Skip to main content
Trip.ovh Logo
Trip.ovh

Trip from Sacramento, CA to Durham, CA

Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026

Drive Time

1h 44m

Distance

84.5 mi

136 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$19

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 23 min
4 AM
1h 37m ★
6 AM
1h 44m
8 AM
2h 0m
10 AM
1h 50m
12 PM
1h 48m
3 PM
1h 51m
5 PM
1h 59m
8 PM
1h 40m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly
Google Maps Waze Apple Maps
Download GPX
capital city of the U.S. state of California and seat of Sacramento County

Sacramento, CA

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Durham, CA, CA

Durham, CA

Stephen Leonardi

Trip Overview

The drive from Sacramento, CA to Durham, CA covers 84.5 miles and takes about 1h 44m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on CA 70, Golden State Highway, CA 149 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 52 miles on CA 70. At current regular gas prices, budget about $19.42 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Midpoint

42.2 miles from Sacramento, CA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 51m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 44m. Total distance: 84.5 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 44m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (76%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Drive Character

This is a 1h 44m highway drive covering 84.5 miles, with most of the trip on CA 70 and Golden State Highway. The longest continuous stretch is about 52 miles on CA 70.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 19 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
CA 70 is the longest continuous segment at about 52 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on CA 70 and Golden State Highway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near I Street.

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 84.5 miles you will encounter 14 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 0.2 miles (I Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 6.7 miles (CA 99 / Golden State Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 14 key points

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

6
0.2 mi into trip | ~0m in | I Street

Turn left onto I Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
6
0.6 mi into trip | ~1m in

Take the ramp toward I 5 North, CA 99 North: Redding, Yuba City

Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward I 5 North, CA 99 North: Redding, Yuba Ci...
8
6.7 mi into trip | ~9m in | CA 99 / Golden State Highway

Keep slight right at fork onto CA 99 / Golden State Highway toward CA 99 North, CA 70: Yuba City, Marysville

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward CA 99 North, CA 70: Yuba City, Marysvill...
8
19.2 mi into trip | ~23m in | CA 70

Keep slight right at fork onto CA 70 toward CA 70 North: Marysville, Oroville

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward CA 70 North: Marysville, Oroville
6
41.1 mi into trip | ~49m in | B Street

Turn left onto B Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / right lanes.

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between Sacramento, CA and Durham, CA, road signs point toward Marysville, Oroville and Butte Colllege-Durham.

Marysville

6.7 mi in | ~9m | via CA 99

Oroville

19.2 mi in | ~23m | via CA 70

Butte Colllege-Durham

79.5 mi in | ~1h 35m

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
CA 70 52 mi 1h
Golden State Highway 7.5 mi 8m
CA 149 5.7 mi 6m
Westside Freeway 5.6 mi 6m
Bernie Richter Memorial Highway 5 mi 5m
Durham-Dayton Highway 4.6 mi 8m
B Street 1.5 mi 3m
CA 99 0.9 mi 1m
Longest stretch: CA 70 — 52 mi, about 1h

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Sacramento, CA and Durham, CA.

1

Start on 9th Street

348 ft · 16 sec · 9th Street
2

Turn left onto J Street

406 ft · 14 sec · J Street
3

Turn left onto 10th Street

419 ft · 18 sec · 10th Street
4

Turn left onto I Street

0.4 mi · 44 sec · I Street
Use the left lane.
5

Take the ramp

0.4 mi · 55 sec
Toward I 5 North, CA 99 North: Redding, Yuba City Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6

Merge onto I 5

5.6 mi · 6 min · Westside Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7

Keep slight right at fork onto CA 99

7.5 mi · 8 min · Golden State Highway
Toward CA 99 North, CA 70: Yuba City, Marysville Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Continue on CA 99

5.0 mi · 5 min · Bernie Richter Memorial Highway
9

Keep slight right at fork onto CA 70

22 mi · 25 min · CA 70
Toward CA 70 North: Marysville, Oroville Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10

Turn right onto 5th Street

0.2 mi · 38 sec · 5th Street
11

Turn left onto B Street

1.5 mi · 3 min · B Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
12

Continue on CA 70

30 mi · 35 min · CA 70
Use the left lane.
13

Keep slight left at fork onto CA 149

5.7 mi · 6 min · CA 149
Use the straight lane.
14

Merge onto CA 99

0.9 mi · 1 min · CA 99
15

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 24 sec
Toward Butte Colllege-Durham, Pentz Road
16

Turn left onto Durham-Pentz Road

0.1 mi · 11 sec · Durham-Pentz Road
17

Continue on Durham-Dayton Highway

4.6 mi · 8 min · Durham-Dayton Highway
Use the straight lane.
18

Turn right onto Midway

71 ft · 2 sec · Midway
19

Arrive at destination

Midway

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.

Evening Departure

Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 42.2 miles from Sacramento, CA, or about 51m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 52 miles.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

Departure

Before you leave

Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.

First stop

Around 19 miles or 23m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 42.2 miles or 51m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 1h 26m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Durham, CA than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Sacramento, CA so your first major turns are already loaded.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Sacramento, CA

This is one driving day of about 84.5 miles and 1h 44m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 19 miles from Sacramento, CA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on CA 70 for about 52 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 42.2 mi from Sacramento, CA · 51m into the drive

city and the county seat of Sutter County, California, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Yuba City, CA

42 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

Wheatland, CA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 19 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Yuba City, CA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 42.2 miles from Sacramento, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Durham, CA

The final approach into Durham, 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

$19.42 one way

$38.84 round trip

$5.84/gal 25.4 MPG avg 30 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $6.02 $20.01 $40.03
premium $6.18 $20.55 $41.10
diesel $5.61 $18.66 $37.31

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$19

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$44–$69

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 29.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $9 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 25.3 0 $8.87 $4.06
Efficient EV 21.1 0 $7.39 $3.38
EV Truck/SUV 33.8 0 $11.83 $5.41

Gas CO2

30 kg

EV CO2

10 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 16, 2026

Origin

Sacramento, CA

Afternoon in Sacramento on Thursday

Local time

1:10 PM

PDT

Current temp

68°F

Sunny

NNW 13 to 18 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Freeze Warning

Freeze Warning issued April 16 at 10:43AM PDT until April 17 at 11:00AM PDT by NWS Medford OR

Wind Advisory

Wind Advisory issued April 16 at 10:32AM PDT until April 17 at 11:00AM PDT by NWS Hanford CA

Destination

Durham, CA

Afternoon in Durham on Thursday

Local time

1:10 PM

PDT

Current temp

66°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.

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

2 degrees cooler at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

1h 44m 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 Sacramento, CA to Durham, CA covers 84.5 miles and takes about 1h 44m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are CA 70, Golden State Highway, CA 149. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 42.2 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 $19.42 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 84.5 miles you will encounter 14 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 0.2 miles (I Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 6.7 miles (CA 99 / Golden State Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Sacramento, CA and Durham, CA, road signs point toward Marysville, Oroville and Butte Colllege-Durham.

Was this helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!

/500

Explore More

Return Trip

Durham, CA to Sacramento, CA

Plan the drive back the other way.

84.4 mi 1h 44m

Continue From Durham, CA

San Diego, CA 587.8 mi · 11h 7m Long Beach, CA 490.9 mi · 9h 12m Bakersfield, CA 360.9 mi · 6h 54m Fresno, CA 253.9 mi · 5h

More from Sacramento, CA

Desert Shores, CA 535.4 mi · 9h 54m Descanso, CA 533.8 mi · 10h 3m Thermal, CA 517.7 mi · 9h 33m Eucalyptus Hills, CA 513 mi · 9h 38m Lakeside, CA 512.1 mi · 9h 36m Bostonia, CA 511.9 mi · 9h 36m

More trips to Durham, CA

San Diego, CA 587.3 mi Long Beach, CA 490.8 mi Los Angeles, CA 467.1 mi Fresno, CA 253.9 mi San Jose, CA 188 mi San Francisco, CA 157.9 mi
Weekend drives from Sacramento, CA Scenic drives in CA

Explore more options from Sacramento, CA or browse trips ending in Durham, CA.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse CA road trips.

Explore maps for Sacramento, CA or Durham, CA on MapSof.net.