Skip to main content

Trip from San Jacinto, CA to Fontana, CA

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

53m

Distance

44.1 mi

71 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$10

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 14 min
4 AM
0h 49m ★
6 AM
0h 54m
8 AM
1h 3m
10 AM
0h 57m
12 PM
0h 56m
3 PM
0h 57m
5 PM
1h 2m
8 PM
0h 51m

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

city in Riverside County, California, United States

San Jacinto, CA

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Fontana, CA, CA

Fontana, CA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

San Jacinto to Fontana is 44.1 miles and takes about 53 minutes via Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway and San Bernardino Freeway, with a fuel budget near $10 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within California's Pacific Coast region, connecting two familiar areas. Given its short duration and the turn-heavy nature of the local roads involved, this trip is best suited for a quick day trip. You'll encounter a mix of highway and local street driving, making it a practical option for getting from point A to point B without a significant time commitment.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 53m. Total distance: 44.1 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

53m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

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

Scenic Drive

Turn-heavy local drive route profile.

Drive Character

This route offers a turn-heavy local drive experience, with 22% of the journey on highways. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 22.5 miles along the Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway. Expect the drive to shift from highway cruising to more involved local road navigation as you progress. The profile suggests a dynamic driving experience, requiring your attention as you transition between different road types and navigate numerous turns.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 14 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 22.5 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 1 miles in near North State Street.

Driving Effort 6/10

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 44.1 miles you will encounter 8 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 1 miles (North State Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.6 miles (Ramona Expressway): Lane positioning matters here; at 11.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 8 key points

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

5
1 mi into trip | ~1m in | North State Street

Turn right onto North State Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.
4
1.6 mi into trip | ~2m in | Ramona Expressway

Turn left onto Ramona Expressway

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
8
11.9 mi into trip | ~16m in

Take the exit toward I 10 West: Los Angeles

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane. Toward I 10 West: Los Angeles
5
12.2 mi into trip | ~16m in | I 10 / Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway

Merge onto I 10 / Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
42.1 mi into trip | ~50m in

Take the exit toward Sierra Avenue

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 64 Toward Sierra Avenue

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway 22.5 mi 25m
San Bernardino Freeway 7.5 mi 8m
Lamb Canyon Road 5.7 mi 6m
Ramona Expressway 2.4 mi 3m
Sanderson Avenue 1.9 mi 2m
Sierra Avenue 1.7 mi 2m
Ramona Boulevard 1 mi 1m
North State Street 0.5 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway — 22.5 mi, about 25m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between San Jacinto, CA and Fontana, CA.

1

Start on East Main Street

80 ft · 4 sec · East Main Street
2

Turn slight right onto Ramona Boulevard

1.0 mi · 1 min · Ramona Boulevard
3

Turn right onto North State Street

0.5 mi · 55 sec · North State Street
Use the right lane.
4

Turn left onto Ramona Expressway

2.4 mi · 3 min · Ramona Expressway
Use the left lane.
5

Turn right onto CA 79

1.9 mi · 2 min · Sanderson Avenue
6

Continue on CA 79

5.7 mi · 6 min · Lamb Canyon Road
7

Continue on CA 79

0.4 mi · 49 sec · Beaumont Avenue
8

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 30 sec
Toward I 10 West: Los Angeles Use the left lane.
9

Merge onto I 10

22 mi · 25 min · Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10

Continue on I 10

7.5 mi · 8 min · San Bernardino Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 26 sec
Exit 64 Toward Sierra Avenue Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12

Turn right onto Sierra Avenue

1.7 mi · 2 min · Sierra Avenue
Use the left lane.
13

Turn right onto Merrill Avenue

205 ft · 4 sec · Merrill Avenue
14

Arrive at destination

Merrill Avenue

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 22 mi from San Jacinto, CA · 27m into the drive

city in Riverside County, California, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Beaumont, CA

22 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.

Popular next leg

Beaumont, CA to Fontana, CA

32.3 mi · 38m

Pacing Suggestions

Beaumont, CA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Yucaipa, CA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 22 miles from San Jacinto, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Fontana, CA

Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Fontana, CA if you are unfamiliar with the area.

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

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$10.14 one way

$20.27 round trip

$5.84/gal 25.4 MPG avg 15 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $6.02 $10.45 $20.89
premium $6.18 $10.72 $21.45
diesel $5.61 $9.74 $19.47

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$10

Estimated CO2 emission: 15.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 13.2 0 $4.63 $2.12
Efficient EV 11 0 $3.86 $1.76
EV Truck/SUV 17.6 0 $6.17 $2.82

Gas CO2

15 kg

EV CO2

5 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.

Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

San Jacinto, CA

Morning in San Jacinto on Friday

Local time

6:58 AM

PDT

Current temp

76°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Fontana, CA

Morning in Fontana on Friday

Local time

6:58 AM

PDT

Current temp

76°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

67°F

Beaumont, CA

22 mi in

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

Very similar conditions

Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.

Road read

53m 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 San Jacinto, CA to Fontana, CA covers 44.1 miles and takes about 53m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway, San Bernardino Freeway, Lamb Canyon Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 22 miles from San Jacinto, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $10.14 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 44.1 miles you will encounter 8 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 1 miles (North State Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.6 miles (Ramona Expressway): Lane positioning matters here; at 11.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.

The route from San Jacinto, CA to Fontana, 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.

Was this helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!

/500

Explore More

Explore more options from San Jacinto, CA or browse trips ending in Fontana, CA.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse CA road trips.