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Trip from Fontana, CA to Palmdale, CA

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 26m

Distance

63.1 mi

101 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$15

one way

EV Charging

Good

8 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 20 min
4 AM
1h 20m ★
6 AM
1h 27m
8 AM
1h 40m
10 AM
1h 31m
12 PM
1h 30m
3 PM
1h 32m
5 PM
1h 39m
8 PM
1h 23m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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Downtown Fontana, CA, CA

Fontana, CA

Wikimedia Commons

city in Los Angeles County, California, United States

Palmdale, CA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

This 63.1-mile drive from Fontana, CA to Palmdale, CA is a manageable day trip, taking approximately 1 hour and 26 minutes. Primarily following CA 138 and the Barstow and Mojave Freeway, with a portion on Sierra Avenue, this route offers a highway-focused experience. With an estimated fuel cost of $15, it's an economical option for a quick journey. You'll be traveling within the Pacific Coast region for both your origin and destination, making it a straightforward local excursion. This drive is well-suited for a single day, allowing for flexibility in your schedule.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
CA 138 39.9 mi 55m
Barstow and Mojave Freeway 6.8 mi 7m
Sierra Avenue 6.1 mi 9m
East Palmdale Boulevard 4.1 mi 5m
Ontario Freeway 3.7 mi 4m
47th Street East 1.8 mi 2m
Merrill Avenue <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: CA 138 — 39.9 mi, about 55m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Fontana, CA and Palmdale, CA.

1

Start on Merrill Avenue

205 ft · 6 sec · Merrill Avenue
2

Turn right onto Sierra Avenue

6.1 mi · 9 min · Sierra Avenue
Use the left / straight lanes.
3

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 34 sec
Toward I 15 North
4

Merge onto I 15

3.7 mi · 4 min · Ontario Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5

Continue on I 15

6.8 mi · 7 min · Barstow and Mojave Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 36 sec
Exit 131 Toward CA 138: Palmdale, Silverwood Lake Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7

Turn left onto CA 138

40 mi · 55 min · CA 138
8

Continue on CA 138

1.8 mi · 2 min · 47th Street East
9

Enter roundabout onto CA 138

287 ft · 10 sec · East Palmdale Boulevard
10

Continue on CA 138

4.1 mi · 5 min · East Palmdale Boulevard
11

Continue on CA 138

75 ft · 7 sec · East Palmdale Boulevard
Use the left lane.
12

Arrive at destination

CA 138

Where to Stop

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

Downtown Wrightwood, CA, CA

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Wrightwood, CA

32 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

Crestline, CA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 14 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Wrightwood, CA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 31.5 miles from Fontana, 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 7

5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 58.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

6
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | Sierra Avenue

Turn right onto Sierra Avenue

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left / straight lanes.
4
6.2 mi into trip | ~9m in

Take the ramp toward I 15 North

Navigation decision point

Toward I 15 North
5
6.4 mi into trip | ~10m in | I 15 / Ontario Freeway

Merge onto I 15 / Ontario Freeway

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
17 mi into trip | ~21m in

Take the exit toward CA 138: Palmdale, Silverwood Lake

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 131 Toward CA 138: Palmdale, Silverwood Lake
4
58.9 mi into trip | ~1h 20m in | CA 138 / East Palmdale Boulevard

Enter roundabout onto CA 138 / East Palmdale Boulevard

Roundabout - know your exit number before entering

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$14.50 one way

$29.01 round trip

$5.84/gal 25.4 MPG avg 22 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $6.02 $14.95 $29.89
premium $6.18 $15.35 $30.69
diesel $5.61 $13.93 $27.86

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$15

Estimated CO2 emission: 22.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 18.9 0 $6.63 $3.03
Efficient EV 15.8 0 $5.52 $2.52
EV Truck/SUV 25.2 0 $8.83 $4.04

Gas CO2

22 kg

EV CO2

7 kg (68% 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.

Forecast as of Apr 16, 2026

Origin

Fontana, CA

Late night in Fontana on Tuesday

Local time

3:39 AM

PDT

Current temp

74°F

Patchy Fog then Mostly Sunny

SW 0 to 15 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Wind Advisory

Wind Advisory issued April 16 at 7:07AM PDT until April 16 at 9:00PM PDT by NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard CA

Wind Advisory

Wind Advisory issued April 16 at 7:07AM PDT until April 17 at 3:00AM PDT by NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard CA

Destination

Palmdale, CA

Late night in Palmdale on Tuesday

Local time

3:39 AM

PDT

Current temp

47°F

Unavailable

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

27 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 26m 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 an 80% highway experience on this route, with a significant uninterrupted stretch of 39.9 miles along CA 138. The drive is largely highway-focused, meaning you'll encounter higher speeds for extended periods. You'll transition onto the Barstow and Mojave Freeway, a common artery for longer distances, before reaching your destination. This road character suggests a steady pace with minimal need for frequent slowdowns or complex navigation.

80% 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: 39.9 mi on CA 138.

How Hard Is This Drive?

2/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on CA 138 and Barstow and Mojave Freeway. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Sierra Avenue.

Driving Effort 2/10

Very easy - short and simple to drive

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

The drive from Fontana, CA to Palmdale, CA is easy. At 1h 26m with 80% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: near the start (Sierra Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 6.2 miles: Navigation decision point; at 6.4 miles (I 15 / Ontario Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.

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 Fontana, CA to Palmdale, CA, road signs begin pointing toward Silverwood Lake along the way.

Silverwood Lake

17 mi in | ~21m

About the Cities

Starting in Fontana, CA

Full guide →

Fontana is a city in San Bernardino County in Southern California.

Arriving in Palmdale, CA

Full guide →

Founded 1886

Palmdale is a city in the far north of Los Angeles County in the Antelope Valley region of the Mojave Desert in Southern California.

Top landmarks

  • • Joe Davies Heritage Airpark — aviation museum in Palmdale, California, United States

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 26m. Total distance: 63.1 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 26m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (80%). Straightforward navigation.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 39.9 miles on CA 138. 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 (Sierra Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 6.2 miles: Navigation decision point; at 6.4 miles (I 15 / Ontario Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Palmdale, 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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