NV

Meal break

The midpoint is around 25.1 miles from Reno, NV, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Gardnerville, NV

The final approach into Gardnerville, NV 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

$9.98 one way

$19.96 round trip

$5.06/gal 25.4 MPG avg 18 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $5.36 $10.56 $21.12
premium $5.59 $11.03 $22.06
diesel $5.61 $11.06 $22.12

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$10

Estimated CO2 emission: 17.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 15 0 $5.26 $2.40
Efficient EV 12.5 0 $4.38 $2.00
EV Truck/SUV 20 0 $7.01 $3.21

Gas CO2

18 kg

EV CO2

6 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.

Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Reno, NV

Evening in Reno on Thursday

Local time

6:15 PM

PDT

Current temp

56°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Gardnerville, NV

Evening in Gardnerville on Thursday

Local time

6:15 PM

PDT

Current temp

56°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

Very similar conditions

Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.

Road read

1h 2m 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 Reno, NV to Gardnerville, NV covers 50.1 miles and takes about 1h 2m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Martin Luther King Junior Memorial Highway, South Carson Street, County Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 25.1 miles from Reno, NV. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $9.98 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 50.1 miles you will encounter 13 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 0.1 miles (East 4th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (University Way): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (East Maple Street): Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
The route from Reno, NV to Gardnerville, NV does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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