The drive from Sacramento, CA to Rio Dell, CA covers 263 miles and takes about 5h 35m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Redwood Highway, CA 20, Westside Freeway for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is mixed drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 117.8 miles on Redwood Highway.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $60.45 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
131.5 miles from Sacramento, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 50m into the drive
.
Sacramento is the state capital of California in the United States. It is the regional center for the Greater Sacramento metropolitan area, which dominates much of the surrounding Sacramento Valley and stretches into parts of Gold Country.
Sacramento is the oldest incorporated city in California, settled between the confluences of the Sacramento and American rivers. The city has been the site of many important historic events that have shaped California and U.S. history, most notably the California Gold Rush and location of the original terminus of the First Transcontinental Railroad. Much of this historical legacy has been preserved, especially in the historic Old Sacramento district, where buildings and railroads from that era continue to attract visitors.
However, Sacramento is not a city that is stuck in the past. As the capital of the most populous U.S.
Top landmarks
•California State Capitol — state capitol building of the U.S. state of California
•Crocker Art Museum — art museum in Sacramento, California
•Sacramento Valley Station — main railroad and light rail station in Sacramento, California
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 35m. Total distance: 263 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 35m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
The drive from Sacramento, CA to Rio Dell, CA covers 263 miles and takes about 5h 35m, using a mix of highways and local roads.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 28 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Redwood Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 117.8 miles.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
1,598 ft27 ft
Total Climb
2,161 ft
Total Descent
2,054 ft
Highest Point
1,598 ft
~150.3 mi in
Elevation Range
1,570 ft
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near J Street.
Driving Effort7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 20 significant decision points across 263 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 0.1 miles (J Street): Navigation decision point; 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.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 20 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|J Street
Turn left onto J Street
Navigation decision point
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.
7
261.9 mi into trip|~5h 33m in
Take the exit toward Rio Dell, Scotia
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward Rio Dell, Scotia
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 Sacramento, CA to Rio Dell, CA, road signs begin pointing toward Clear Lake along the way.
Clear Lake
59 mi in|~1h 5m
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Redwood Highway
117.8 mi
2h 26m
CA 20
79.4 mi
1h 54m
Westside Freeway
57.9 mi
1h 3m
Willits Bypass
4.7 mi
5m
Wildwood Avenue
0.5 mi
1m
I Street
0.4 mi
<1m
Eagle Prairie Bridge
0.2 mi
<1m
Main Street
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Redwood Highway
— 117.8 mi, about 2h 26m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Sacramento, CA and Rio Dell, 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 CityUse 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
52 mi·56 min·Westside Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.3 mi·40 sec
Toward CA 20: Colusa, Clear Lake
9
Turn left onto CA 20
37 mi·50 min·CA 20
10
Enter roundabout onto CA 20
58 ft·0 sec·CA 20
11
Continue on CA 20
19 mi·31 min·CA 20
Use the straight lane.
12
Enter roundabout onto CA 20
120 ft·6 sec·CA 20
13
Continue on CA 20
3.8 mi·5 min·CA 20
14
Enter roundabout onto CA 20
46 ft·0 sec·CA 20
15
Continue on CA 20
19 mi·25 min·CA 20
16
Take the exit onto CA 20
0.3 mi·33 sec·CA 20
17
Merge onto US 101; CA 20
12 mi·15 min·Redwood Highway
18
Continue on US 101
4.5 mi·5 min·Willits Bypass
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Take the exit
0.7 mi·48 sec
20
Merge onto US 101
0.2 mi·16 sec·Willits Bypass
21
Continue on US 101
105 mi·2 hr 11 min·Redwood Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
22
Take the exit
0.2 mi·28 sec
Toward Rio Dell, ScotiaUse the slight right lane.
23
Turn left onto CA 283
317 ft·8 sec·CA 283
24
Turn right onto CA 283
464 ft·9 sec·Main Street
25
Continue on CA 283
0.2 mi·23 sec·Eagle Prairie Bridge
26
Continue on Wildwood Avenue
0.5 mi·1 min·Wildwood Avenue
27
Turn left onto West Davis Street
84 ft·3 sec·West Davis Street
28
Arrive at destination
West Davis Street
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 131.5 miles from Sacramento, CA, or about 2h 50m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 117.8 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 58 miles or 1h 4m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 131.5 miles or 2h 50m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 35m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Rio Dell, 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 263 miles and 5h 35m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 58 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 Redwood Highway for about 117.8 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 131.5 mi from Sacramento, CA
· 2h 50m into the drive
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $28 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
78.9
0
$27.61
$12.62
Efficient EV
65.8
0
$23.01
$10.52
EV Truck/SUV
105.2
1
$36.82
$16.83
Gas CO2
92 kg
EV CO2
31 kg (66% 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 as of Apr 15, 2026
Origin
Sacramento, CA
Late night
in Sacramento on Saturday
Local time
5:32 AM
PDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Rio Dell, CA
Late night
in Rio Dell on Saturday
Local time
5:32 AM
PDT
Current temp
55°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
63°F
Cloverdale, CA
132 mi in
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
13 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
5h 35m 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 Rio Dell, CA covers 263 miles and takes about 5h 35m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Redwood Highway, CA 20, Westside Freeway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 131.5 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 $60.45 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 20 significant decision points across 263 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 0.1 miles (J Street): Navigation decision point; 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.
On the drive from Sacramento, CA to Rio Dell, CA, road signs begin pointing toward Clear Lake along the way.
Gently rolling terrain. The route ranges from 27 ft to 1,598 ft elevation with about 2,161 ft of total climbing.
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, EIA for fuel prices, USGS 3DEP for elevation, NREL for EV charging, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
