Trip from Susanville, CA to Irvine, CA

Drive Time

11h 47m

Distance

579.8 mi

933 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

2-day trip

Fuel Cost

$134

one way

Best Time Drive vs Fly

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Susanville, CA

Stephen Leonardi

Irvine, CA

Stephen Leonardi

Trip Overview

The drive from Susanville, CA to Irvine, CA covers 579.8 miles and takes about 11h 47m behind the wheel. It usually feels better as a 2-day road trip than as one long push.

The route leans on US 395, Grand Army of the Republic Highway, Blue Star Memorial Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is long-distance drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 109.1 miles on US 395. At current regular gas prices, budget about $134.27 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

289.9 miles from Susanville, CA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 5h 59m into the drive .

Drive Character

At 579.8 miles and 11h 47m of driving, this is a route where fuel stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single turn. The main roads are US 395 and Grand Army of the Republic Highway.

Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.

There are about 51 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.

US 395 is the longest continuous segment at about 109.1 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

At 11h 47m, this is a long-haul route where pacing matters more than any single turn. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 131.9 miles in near US 395.

Route Complexity 10/10

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

This is a demanding drive. With 26 significant decision points across 579.8 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 131.9 miles (US 395): Lane positioning matters here; at 410.1 miles (US 395 / Blue Star Memorial Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 507.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 26 key points

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

131.9 mi into trip | ~2h 36m in | US 395

At end of road, turn right onto US 395

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left / none lanes.

410.1 mi into trip | ~8h 23m in | US 395 / Blue Star Memorial Highway

Keep slight left at fork onto US 395 / Blue Star Memorial Highway toward US 395 South: San Bernardino

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left / slight right lanes. Toward US 395 South: San Bernardino

507.3 mi into trip | ~10h 20m in

Take the exit toward I 15 South: San Bernardino, Los Angeles

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

Use the straight lane. Toward I 15 South: San Bernardino, Los Angeles

544.4 mi into trip | ~11h 2m in

Take the exit toward Limonite Avenue

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

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 103 Toward Limonite Avenue

561.3 mi into trip | ~11h 24m in

Take the exit toward CA 241 South: Irvine

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

Use the slight right lane. Exit 41B Toward CA 241 South: Irvine

Towns Along This Route

On the drive from Susanville, CA to Irvine, CA, road signs begin pointing toward Los Angeles along the way.

Los Angeles

507.3 mi in | ~10h 20m

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
US 395	109.1 mi	2h 21m
Grand Army of the Republic Highway	104.6 mi	2h 2m
Blue Star Memorial Highway	103.3 mi	2h 3m
Route 395	64.2 mi	1h 14m
Martin Luther King Junior Memorial Highway	50.9 mi	57m
Main Street	48 mi	1h
I 15	18.3 mi	20m
Eastern Transportation Corridor	12.1 mi	14m

Longest stretch: US 395 — 109.1 mi, about 2h 21m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Susanville, CA and Irvine, CA.

Start on Foss Street

61 ft · 5 sec · Foss Street

Turn right onto CA 36

4.3 mi · 7 min · Main Street

Use the straight / right lanes.

Continue on US 395

64 mi · 1 hr 14 min · Route 395

Continue on US 395

51 mi · 57 min · Martin Luther King Junior Memorial Highway

Turn left onto US 395

11 mi · 14 min · South Carson Street

Use the left lane.

Take the exit

488 ft · 13 sec

Turn straight onto NV 88

0.3 mi · 42 sec · Woodfords Road

Enter roundabout onto County Road

144 ft · 2 sec · County Road

Continue on County Road

1.1 mi · 2 min · County Road

At end of road, turn right onto US 395

66 mi · 1 hr 30 min · US 395

Use the left / none lanes.

Turn left onto Emigrant Street

0.5 mi · 42 sec · Emigrant Street

At end of road, turn right onto Sinclair Street

0.1 mi · 13 sec · Sinclair Street

Turn left onto US 395

44 mi · 53 min · Main Street

Use the none lane.

Continue on US 395

44 mi · 50 min · US 395

Use the straight lane.

Turn right onto North Barlow Lane

1.0 mi · 1 min · North Barlow Lane

Turn left onto CA 168

1.5 mi · 2 min · West Line Street

Turn right onto US 395; CA 168; US 6 Hist

2.4 mi · 3 min · South Main Street

Use the none lane.

Continue on US 395; CA 168; US 6 Hist

5.0 mi · 5 min · El Camino Sierra

Use the none lane.

Continue on US 395; CA 168; US 6 Hist

7.4 mi · 8 min · Grand Army of the Republic Highway

Use the straight lane.

Continue on US 395; US 6 Hist

0.2 mi · 32 sec · North Main Street

Continue on US 395; US 6 Hist

26 mi · 31 min · Grand Army of the Republic Highway

Use the straight lane.

Continue on US 395; US 6 Hist

0.7 mi · 1 min · North Edwards Street

Continue on US 395; US 6 Hist

15 mi · 17 min · Grand Army of the Republic Highway

Use the straight lane.

Continue on US 395; US 6 Hist

2.2 mi · 4 min · North Main Street

Use the none lane.

Continue on US 395; US 6 Hist

56 mi · 1 hr 4 min · Grand Army of the Republic Highway

Use the straight lane.

Continue on US 395; US 6 Hist

7.0 mi · 8 min · Blue Star Memorial Highway

Use the straight lane.

Keep slight left at fork onto US 395

30 mi · 34 min · Blue Star Memorial Highway

Toward US 395 South: San Bernardino Use the slight left / slight right lanes.

Continue on US 395

0.9 mi · 1 min · Red Mountain Road

Continue on US 395

67 mi · 1 hr 20 min · Blue Star Memorial Highway

Use the none lane.

Take the exit

0.7 mi · 1 min

Toward I 15 South: San Bernardino, Los Angeles Use the straight lane.

Merge onto I 15; US 66 Hist

3.4 mi · 3 min · Barstow and Mojave Freeway

Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on I 15; US 66 Hist; US 91 Hist; US 395 Hist

5.6 mi · 6 min · CHP Officer Larry L. Wetterling and San Bernardino County Sheriff's Lieutenant Alfred E. Stewart Memorial Highway

Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on I 15; US 66 Hist

6.3 mi · 6 min · Barstow and Mojave Freeway

Use the none lane.

Take the exit onto I 15

18 mi · 20 min · I 15

Use the none lane.

Keep slight right at fork onto I 15

0.4 mi · 27 sec · Ontario Freeway

Use the straight / slight left / none lanes.

Continue on I 15

2.4 mi · 2 min · Corona Freeway

Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 48 sec

Exit 103 Toward Limonite Avenue Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Turn right onto Limonite Avenue

0.5 mi · 49 sec · Limonite Avenue

Use the right lane.

Turn left onto Hamner Avenue

2.6 mi · 4 min · Hamner Avenue

Use the left lane.

Turn left onto 6th Street

354 ft · 14 sec · 6th Street

Use the left lane.

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 42 sec

Toward I 15 South: San Diego

Merge onto I 15

3.3 mi · 3 min · Corona Freeway

Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

0.6 mi · 48 sec

Toward CA 91 West: Beach Cities Use the slight right lane.

Continue on CA 91

9.1 mi · 10 min · CA 91

Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

1.2 mi · 1 min

Exit 41B Toward CA 241 South: Irvine Use the slight right lane.

Continue on CA 241 Toll

5.7 mi · 6 min · Eastern Transportation Corridor

Use the none lane.

Keep slight right at fork onto CA 261 Toll

6.4 mi · 7 min · Eastern Transportation Corridor

Toward CA 261 South: Irvine Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on Jamboree Road

3.6 mi · 5 min · Jamboree Road

Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 14 sec

Toward I 405 South: San Diego Use the right lane.

Merge onto I 405

1.3 mi · 1 min · San Diego Freeway

Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.

Arrive at destination

I 405

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 289.9 miles from Susanville, CA, or about 5h 59m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 109.1 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 128 miles or 2h 30m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 289.9 miles or 5h 59m 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 289.9 miles or 5h 59m

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 10h 34m

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

Before You Leave

Open the route before leaving Susanville, 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 Susanville, CA

Aim for roughly 290 miles and 5.9 hours of wheel time on this day.

Day 2

Finish the approach into Irvine, CA

Aim for roughly 290 miles and 5.9 hours of wheel time on this day.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 128 miles from Susanville, 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 US 395 for about 109.1 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 289.9 mi from Susanville, CA · 5h 59m into the drive

First major stop

Coffee and fuel

South Lake Tahoe, CA

191 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.

Second major stop

Overnight candidate

Lindsay, CA

383 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 Lindsay, CA

Overnight Options

Night 1

South Lake Tahoe, CA

290 mi · about 5.9h in

A practical overnight split lands near South Lake Tahoe, CA after about 290 miles or 5.9 hours of driving.

Find hotels

Pacing Suggestions

South Lake Tahoe, CA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 128 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Reedley, CA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 289.9 miles from Susanville, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before US 395 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 109.1 miles.

Overnight split

Hotel stop

For a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 290 miles or 5.9 hours on the road.

Arriving in Irvine, CA

The final approach into Irvine, 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 Irvine, CA.

On a multi-day trip, keep the last day a little lighter so you reach Irvine, CA with some flexibility left in the schedule.

After long uninterrupted mileage, take five minutes before the last urban segment to reset and refocus on exits, merges, and city traffic.

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

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$134.27 one way

$268.53 round trip

$5.88/gal 25.4 MPG avg 203 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$6.07	$138.47	$276.93
premium	$6.24	$142.51	$285.02
diesel	$5.64	$128.81	$257.62

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$134

Hotel (1n)

$80–$140

Meals

$50–$100

Total

$264–$374

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 202.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $61 in charging · 2 stops · 67% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	Stops	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	173.9	2	$60.88	$27.83
Efficient EV	145	1	$50.73	$23.19
EV Truck/SUV	231.9	2	$81.17	$37.11

Gas CO2

203 kg

EV CO2

68 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 data refreshed 3 days ago

Origin

Susanville, CA

Afternoon in Susanville on Sunday

Local time

12:28 PM

PDT

Current temp

63°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Irvine, CA

Afternoon in Irvine on Sunday

Local time

12:28 PM

PDT

Current temp

74°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

11 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

11h 47m 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Susanville, CA to Irvine, CA covers 579.8 miles and takes about 11h 47m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are US 395, Grand Army of the Republic Highway, Blue Star Memorial Highway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.

Yes. This route is usually more comfortable as a 2-day drive. A sensible stopping point is after roughly 290 miles on day one.

The midpoint is about 289.9 miles from Susanville, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $134.27 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.

Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour. This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.

Plan about 3 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.

On the drive from Susanville, CA to Irvine, CA, road signs begin pointing toward Los Angeles along the way.

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Return Trip

Irvine, CA to Susanville, CA

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614.9 mi 11h 50m

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Trip from Susanville, CA to Irvine, CA

Trip Overview

Drive Character

How Hard Is This Drive?

Critical Maneuvers

Towns Along This Route

Main Roads

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Trip Plan

Before You Leave

Where to Stop

Overnight Options

Pacing Suggestions

Arriving in Irvine, CA

Fuel & Cost

Travel Intel

Susanville, CA

Irvine, CA

Same local time

11 degrees warmer at arrival

11h 47m on the road

Frequently Asked Questions

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