Burney, CA to Los Angeles, CA is 594.6 miles and takes about 11h 4m via Westside Freeway, I 5 Truck, and Cascade Wonderland Highway, with a fuel budget near $137 and best split over two days. This long-haul drive covers significant ground within California, connecting the Pacific Coast region to the south. Given the duration, planning for an overnight stop is recommended to make the trip more comfortable and less rushed. This route is a practical option for those looking to travel between Northern and Southern California efficiently.
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
297.3 miles from Burney, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 5h 36m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Westside Freeway
424.9 mi
7h 38m
I 5 Truck
63.9 mi
1h 13m
Cascade Wonderland Highway
33.8 mi
36m
State Route 299
26.1 mi
35m
CA 299
23.1 mi
29m
Hollywood Freeway
16.2 mi
20m
Golden State Freeway
4.1 mi
4m
Main Street
1.3 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
Westside Freeway
— 424.9 mi, about 7h 38m
Traffic on I-5
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 285 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~2,813 veh/hr typical
· worst 3,553
Quietest
2 AM
~359 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
7.8×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 48 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Burney, CA and Los Angeles, CA.
1
Start on CA 299
1.3 mi·2 min·Main Street
2
Continue on CA 299
26 mi·35 min·State Route 299
3
Turn right onto CA 299
23 mi·29 min·CA 299
4
Turn left
0.3 mi·42 sec
5
Merge onto I 5
34 mi·36 min·Cascade Wonderland Highway
6
Continue on I 5
93 mi·1 hr 39 min·Westside Freeway
7
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5
16 mi·16 min·Westside Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5
79 mi·1 hr 27 min·Westside Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5
0.8 mi·48 sec·Westside Freeway
10
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5
237 mi·4 hr 13 min·Westside Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 Truck
58 mi·1 hr 6 min·I 5 Truck
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5
4.1 mi·4 min·Golden State Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 Truck
0.3 mi·17 sec·I 5 Truck
Exit 158Toward I 405 SouthUse the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5 Truck
5.3 mi·6 min·I 5 Truck
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Take the exit
0.5 mi·32 sec
Exit 153BToward CA 170 South: HollywoodUse the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Continue on CA 170
16 mi·20 min·Hollywood Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Take the exit
0.1 mi·17 sec
Exit 2CToward BroadwayUse the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Continue on West Aliso Street
409 ft·18 sec·West Aliso Street
Use the straight lane.
19
Turn right onto North Spring Street
0.3 mi·35 sec·North Spring Street
Use the right lane.
20
Turn left onto West 1st Street
354 ft·12 sec·West 1st Street
Use the left lane.
21
Arrive at destination
West 1st Street
Trip Plan
For this 11-hour drive, starting early in the morning is advisable, especially if you plan to complete it in two days. Breaking up the 594.6 miles into two segments makes the drive manageable. Consider an overnight stop around the halfway point to rest and refuel. Keep an eye on your fuel levels, as the longest stretch without significant breaks is over 400 miles. Planning your overnight location in advance will help maximize your rest time and minimize disruptions to your travel schedule.
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 297.3 miles from Burney, CA, or about 5h 36m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 424.9 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 131 miles or 2h 35m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 297.3 miles or 5h 36m 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 297.3 miles or 5h 36m
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 52m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Los Angeles, CA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Burney, 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 Burney, CA
Aim for roughly 297 miles and 5.5 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Los Angeles, CA
Aim for roughly 297 miles and 5.5 hours of wheel time on this day.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 131 miles from Burney, 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 424.9 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 16
5 decision points cluster between mile 571.8 and 594.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
571.8 mi into trip|~10h 35m in|I 5 Truck
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 Truck toward I 405 South
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 158
Toward I 405 South
7
577.4 mi into trip|~10h 41m in
Take the exit toward CA 170 South: Hollywood
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 153B
Toward CA 170 South: Hollywood
7
594 mi into trip|~11h 3m in
Take the exit toward Broadway
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 2C
Toward Broadway
7
594.2 mi into trip|~11h 3m in|North Spring Street
Turn right onto North Spring Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
7
594.5 mi into trip|~11h 4m in|West 1st Street
Turn left onto West 1st Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$124.40 one way
$248.80 round trip
$5.31/gal25.4 MPG avg208 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$5.52
$129.20
$258.39
premium
$5.67
$132.61
$265.23
diesel
$4.80
$112.27
$224.54
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$124
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$254–$364
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 208 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $62 in charging
· 2 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
178.4
2
$62.43
$28.54
Efficient EV
148.7
1
$52.03
$23.78
EV Truck/SUV
237.8
2
$83.24
$38.05
Gas CO2
208 kg
EV CO2
70 kg (66% 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 Jul 16, 2026
Origin
Burney, CA
Evening
in Burney on Saturday
Local time
6:27 PM
PDT
Current temp
88°F
Sunny
WSW 10 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Extreme Heat Warning
Extreme Heat Warning issued July 16 at 1:29PM PDT until July 16 at 8:00PM PDT by NWS San Diego CA
Extreme Heat Warning
Extreme Heat Warning issued July 16 at 1:29PM PDT until July 16 at 8:00PM PDT by NWS San Diego CA
Destination
Los Angeles, CA
Evening
in Los Angeles on Saturday
Local time
6:27 PM
PDT
Current temp
92°F
Sunny
SSW 5 to 10 mph1% chanceLive forecast
Extreme Heat Warning
Extreme Heat Warning issued July 16 at 1:29PM PDT until July 16 at 8:00PM PDT by NWS San Diego CA
Extreme Heat Warning
Extreme Heat Warning issued July 16 at 1:29PM PDT until July 16 at 8:00PM PDT by NWS San Diego CA
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
4 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 4m 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.
Whiskeytown National Recreation Area
National Recreation Area
Whiskeytown Lake’s crystal-clear waters are iconic, but this 42,000-acre National Recreation Area offers much more. Explore waterfalls, hike rugged trails, uncover Gold Rush history, and witness the r...
19 mi from route
~47 min detour
$15
near mile 61.5
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...
22 mi from route
~55 min detour
Free
near mile 574.1
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...
28 mi from route
~69 min detour
Free
near mile 512.6
Lassen Volcanic National Park is home to steaming fumaroles, meadows freckled with wildflowers, clear mountain lakes, and numerous volcanoes. Jagged peaks tell the story of its eruptive past while hot...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
You'll spend 94% of your time on highways, covering a substantial 424.9 miles on the Westside Freeway before transitioning to other roads. Expect stretches of steady cruising with fewer exits, typical of a long-distance drive. The latter part of the drive may involve more varied terrain and merging traffic as you approach urban areas.
94% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
21 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 424.9 mi on Westside Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Westside Freeway and I 5 Truck. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 571.8 miles in near I 5 Truck.
Driving Effort7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 16 significant decision points across 594.6 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 571.8 miles (I 5 Truck): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 577.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 594 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Frank Lloyd Wright is said to have quipped, "Tip the world over on its side and everything loose will land in Los Angeles," a quote that has since been repeated both by those who love and hate L.A. The "City of Angels" is home to people who hail from all parts of the globe and an important center of culture, business, media, and international trade. However, it's most famous for being a major center of the world's television, motion picture, and music industry, which forms the base of the city's status and lures visitors for its show business history and celebrity culture. Visitors are also drawn to Los Angeles for its Mediterranean climate and numerous beaches, which gave birth to California's famed surf culture.
Top landmarks
•Hollywood Walk of Fame — more than 2,700 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks...
•Hollywood Sign — sign reading "HOLLYWOOD" located in Los Angeles, California, United States
•Getty Center — campus of the Getty Museum and other programs of the Getty Trust in Los Angeles
The longest stretch is about 424.9 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 297 miles on day one.
Yes — we found about 57 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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 Los Angeles, 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. There are 57 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 571.8 miles (I 5 Truck): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 577.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 594 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Whiskeytown National Recreation Area, Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area and César E. Chávez National Monument (4 total within detour distance). See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 11.1 hours each way, a round trip means 22.2 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Los Angeles, CA before the return drive.
