Skip to main content
Trip.ovh Logo
Trip.ovh

Trip from San Diego, CA to Auburn Lake Trails, CA

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

Drive Time

10h 30m

Distance

548.7 mi

883 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

2-day trip

Fuel Cost

$126

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 28 min
4 AM
10h 21m ★
6 AM
10h 30m
8 AM
10h 49m
10 AM
10h 37m
12 PM
10h 35m
3 PM
10h 38m
5 PM
10h 48m
8 PM
10h 24m

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
seat of San Diego County, California, United States; second-largest city in California

San Diego, CA

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Auburn Lake Trails, CA, CA

Auburn Lake Trails, CA

Robert So

Trip Overview

The drive from San Diego, CA to Auburn Lake Trails, CA covers 548.7 miles and takes about 10h 30m behind the wheel. It usually feels better as a 2-day road trip than as one long push.

The route leans on Westside Freeway, San Diego Freeway, Golden State Freeway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is long-haul drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 297.1 miles on Westside Freeway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $126.11 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Best split across 2 days

Treat the return leg as its own travel day rather than an afterthought.

Break Rhythm

3 planned breaks

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

Midpoint

274.4 miles from San Diego, CA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 5h 15m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Westside Freeway 297.1 mi 5h 20m
San Diego Freeway 75.2 mi 1h 27m
Golden State Freeway 50 mi 57m
I 5 Truck 45.3 mi 52m
Santa Ana Freeway 30.4 mi 35m
Alan S. Hart Freeway 17.3 mi 20m
Capital City Freeway 10.6 mi 11m
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway 7 mi 8m
Longest stretch: Westside Freeway — 297.1 mi, about 5h 20m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between San Diego, CA and Auburn Lake Trails, CA.

1

Start on Front Street

26 ft · 6 sec · Front Street
2

Turn left onto West Broadway

290 ft · 12 sec · West Broadway
3

Turn left onto 1st Avenue

0.6 mi · 1 min · 1st Avenue
Use the left lane.
4

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 24 sec
Toward I 5 North: Los Angeles Use the left / straight lanes.
5

Merge onto I 5

13 mi · 15 min · San Diego Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6

Keep slight left at fork onto I 5

36 mi · 43 min · San Diego Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7

Keep slight right at fork onto I 5

18 mi · 20 min · San Diego Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Keep slight left at fork onto I 5

7.4 mi · 8 min · San Diego Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 Truck

1.6 mi · 1 min · I 5 Truck
Toward Bake Parkway Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10

Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 Truck

6.0 mi · 6 min · I 5 Truck
Use the slight right lane.
11

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 16 sec
Exit 100 Toward Jamboree Road Use the slight right lane.
12

Continue on this road

527 ft · 11 sec · this road
13

Turn right onto Jamboree Road

0.1 mi · 18 sec · Jamboree Road
Use the left / right lanes.
14

Turn left onto El Camino Real

2.2 mi · 4 min · El Camino Real
Use the left lane.
15

Turn left onto Newport Avenue

357 ft · 13 sec · Newport Avenue
Use the left lane.
16

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 16 sec
Toward I 5 North: Los Angeles
17

Merge onto I 5

1.3 mi · 1 min · Santa Ana Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18

Keep slight right at fork onto I 5

1.7 mi · 1 min · Santa Ana Freeway
19

Keep slight right at fork onto I 5

9.4 mi · 10 min · Santa Ana Freeway
Use the slight right lane.
20

Keep slight right at fork onto I 5

18 mi · 20 min · Santa Ana Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
21

Keep slight right at fork onto I 5

25 mi · 29 min · Golden State Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
22

Keep slight left at fork onto I 5

2.2 mi · 2 min · Golden State Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
23

Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 Truck

1.5 mi · 1 min · I 5 Truck
Exit 161A Toward I 5 Truck North, CA 14 Truck Use the straight / slight right lanes.
24

Keep slight left at fork onto I 5 Truck

36 mi · 41 min · I 5 Truck
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
25

Keep slight left at fork onto I 5

22 mi · 25 min · Golden State Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
26

Keep slight right at fork onto I 5

226 mi · 4 hr 1 min · Westside Freeway
Toward I 5 North Use the straight / slight right lanes.
27

Keep slight right at fork onto I 5

26 mi · 27 min · Westside Freeway
28

Keep left at fork onto I 5

46 mi · 50 min · Westside Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
29

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 12 sec
Exit 518 Toward US 50, I 80 East: San Francisco, South Lake Tahoe Use the slight right lane.
30

Keep slight right at fork

0.2 mi · 12 sec
Exit 518 Toward US 50 East, I 80 Business East: South Lake Tahoe, Broadway Use the slight right lane.
31

Keep slight left at fork

0.7 mi · 1 min
Exit 518 Toward US 50 East, I 80 East: South Lake Tahoe Use the straight / slight right lanes.
32

Merge onto US 50; I 80 Business

1.2 mi · 1 min · Capital City Freeway
33

Keep slight right at fork onto I 80 Business

9.4 mi · 10 min · Capital City Freeway
Toward I 80 Business East, CA 99 South: Reno, Fresno Use the slight right lane.
34

Continue on I 80

7.0 mi · 8 min · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
35

Continue on I 80

17 mi · 20 min · Alan S. Hart Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
36

Take the exit

0.1 mi · 21 sec
Exit 119C Toward CA 49 South: Placerville Use the right lane.
37

Turn left onto CA 49

0.1 mi · 34 sec · Elm Avenue
38

Turn left onto CA 49

0.2 mi · 29 sec · El Dorado Street
Use the left lane.
39

Enter roundabout onto CA 49

103 ft · 3 sec · El Dorado Street
40

Continue on CA 49

2.3 mi · 5 min · El Dorado Street
41

Continue on CA 49

3.6 mi · 7 min · El Dorado Street
42

Continue on CA 49

102 ft · 9 sec · CA 49
Use the left lane.
43

Turn left onto CA 193

2.2 mi · 3 min · Georgetown Road
Use the left lane.
44

Turn left onto Sweetwater Trail

1.6 mi · 6 min · Sweetwater Trail
45

Turn right onto Hidden Gold Trail

0.1 mi · 38 sec · Hidden Gold Trail
46

Turn left onto Brown Bear Trail

0.5 mi · 1 min · Brown Bear Trail
47

Turn left onto Cascade Trail

0.2 mi · 39 sec · Cascade Trail
48

Arrive at destination

Cascade Trail

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.

Evening Departure

This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.

This drive is better paced as a 2-day trip.
Plan roughly 3 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 274.4 miles from San Diego, CA, or about 5h 15m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 297.1 miles.

Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.

Departure

Before you leave

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

First stop

Around 121 miles or 2h 24m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 274.4 miles or 5h 15m in

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

Overnight split

Day 1 wrap after about 274.4 miles or 5h 15m

Stop before fatigue turns the last few hours into a grind. You want day two to start fresh, not just resumed.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 9h 6m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving San Diego, 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.

+

Pick one backup stop option before the midpoint in case traffic changes your pacing.

+

Treat this as a 2-day road trip and book the overnight stop before the busiest arrival window.

Day 1

Settle into the route from San Diego, CA

Aim for roughly 274 miles and 5.3 hours of wheel time on this day.

Day 2

Finish the approach into Auburn Lake Trails, CA

Aim for roughly 274 miles and 5.3 hours of wheel time on this day.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 121 miles from San Diego, CA.
This route usually feels better as a 2-day drive than as one long push.
Plan about 3 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Westside Freeway for about 297.1 miles.

Where to Stop

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

neighborhood in Los Angeles, California, United States

First major stop

Coffee and fuel

Hollywood, CA

181 mi into the route

Best for: Coffee, fuel, and an easy first stretch

This is a natural early stop once the first hours of the drive are behind you.

city in San Joaquin County, California, United States

Second major stop

Overnight candidate

Manteca, CA

362 mi into the route

Best for: Hotel check-in, dinner, and a fresh start

This lines up well with a realistic day-end stop if you are breaking the drive into stages.

Find hotels in Manteca, CA

Overnight Options

Night 1

Bakersfield, CA

274 mi · about 5.3h in

A practical overnight split lands near Bakersfield, CA after about 274 miles or 5.3 hours of driving.

Find hotels

Pacing Suggestions

Los Angeles, CA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 121 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Fresno, CA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 274.4 miles from San Diego, 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 297.1 miles.

Overnight split

Hotel stop

For a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 274 miles or 5.3 hours on the road.

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

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 39

5 decision points cluster between mile 144.7 and 504 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

9
144.7 mi into trip | ~2h 52m in | I 5 Truck

Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 Truck toward I 5 Truck North, CA 14 Truck

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

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 161A Toward I 5 Truck North, CA 14 Truck
8
501.8 mi into trip | ~9h 21m in

Take the exit toward US 50, I 80 East: San Francisco, South Lake Tahoe

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

Use the slight right lane. Exit 518 Toward US 50, I 80 East: San Francisco, South L...
10
502 mi into trip | ~9h 21m in

Keep slight right at fork toward US 50 East, I 80 Business East: South Lake Tahoe, Broadway

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

Use the slight right lane. Exit 518 Toward US 50 East, I 80 Business East: South La...
9
502.1 mi into trip | ~9h 21m in

Keep slight left at fork toward US 50 East, I 80 East: South Lake Tahoe

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

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 518 Toward US 50 East, I 80 East: South Lake Tahoe
8
504 mi into trip | ~9h 23m in | I 80 Business / Capital City Freeway

Keep slight right at fork onto I 80 Business / Capital City Freeway toward I 80 Business East, CA 99 South: Reno, Fresno

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

Use the slight right lane. Toward I 80 Business East, CA 99 South: Reno, F...

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$126.11 one way

$252.23 round trip

$5.84/gal 25.4 MPG avg 192 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $6.02 $129.96 $259.92
premium $6.18 $133.44 $266.88
diesel $5.61 $121.15 $242.29

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$126

Hotel (1n)

$80–$140

Meals

$50–$100

Total

$256–$366

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 192 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $58 in charging · 2 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 164.6 2 $57.61 $26.34
Efficient EV 137.2 1 $48.01 $21.95
EV Truck/SUV 219.5 2 $76.82 $35.12

Gas CO2

192 kg

EV CO2

64 kg (67% less)

Plan for 2 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 17, 2026

Origin

San Diego, CA

Afternoon in San Diego on Saturday

Local time

1:20 PM

PDT

Current temp

55°F

Partly Cloudy

SE 5 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Wind Advisory

Wind Advisory issued April 17 at 3:02AM MST until April 17 at 1:00PM MST by NWS Phoenix AZ

Wind Advisory

Wind Advisory issued April 17 at 2:56AM PDT until April 17 at 2:00PM PDT by NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard CA

Destination

Auburn Lake Trails, CA

Afternoon in Auburn Lake Trails on Saturday

Local time

1:20 PM

PDT

Current temp

45°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.

For long drives, weather on day two can matter just as much as conditions at departure, so check the whole travel window rather than only the first day.

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

10 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

10h 30m on the road

This is long enough that the arrival forecast matters almost as much as departure conditions. Recheck both ends before you roll.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

National Parks Near This Route

Worth a detour if your schedule allows.

Cabrillo National Monument

Cabrillo National Monument

National Monument

In 1542, Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo climbed out of his boat and onto shore, becoming the first European to set foot on what is now the West Coast of the United States. Cabrillo National Monument not only...

5 mi from route ~13 min detour $20
View on nps.gov
Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area

Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area

National Recreation Area

The Santa Monica Mountains offer easy access to surprisingly wild places. Experience the famous beaches of Malibu or explore more than 500 miles of trails. The park abounds with historical and cultura...

23 mi from route ~57 min detour Free near mile 151.4
View on nps.gov
César E. Chávez National Monument

César E. Chávez National Monument

National Monument

Yes, we can! Widely recognized as the most important Latino leader in the United States during the twentieth century, Cesar Chavez led farm workers and supporters in the establishment of the country's...

27 mi from route ~68 min detour Free near mile 208.1
View on nps.gov

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

What kind of drive is this?

548.7 mi / 10h 30m — a long-haul route where fuel stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single turn. Biggest road: Westside Freeway.

96% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
48 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 297.1 mi on Westside Freeway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

9/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Westside Freeway and San Diego Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 144.7 miles in near I 5 Truck.

Driving Effort 9/10

High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a demanding drive. With 39 significant decision points across 548.7 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 144.7 miles (I 5 Truck): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 501.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 502 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

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

Between San Diego, CA and Auburn Lake Trails, CA, road signs point toward Lake Tahoe, Broadway and Fresno.

Lake Tahoe

501.8 mi in | ~9h 21m

Broadway

502 mi in | ~9h 21m

Fresno

504 mi in | ~9h 23m | via I 80 Business

About the Cities

Starting in San Diego, CA

Full guide →

Founded 1769

From balmy beaches with a laid-back attitude to a gleaming modern image, San Diego offers much for the tourist to enjoy. Situated on the Southern California seacoast, San Diego is the second largest city in the state, with 1.4 million residents (2020), and has long attracted travelers for its ideal climate, miles of beaches, and location on the Mexican border right across from Tijuana. But there's much more here than surfer culture and a quick hop across the border. A rich maritime and military heritage lives on in San Diego, which is home to the Pacific Fleet of the United States Navy. The city has also become known for its part in the wildlife conservation movement, owing to the presence of the world-renowned San Diego Zoo and Safari Park and the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Natural scenery abounds from rocky tidepools and seaside cliffs to desert hills and canyons inland.

Top landmarks

  • • Balboa Park — historic park in San Diego, California
  • • Cabrillo National Monument — National Monument of the United States and historic district

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

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 297.1 miles on Westside Freeway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Yes — a 2-day pace is more comfortable than one long haul. A sensible stopping point is after roughly 274 miles on day one.

We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.

It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Auburn Lake Trails, CA before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.

Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 3 meaningful breaks. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.

The main spots that need attention: at 144.7 miles (I 5 Truck): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 501.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 502 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Yes — Cabrillo National Monument, Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area and César E. Chávez National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.

Not recommended in a single day. At 10.5 hours each way, a round trip means 21.0 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Auburn Lake Trails, CA before the return drive.

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, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

Was this helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!

/500

Explore More

More from San Diego, CA

Willow Creek, CA 763.6 mi · 14h 16m Clear Lake Riviera, CA 584 mi · 11h 16m Santa Rosa, CA 548.1 mi · 10h 21m Yuba City, CA 544.9 mi · 10h 13m Sheridan, CA 543.3 mi · 10h 10m Deer Park, CA 540.4 mi · 10h 12m

More trips to Auburn Lake Trails, CA

Los Angeles, CA 428.5 mi San Francisco, CA 130.5 mi
Escape planner: San Diego, CA Scenic drives in CA

Explore more options from San Diego, CA or browse trips ending in Auburn Lake Trails, CA.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse CA road trips.