Trip from Sacramento, CA to Walnut Grove, CA

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

38m

Distance

28.6 mi

46 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$7

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 10 min

4 AM

0h 35m ★

6 AM

0h 39m

8 AM

0h 45m

10 AM

0h 41m

12 PM

0h 40m

3 PM

0h 41m

5 PM

0h 45m

8 PM

0h 37m

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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Trip Overview

This straightforward 28.6-mile drive from Sacramento to Walnut Grove in California should take you about 38 minutes, making it an ideal day trip. You'll primarily travel on the Westside Freeway, Twin Cities Road, and River Road, with about 70% of the journey on highways. The estimated fuel cost for this short excursion is around $7. Given its brevity, this route is perfect for a spontaneous outing or as part of a larger exploration of the Pacific Coast region. You won't need to worry about overnight stays, and the focus is on efficient travel.

About the Cities

Starting in Sacramento, CA

Full guide →

Founded 1849

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

City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 38m. Total distance: 28.6 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

38m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (70%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Drive Character

Expect a highway-focused drive with 70% of the route utilizing faster roads. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 20.2 miles on the Westside Freeway, offering a chance to settle in. While the initial part of the journey is on the freeway, the latter sections incorporate local roads like Twin Cities Road and River Road, likely providing a change of pace. This mix means you get a bit of both efficient highway travel and more localized road experiences as you approach your destination.

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 20.2 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Westside Freeway and Twin Cities Road. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.5 miles in near P Street.

Driving Effort 5/10

Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 28.6 miles you will encounter 10 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 0.5 miles (P Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.1 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 10 key points

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

4

0.5 mi into trip | ~1m in | P Street

Turn right onto P Street

Navigation decision point

4

1.1 mi into trip | ~2m in

Take the ramp toward US 50, I 5 South: South Lake Tahoe, San Francisco, Los Angeles

Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward US 50, I 5 South: South Lake Tahoe, San...

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.

4

22 mi into trip | ~26m in

Take the exit toward Twin Cities Road

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early

Toward Twin Cities Road

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
Westside Freeway	20.2 mi	22m
Twin Cities Road	4.2 mi	7m
River Road	2 mi	3m
9th Street	0.5 mi	1m
P Street	0.5 mi	1m
C Street	<0.1 mi	<1m
Grove Street	<0.1 mi	<1m
Lord Street	<0.1 mi	<1m

Longest stretch: Westside Freeway — 20.2 mi, about 22m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Sacramento, CA and Walnut Grove, 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

20 mi · 22 min · Westside Freeway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

6

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 37 sec

Toward Twin Cities Road

7

Turn right onto E13

4.2 mi · 7 min · Twin Cities Road

8

At end of road, turn left onto E13

2.0 mi · 3 min · River Road

9

Turn left onto C Street

499 ft · 22 sec · C Street

10

Turn right onto Grove Street

71 ft · 7 sec · Grove Street

11

Turn left onto Lord Street

56 ft · 2 sec · Lord Street

12

Arrive at destination

Lord Street

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$6.57 one way

$13.15 round trip

$5.84/gal 25.4 MPG avg 10 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$6.02	$6.77	$13.55
premium	$6.18	$6.96	$13.91
diesel	$5.61	$6.31	$12.63

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$7

Estimated CO2 emission: 10 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	8.6	$3.00	$1.37
Efficient EV	7.2	$2.50	$1.14
EV Truck/SUV	11.4	$4.00	$1.83

Gas CO2

10 kg

EV CO2

3 kg (70% 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

Late night in Sacramento on Saturday

Local time

4:17 AM

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

Walnut Grove, CA

Late night in Walnut Grove on Saturday

Local time

4:17 AM

PDT

Current temp

70°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

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 warmer at arrival

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

Road read

38m 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 Walnut Grove, CA covers 28.6 miles and takes about 38m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are Westside Freeway, Twin Cities Road, River Road. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 14.3 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 $6.57 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 28.6 miles you will encounter 10 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 0.5 miles (P Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.1 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

The route from Sacramento, CA to Walnut Grove, CA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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