Origin
Sacramento, CA
Evening in Sacramento on Tuesday
Local time
7:45 PM
PDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Sacramento, CA to Tahoma, CA
Data updated 2 hours ago
Drive Time
2h 31m
Distance
120.8 mi
194 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$28
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
2h 22m
★
6 AM
2h 32m
8 AM
2h 52m
10 AM
2h 39m
12 PM
2h 37m
3 PM
2h 40m
5 PM
2h 51m
8 PM
2h 26m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Sacramento, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Tahoma, CA
Cameron Yartz
Trip Overview
The drive from Sacramento, CA to Tahoma, CA covers 120.8 miles and takes about 2h 31m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Alan S. Hart Freeway, CA 89, Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 82.2 miles on Alan S. Hart Freeway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $27.76 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.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
60.4 miles from Sacramento, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 10m into the drive .
Loading map...
Drive Character
This is a 2h 31m highway drive covering 120.8 miles, with most of the trip on Alan S. Hart Freeway and CA 89. The longest continuous stretch is about 82.2 miles on Alan S. Hart Freeway.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 18 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Alan S. Hart Freeway is the longest continuous segment at about 82.2 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Alan S. Hart Freeway and CA 89. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near J Street.
Route Complexity
6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 120.8 miles you will encounter 11 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 (J Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.6 miles (US 40 Historic / 16th Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.2 miles (US 40 Historic / 16th Street): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 11 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
J Street
Turn left onto J Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
6
0.6 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
US 40 Historic / 16th Street
Turn left onto US 40 Historic / 16th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
6
1.2 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
US 40 Historic / 16th Street
Keep slight left at fork onto US 40 Historic / 16th Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
5
4.4 mi into trip
|
~6m in
|
I 80 Business / Capital City Freeway
Merge onto I 80 Business / Capital City Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
99.1 mi into trip
|
~1h 55m in
|
CA 89
Enter roundabout onto CA 89
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
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 Tahoma, CA, road signs begin pointing toward Donner Lake along the way.
Donner Lake
94.3 mi in
|
~1h 49m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Alan S. Hart Freeway | 82.2 mi | 1h 34m |
| CA 89 | 21.7 mi | 36m |
| Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway | 7 mi | 8m |
| Capital City Freeway | 4.9 mi | 5m |
| North Sacramento Freeway | 2.6 mi | 2m |
| 16th Street | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| J Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| 9th Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Alan S. Hart Freeway
— 82.2 mi, about 1h 34m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Sacramento, CA and Tahoma, CA.
1
Start on 9th Street
348 ft
·
16 sec
·
9th Street
2
Turn left onto J Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
J Street
Use the straight lane.
3
Turn left onto US 40 Historic
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
16th Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
4
Keep slight left at fork onto US 40 Historic
0.6 mi
·
58 sec
·
16th Street
Use the straight lane.
5
Continue on North Sacramento Freeway
2.6 mi
·
2 min
·
North Sacramento Freeway
Use the straight lane.
6
Merge onto I 80 Business
4.9 mi
·
5 min
·
Capital City Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Continue on I 80
7.0 mi
·
8 min
·
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on I 80
78 mi
·
1 hr 30 min
·
Alan S. Hart Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
29 sec
Toward Donner Lake
10
Merge onto I 80
4.2 mi
·
4 min
·
Alan S. Hart Freeway
11
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
Toward CA 89 South: South Lake Tahoe
12
Enter roundabout onto CA 89
4 ft
·
0 sec
·
CA 89
13
Continue on CA 89
13 mi
·
19 min
·
CA 89
Use the straight lane.
14
Enter roundabout onto CA 89
19 ft
·
0 sec
·
CA 89
15
Continue on CA 89
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
·
CA 89
16
Enter roundabout onto CA 89
29 ft
·
0 sec
·
CA 89
17
Continue on CA 89
8.2 mi
·
16 min
·
CA 89
18
Arrive at destination
CA 89
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.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 60.4 miles from Sacramento, CA, or about 1h 10m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 82.2 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 33m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 60.4 miles or 1h 10m 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 55m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Tahoma, 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 120.8 miles and 2h 31m.
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 Alan S. Hart Freeway for about 82.2 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 60.4 mi from Sacramento, CA · 1h 10m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
60 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 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 60.4 miles from Sacramento, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Alan S. Hart Freeway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 82.2 miles.
Arriving in Tahoma, CA
The final approach into Tahoma, 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 Tahoma, CA.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$27.76 one way
$55.53 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
42 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $28.61 | $57.22 |
| premium | $6.18 | $29.38 | $58.75 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $26.67 | $53.34 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$28
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$53–$78
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 42.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $13 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 36.2 | 0 | $12.68 | $5.80 |
| Efficient EV | 30.2 | 0 | $10.57 | $4.83 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 48.3 | 0 | $16.91 | $7.73 |
Gas CO2
42 kg
EV CO2
14 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.
Destination
Tahoma, CA
Evening in Tahoma on Tuesday
Local time
7:45 PM
PDT
Current temp
43°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
8 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
2h 31m 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 Tahoma, CA covers 120.8 miles and takes about 2h 31m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Alan S. Hart Freeway, CA 89, Dwight D. Eisenhower 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 60.4 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 $27.76 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.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 120.8 miles you will encounter 11 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 (J Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.6 miles (US 40 Historic / 16th Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.2 miles (US 40 Historic / 16th Street): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Sacramento, CA to Tahoma, CA, road signs begin pointing toward Donner Lake along the way.
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