Origin
Colusa, CA
Night in Colusa on Saturday
Local time
9:36 PM
PDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Colusa, CA to Sacramento, CA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 19m
Distance
68.3 mi
110 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$16
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 14m
★
6 AM
1h 20m
8 AM
1h 32m
10 AM
1h 24m
12 PM
1h 23m
3 PM
1h 25m
5 PM
1h 32m
8 PM
1h 16m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Colusa, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Sacramento, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Colusa, CA to Sacramento, CA is 68.3 miles and takes about 1 hour 19 minutes via Westside Freeway, with a fuel budget near $16 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This straightforward trip stays within the Pacific Coast region, connecting two points in California. It's a primarily highway-focused drive, making it a convenient option for a quick transfer or a day trip. Given its short duration and manageable fuel cost, you'll likely find this route to be an efficient way to get from Point A to Point B without much fuss.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Westside Freeway | 58 mi | 1h 3m |
| 10th Street | 8.7 mi | 12m |
| H Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Market Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| J Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| 5th Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| 9th Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Westside Freeway
— 58 mi, about 1h 3m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Colusa, CA and Sacramento, CA.
1
Start on CA 20
0.3 mi
·
52 sec
·
Market Street
2
Turn left onto CA 20
8.7 mi
·
12 min
·
10th Street
Use the left lane.
3
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
Use the left lane.
4
Merge onto I 5
24 mi
·
26 min
·
Westside Freeway
5
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5
16 mi
·
16 min
·
Westside Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5
18 mi
·
20 min
·
Westside Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
Exit 519B
Toward Downtown, J Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on J Street
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
·
J Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
9
Turn left onto 5th Street
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
·
5th Street
Use the straight lane.
10
Turn right onto H Street
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
·
H Street
11
Turn right onto 9th Street
490 ft
·
15 sec
·
9th Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
12
Arrive at destination
9th Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
34 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 15 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 34.2 miles from Colusa, 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 95 decision points cluster between mile 0.3 and 68.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.3 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
CA 20 / 10th Street
Turn left onto CA 20 / 10th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
7
9 mi into trip
|
~13m in
Take the exit
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
8
67.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 17m in
Take the exit toward Downtown, J Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 519B
Toward Downtown, J Street
7
67.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 18m in
|
5th Street
Turn left onto 5th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
7
68.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 19m in
|
9th Street
Turn right onto 9th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$15.70 one way
$31.40 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
24 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $16.18 | $32.35 |
| premium | $6.18 | $16.61 | $33.22 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $15.08 | $30.16 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$16
Estimated CO2 emission: 23.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 20.5 | 0 | $7.17 | $3.28 |
| Efficient EV | 17.1 | 0 | $5.98 | $2.73 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 27.3 | 0 | $9.56 | $4.37 |
Gas CO2
24 kg
EV CO2
8 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
Sacramento, CA
Night in Sacramento on Saturday
Local time
9:36 PM
PDT
Current temp
79°F
Sunny
WSW 2 mph
0% chance
Live forecast
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
1h 19m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a highway-focused drive for about 85% of this route, predominantly on the Westside Freeway. Your longest uninterrupted stretch will be approximately 58 miles along this freeway, offering a consistent pace. As you approach Sacramento, the road will transition to more urban surface streets like 10th Street and H Street. This shift means you'll move from a predictable highway experience to navigating city traffic and intersections. The overall drive is designed for efficient travel rather than scenic exploration.
85% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 58 mi on Westside Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Westside Freeway and 10th Street. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.3 miles in near CA 20 / 10th Street.
Driving Effort
7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 68.3 miles you will encounter 9 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 0.3 miles (CA 20 / 10th Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 67.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
About the Cities
Starting in Colusa, CA
Full guide →Top landmarks
- • Colusa Carnegie Library
- • Grand Island Shrine
- • Colusa High School and Grounds — historic school in Colusa, California, United States
Arriving in Sacramento, CA
Full guide →Founded 1849
Sacramento is the state capital of California in the United States. It is the regional center for the Greater Sacramento metropolitan area, which dominates much of the surrounding Sacramento Valley and stretches into parts of Gold Country. Sacramento is the oldest incorporated city in California, settled between the confluences of the Sacramento and American rivers. The city has been the site of many important historic events that have shaped California and U.S. history, most notably the California Gold Rush and location of the original terminus of the First Transcontinental Railroad. Much of this historical legacy has been preserved, especially in the historic Old Sacramento district, where buildings and railroads from that era continue to attract visitors. However, Sacramento is not a city that is stuck in the past. As the capital of the most populous U.S.
Top landmarks
- • California State Capitol — state capitol building of the U.S. state of California
- • Crocker Art Museum — art museum in Sacramento, California
- • Sacramento Valley Station — main railroad and light rail station in Sacramento, California
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 19m. Total distance: 68.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 19m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (85%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 58 miles on Westside Freeway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 Sacramento, CA before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
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: at 0.3 miles (CA 20 / 10th Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 67.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Sacramento, CA before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner 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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