Origin
Windsor, CA
Afternoon in Windsor on Sunday
Local time
12:22 PM
PDT
Current temp
--
Unavailable
Trip from Windsor, CA to Fontana, CA
Drive Time
9h 1m
Distance
482.6 mi
777 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
2-day trip
Fuel Cost
$112
one way
Windsor, CA
Stephen Leonardi
Trip Overview
The drive from Windsor, CA to Fontana, CA covers 482.6 miles and takes about 9h 1m behind the wheel. It usually feels better as a 2-day road trip than as one long push.
The route leans on Old Redwood Highway, US 101 South, Redwood Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $111.76 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
2 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
241.3 miles from Windsor, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 4h 30m into the drive .
Drive Character
Expect a 9h 1m drive with frequent turns across 482.6 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 27 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Old Redwood Highway is one of the defining roads on this drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way.
Route Complexity
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
The route itself is not hard, but at 9h 1m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 0 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Windsor, CA to Fontana, CA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Old Redwood Highway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| US 101 South | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Redwood Highway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| John T | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Eastshore Freeway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Highway 80 | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| MacArthur Freeway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Arthur H | Unavailable | Refreshing |
Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.
Longest stretch:
Old Redwood Highway
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Windsor, CA and Fontana, CA.
1
Start on Windsor River Road
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
·
Windsor River Road
2
Continue on Old Redwood Highway
0.1 mi
·
13 sec
·
Old Redwood Highway
3
Take the ramp right toward US 101 South
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
·
US 101 South
4
Merge slight left onto Redwood Highway
46 mi
·
53 min
·
Redwood Highway
5
Keep slight right to continue on John T. Knox Freeway
14 mi
·
17 min
·
John T. Knox Freeway
6
Merge slight left onto Eastshore Freeway
3.8 mi
·
4 min
·
Eastshore Freeway
7
Keep slight left to continue on Interstate Highway 80
0.3 mi
·
21 sec
·
Interstate Highway 80
8
Keep slight left to continue on MacArthur Freeway
16 mi
·
18 min
·
MacArthur Freeway
9
Merge slight left onto Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
12 mi
·
13 min
·
Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
10
Keep slight right to continue on Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
18 mi
·
20 min
·
Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
11
Keep slight right to continue on William Elton Brown Freeway
11 mi
·
12 min
·
William Elton Brown Freeway
12
Keep slight left to continue on William Elton Brown Freeway
5.9 mi
·
6 min
·
William Elton Brown Freeway
13
Merge slight left onto Westside Freeway
224 mi
·
4 hr
·
Westside Freeway
14
Keep slight right
58 mi
·
1 hr 6 min
15
Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Golden State Freeway
16
Take the exit slight right toward I 210 East: Pasadena
0.3 mi
·
18 sec
·
I 210 East: Pasadena
17
Continue on Foothill Freeway
24 mi
·
28 min
·
Foothill Freeway
18
Keep slight right to continue on Foothill Freeway
19 mi
·
22 min
·
Foothill Freeway
19
Keep slight right to continue on Foothill Freeway
2.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Foothill Freeway
20
Keep slight right to continue on Foothill Freeway
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Foothill Freeway
21
Keep slight right to continue on Foothill Freeway
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Foothill Freeway
22
Keep slight right to continue on Foothill Freeway
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Foothill Freeway
23
Keep slight right to continue on Foothill Freeway
16 mi
·
18 min
·
Foothill Freeway
24
Take the exit slight right toward Sierra Avenue
0.3 mi
·
46 sec
·
Sierra Avenue
25
Turn right onto Sierra Avenue
3.0 mi
·
4 min
·
Sierra Avenue
26
Turn left onto Merrill Avenue
207 ft
·
4 sec
·
Merrill Avenue
27
Arrive at your destination
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 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 241.3 miles from Windsor, CA, or about 4h 30m into the drive.
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 106 miles or 1h 58m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 241.3 miles or 4h 30m 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 241.3 miles or 4h 30m
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 7h 54m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Fontana, CA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Windsor, 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 Windsor, CA
Aim for roughly 241 miles and 4.5 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Fontana, CA
Aim for roughly 241 miles and 4.5 hours of wheel time on this day.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 106 miles from Windsor, CA.
This route usually feels better as a 2-day drive than as one long push.
Plan about 2 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 241.3 mi from Windsor, CA · 4h 30m into the drive
Mid-route town
Overnight candidate
241 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 Modesto, CAOvernight Options
Night 1
241 mi · about 4.5h in
A practical overnight split lands near Modesto, CA after about 241 miles or 4.5 hours of driving.
Find hotelsPacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 106 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 241.3 miles from Windsor, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Overnight split
Hotel stopFor a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 241 miles or 4.5 hours on the road.
Arriving in Fontana, CA
The final approach into Fontana, 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 Fontana, CA.
On a multi-day trip, keep the last day a little lighter so you reach Fontana, CA with some flexibility left in the schedule.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$111.76 one way
$223.52 round trip
$5.88/gal
25.4 MPG avg
169 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.07 | $115.25 | $230.51 |
| premium | $6.24 | $118.62 | $237.23 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $107.22 | $214.43 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$112
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$242–$352
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 168.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $51 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 144.8 | 1 | $50.67 | $23.16 |
| Efficient EV | 120.7 | 1 | $42.23 | $19.30 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 193 | 2 | $67.56 | $30.89 |
Gas CO2
169 kg
EV CO2
56 kg (67% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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
Fontana, CA
Afternoon in Fontana on Sunday
Local time
12:22 PM
PDT
Current temp
54°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.
Road read
9h 1m 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 Windsor, CA to Fontana, CA covers 482.6 miles and takes about 9h 1m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Old Redwood Highway, US 101 South, Redwood 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 241 miles on day one.
The midpoint is about 241.3 miles from Windsor, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $111.76 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 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
The route itself is not hard, but at 9h 1m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 0 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Windsor, CA to Fontana, CA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Windsor, CA to Fontana, CA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Was this route helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Fontana, CA
More trips to Fontana, CA
Explore more options from Windsor, CA or browse trips ending in Fontana, CA.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse CA road trips.
Explore maps for Windsor, CA or Fontana, CA on MapSof.net.