Origin
Sacramento, CA
Evening in Sacramento on Thursday
Local time
5:02 PM
PDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Sacramento, CA to Byron, CA
Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026
Drive Time
1h 28m
Distance
70.4 mi
113 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$16
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 22m
★
6 AM
1h 28m
8 AM
1h 42m
10 AM
1h 33m
12 PM
1h 32m
3 PM
1h 34m
5 PM
1h 41m
8 PM
1h 24m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Sacramento, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Byron, CA
Tori Pezzulla❤️
Trip Overview
This 70.4-mile drive from Sacramento to Byron, California, is a straightforward journey that can easily be completed in about 1 hour and 28 minutes. Primarily utilizing the Westside Freeway, West Charter Way, and Byron Highway, this route is heavily focused on highway driving, with 68% of it being on major roads. With an estimated fuel cost of $16, it's an economical option for a day trip. Given its manageable distance and duration, this route is well-suited for a single-day excursion, offering a direct path between the Pacific Coast regions of your origin and destination.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 28m. Total distance: 70.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 28m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (68%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
Expect a highway-focused experience for most of this 70.4-mile trip. The majority of your journey will be on freeways, contributing to the 68% highway share. You'll encounter a significant uninterrupted stretch of 46.7 miles on the Westside Freeway, offering a consistent pace. While the route is primarily designed for efficient travel, it maintains a practical feel without unnecessary detours, allowing you to cover ground steadily. The character of the drive is one of directness and forward momentum.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 12 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 46.7 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Westside Freeway and West Charter Way. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.3 miles in.
Driving Effort
7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 70.4 miles you will encounter 9 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 1.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 1.8 miles (I 5 / Westside Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 48.6 miles (CA 4): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 9 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
7
1.3 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 5 South: Los Angeles
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 5 South: Los Angeles
5
1.8 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
I 5 / Westside Freeway
Merge onto I 5 / Westside Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
48.6 mi into trip
|
~55m in
|
CA 4
Take the exit onto CA 4 toward CA 4 West
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 471
Toward CA 4 West
5
48.7 mi into trip
|
~55m in
Keep slight right at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
5
48.8 mi into trip
|
~55m in
|
CA 4 / West Charter Way
Merge onto CA 4 / West Charter Way
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Westside Freeway | 46.7 mi | 51m |
| West Charter Way | 18.9 mi | 28m |
| Byron Highway | 1.7 mi | 2m |
| CA 4 | 1.2 mi | 1m |
| 9th Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| P Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Westside Freeway
— 46.7 mi, about 51m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Sacramento, CA and Byron, CA.
1
Start on 9th Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
9th Street
2
Turn right onto P Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
P Street
3
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
17 sec
Toward US 50, I 5 South: South Lake Tahoe, San Francisco, Los Angeles
4
Keep slight right at fork
0.5 mi
·
37 sec
Toward I 5 South: Los Angeles
Use the slight right lane.
5
Merge onto I 5
47 mi
·
51 min
·
Westside Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit onto CA 4
0.2 mi
·
11 sec
·
CA 4
Exit 471
Toward CA 4 West
7
Keep slight right at fork
292 ft
·
3 sec
8
Merge onto CA 4
19 mi
·
28 min
·
West Charter Way
Use the right lane.
9
Continue on CA 4
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
CA 4
Use the left / straight lanes.
10
Turn left onto J4
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
Byron Highway
11
Turn left
17 ft
·
1 sec
12
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 35.2 mi from Sacramento, CA · 40m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
35 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 35.2 miles from Sacramento, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Byron, CA
The final approach into Byron, 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
$16.18 one way
$32.36 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
25 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $16.67 | $33.35 |
| premium | $6.18 | $17.12 | $34.24 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $15.54 | $31.09 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$16
Estimated CO2 emission: 24.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 21.1 | 0 | $7.39 | $3.38 |
| Efficient EV | 17.6 | 0 | $6.16 | $2.82 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 28.2 | 0 | $9.86 | $4.51 |
Gas CO2
25 kg
EV CO2
8 kg (68% 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
Byron, CA
Evening in Byron on Thursday
Local time
5:02 PM
PDT
Current temp
--
Unavailable
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Road read
1h 28m 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 Sacramento, CA to Byron, CA covers 70.4 miles and takes about 1h 28m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Westside Freeway, West Charter Way, Byron Highway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 35.2 miles from Sacramento, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $16.18 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 70.4 miles you will encounter 9 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 1.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 1.8 miles (I 5 / Westside Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 48.6 miles (CA 4): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
The route from Sacramento, CA to Byron, CA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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