Origin
Truckee, CA
Afternoon in Truckee on Saturday
Local time
1:02 PM
PDT
Current temp
45°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Truckee, CA to Peardale, CA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 16m
Distance
60.6 mi
98 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$14
one way
EV Charging
Fair
4 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 10m
★
6 AM
1h 16m
8 AM
1h 28m
10 AM
1h 20m
12 PM
1h 19m
3 PM
1h 21m
5 PM
1h 28m
8 PM
1h 13m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Truckee, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Peardale, CA
Stephen Leonardi
Trip Overview
The drive from Truckee, CA to Peardale, CA covers 60.6 miles and takes about 1h 16m 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, Colfax Highway, Donner Pass Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 50.8 miles on Alan S. Hart Freeway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $13.93 one way before food or hotel costs.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Alan S. Hart Freeway | 50.8 mi | 58m |
| Colfax Highway | 8.7 mi | 14m |
| Donner Pass Road | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| South Auburn Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Alan S. Hart Freeway
— 50.8 mi, about 58m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Truckee, CA and Peardale, CA.
1
Start on this road
78 ft
·
11 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left onto US 40 Hist
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Donner Pass Road
3
Enter roundabout onto US 40 Hist
11 ft
·
0 sec
·
Donner Pass Road
4
Continue on US 40 Hist
0.1 mi
·
21 sec
·
Donner Pass Road
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
19 sec
6
Merge onto I 80; CA 89
51 mi
·
58 min
·
Alan S. Hart Freeway
Use the slight right lane.
7
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
Exit 135
Toward CA 174 West: Colfax, Grass Valley
8
Continue on CA 174
0.1 mi
·
20 sec
·
South Auburn Street
9
Continue on CA 174
8.7 mi
·
14 min
·
Colfax Highway
10
Arrive at destination
CA 174
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
30 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 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 30.3 miles from Truckee, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
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 65 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 51.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 40 Hist / Donner Pass Road
Turn left onto US 40 Hist / Donner Pass Road
Navigation decision point
4
0.5 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
US 40 Hist / Donner Pass Road
Enter roundabout onto US 40 Hist / Donner Pass Road
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
4
0.6 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Take the ramp
Navigation decision point
5
0.9 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
I 80; CA 89 / Alan S. Hart Freeway
Merge onto I 80; CA 89 / Alan S. Hart Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
6
51.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 1m in
Take the exit toward CA 174 West: Colfax, Grass Valley
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 135
Toward CA 174 West: Colfax, Grass Valley
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$13.93 one way
$27.86 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
21 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $14.35 | $28.71 |
| premium | $6.18 | $14.74 | $29.47 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $13.38 | $26.76 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$14
Estimated CO2 emission: 21.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 18.2 | 0 | $6.36 | $2.91 |
| Efficient EV | 15.2 | 0 | $5.30 | $2.42 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 24.2 | 0 | $8.48 | $3.88 |
Gas CO2
21 kg
EV CO2
7 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
Peardale, CA
Afternoon in Peardale on Saturday
Local time
1:02 PM
PDT
Current temp
42°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
42°F
Colfax, CA
30 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
3 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
1h 16m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
60.6 mi in 1h 16m, mostly highway — 50.8 mi of that is on Alan S. Hart Freeway.
84% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
10 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 50.8 mi on Alan S. Hart Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
1/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Alan S. Hart Freeway and Colfax Highway. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 40 Hist / Donner Pass Road.
Driving Effort
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Truckee, CA to Peardale, CA is easy. At 1h 16m with 84% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 40 Hist / Donner Pass Road): Navigation decision point; at 0.5 miles (US 40 Hist / Donner Pass Road): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 0.6 miles: Navigation decision point.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
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 Truckee, CA to Peardale, CA, road signs begin pointing toward Grass Valley along the way.
Grass Valley
51.7 mi in
|
~1h 1m
About the Cities
Starting in Truckee, CA
Full guide →Truckee is a pleasant town of 17,000 people (2019) in the Lake Tahoe region of California. Just east of the Donner Pass on Interstate 80, Truckee is an easy entry point for travelers from the Bay Area to the region.
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 1h 16m. Total distance: 60.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 16m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (84%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 50.8 miles on Alan S. Hart Freeway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 40 Hist / Donner Pass Road): Navigation decision point; at 0.5 miles (US 40 Hist / Donner Pass Road): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 0.6 miles: Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Peardale, CA before heading back.
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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