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Trip from Sacramento, CA to Hayfork, CA

Drive Time

4h 15m

Distance

222.2 mi

358 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$51

one way

EV Charging

None

0 DC fast

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 40 min
4 AM
4h 2m ★
6 AM
4h 16m
8 AM
4h 42m
10 AM
4h 25m
12 PM
4h 22m
3 PM
4h 26m
5 PM
4h 41m
8 PM
4h 8m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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Downtown Sacramento, CA, CA

Sacramento, CA

Stephen Leonardi

Trip Overview

The drive from Sacramento, CA to Hayfork, CA covers 222.2 miles and takes about 4h 15m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Westside Freeway, Cascade Wonderland Highway, Eureka Way for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 126.6 miles on Westside Freeway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $51.46 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.

Break Rhythm

1 planned break

Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.

Midpoint

111.1 miles from Sacramento, CA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 1m into the drive .

Drive Character

This is a 4h 15m highway drive covering 222.2 miles, with most of the trip on Westside Freeway and Cascade Wonderland Highway. The longest continuous stretch is about 126.6 miles on Westside Freeway.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 16 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 126.6 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Westside Freeway and Cascade Wonderland 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.

Route Complexity 7/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

This is a demanding drive. With 12 significant decision points across 222.2 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.

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 (I 5 / Westside Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 12 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...
6
6.7 mi into trip | ~9m in | I 5 / Westside Freeway

Keep slight left at fork onto I 5 / Westside Freeway

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
159.3 mi into trip | ~2h 53m in

Take the exit toward CA 44: Eureka, Susanville

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

Exit 678 Toward CA 44: Eureka, Susanville
7
159.4 mi into trip | ~2h 53m in

Keep slight left at fork toward CA 44 West: Eureka, Whiskeytown National Recreation Area

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

Exit 678 Toward CA 44 West: Eureka, Whiskeytown National...

Towns Along This Route

Between Sacramento, CA and Hayfork, CA, road signs point toward Susanville and Whiskeytown National Recreation Area.

Susanville

159.3 mi in | ~2h 53m

Whiskeytown National Recreation Area

159.4 mi in | ~2h 53m

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Westside Freeway 126.6 mi 2h 16m
Cascade Wonderland Highway 31.6 mi 34m
Eureka Way 25 mi 29m
CA 3 23.7 mi 35m
CA 299 11.8 mi 13m
CA 44 1.2 mi 1m
I Street 0.4 mi <1m
Pine Street <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Westside Freeway — 126.6 mi, about 2h 16m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Sacramento, CA and Hayfork, 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 left at fork onto I 5

121 mi · 2 hr 10 min · Westside Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Continue on I 5

32 mi · 34 min · Cascade Wonderland Highway
9

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 15 sec
Exit 678 Toward CA 44: Eureka, Susanville
10

Keep slight left at fork

0.9 mi · 1 min
Exit 678 Toward CA 44 West: Eureka, Whiskeytown National Recreation Area
11

Merge onto CA 44

1.2 mi · 1 min · CA 44
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12

Turn right onto CA 44; CA 273; US 99 Hist

489 ft · 17 sec · Pine Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
13

Turn left onto CA 44; CA 273; US 99 Hist

25 mi · 29 min · Eureka Way
Use the left lane.
14

Continue on CA 299

12 mi · 13 min · CA 299
15

Turn left onto CA 3

24 mi · 35 min · CA 3
16

Arrive at destination

CA 3

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.

Evening Departure

A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 111.1 miles from Sacramento, CA, or about 2h 1m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 126.6 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 80 miles or 1h 27m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 111.1 miles or 2h 1m in

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

Final approach

Final hour starts around 3h 21m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Hayfork, 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.

+

Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.

+

Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Sacramento, CA

This is one driving day of about 222.2 miles and 4h 15m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Sacramento, CA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Westside Freeway for about 126.6 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 111.1 mi from Sacramento, CA · 2h 1m into the drive

Downtown Red Bluff, CA, CA

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Red Bluff, CA

111 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

Chico, CA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Orland, CA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 111.1 miles from Sacramento, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before Westside Freeway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 126.6 miles.

Arriving in Hayfork, CA

The final approach into Hayfork, CA usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.

Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Hayfork, CA.

After long uninterrupted mileage, take five minutes before the last urban segment to reset and refocus on exits, merges, and city traffic.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

National Parks Near This Route

Worth a detour if your schedule allows.

Whiskeytown National Recreation Area

Whiskeytown National Recreation Area

National Recreation Area

Whiskeytown Lake’s crystal-clear waters are iconic, but this 42,000-acre National Recreation Area offers much more. Explore waterfalls, hike rugged trails, uncover Gold Rush history, and witness the r...

3 mi from route ~8 min detour $15 near mile 176.3
Caution: Winter Hazards on Trails - Downed Trees and High Water
View on nps.gov

Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$51.46 one way

$102.91 round trip

$5.88/gal 25.4 MPG avg 78 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $6.07 $53.07 $106.13
premium $6.24 $54.61 $109.23
diesel $5.64 $49.37 $98.73

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$51

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$76–$101

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 77.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $23 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 66.7 0 $23.33 $10.67
Efficient EV 55.6 0 $19.44 $8.89
EV Truck/SUV 88.9 1 $31.11 $14.22

Gas CO2

78 kg

EV CO2

26 kg (67% less)

Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.

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 data refreshed 3 days ago

Origin

Sacramento, CA

Morning in Sacramento on Monday

Local time

8:26 AM

PDT

Current temp

51°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Hayfork, CA

Morning in Hayfork on Monday

Local time

8:26 AM

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

15 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

4h 15m on the road

An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.

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 Hayfork, CA covers 222.2 miles and takes about 4h 15m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Westside Freeway, Cascade Wonderland Highway, Eureka Way. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 111.1 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 $51.46 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
This is a demanding drive. With 12 significant decision points across 222.2 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
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 (I 5 / Westside Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Between Sacramento, CA and Hayfork, CA, road signs point toward Susanville and Whiskeytown National Recreation Area.

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Return Trip

Hayfork, CA to Sacramento, CA

Plan the drive back the other way.

222 mi 4h 15m

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