Origin
Gardnerville Ranchos, NV
Night in Gardnerville Ranchos on Saturday
Local time
9:28 PM
PDT
Current temp
56°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Gardnerville Ranchos, NV to Sparks, NV
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 9m
Distance
55.1 mi
89 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$11
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 4m
★
6 AM
1h 10m
8 AM
1h 21m
10 AM
1h 13m
12 PM
1h 12m
3 PM
1h 14m
5 PM
1h 20m
8 PM
1h 6m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Gardnerville Ranchos, NV
𝓢𝓱𝓪𝓷𝓮 𝓦𝓮𝓼𝓽 ™
Sparks, NV
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 55.4-mile drive from Gardnerville Ranchos to Sparks, Nevada, will take about 1 hour and 1 minute to complete. With no highway driving and a fuel cost estimated at $11, this is a straightforward day trip. The route primarily uses local roads like Patricia Way, Tillman Lane, and Kimmerling Road, indicating a more involved driving experience. Given its short duration and lack of significant overnight requirements, you can easily fit this into a single day. Both your origin and destination are within the Mountain West region, so expect consistent scenery throughout your journey.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 580 | 20.6 mi | 22m |
| Carson City Deputy Sheriff Carl Howell Memorial Freeway | 13.2 mi | 14m |
| US 395 | 11.8 mi | 15m |
| Woodfords Road | 4.3 mi | 6m |
| Kimmerling Road | 1.7 mi | 2m |
| Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway | 1.5 mi | 1m |
| Tillman Lane | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Kimmerling Way | 0.4 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 580
— 20.6 mi, about 22m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Gardnerville Ranchos, NV and Sparks, NV.
1
Start on Joette Drive
340 ft
·
16 sec
·
Joette Drive
2
Turn right onto Patricia Way
177 ft
·
6 sec
·
Patricia Way
3
Turn right onto Tillman Lane
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Tillman Lane
4
Turn left onto Kimmerling Road
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
Kimmerling Road
5
Continue on Kimmerling Way
0.4 mi
·
46 sec
·
Kimmerling Way
6
Turn right onto NV 88
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Woodfords Road
7
Enter roundabout onto NV 88
69 ft
·
2 sec
·
Woodfords Road
8
Continue on NV 88
3.1 mi
·
4 min
·
Woodfords Road
9
Enter roundabout onto NV 88
58 ft
·
0 sec
·
Woodfords Road
10
Continue on NV 88
0.4 mi
·
48 sec
·
Woodfords Road
11
Turn left onto US 395
11 mi
·
13 min
·
US 395
Use the straight / right lanes.
12
Take the exit onto US 395
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
US 395
Toward I 580 North, US 395 North, US 50 East: Reno, Dayton, Fallon
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Merge onto I 580; US 50; US 395
13 mi
·
14 min
·
Carson City Deputy Sheriff Carl Howell Memorial Freeway
14
Continue on I 580; US 395
21 mi
·
22 min
·
I 580; US 395
15
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
Exit 36A
Toward I 80 East: Sparks, Elko
16
Continue on this road
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
this road
Exit 68A
Toward I 80: Sparks, Elko, Winnemucca, Salt Lake City
17
Merge onto I 80
1.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
18
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
17 sec
Exit 18
Toward NV 445
19
Keep slight left at fork
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
Toward NV 445 North
Use the left / right lanes.
20
Turn right onto West Victorian Avenue
344 ft
·
17 sec
·
West Victorian Avenue
21
Continue on West Victorian Avenue
329 ft
·
16 sec
·
West Victorian Avenue
22
Arrive at destination
West Victorian Avenue
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
28 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 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 27.6 miles from Gardnerville Ranchos, NV, 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 165 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 54.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Patricia Way
Turn right onto Patricia Way
Navigation decision point
5
3.6 mi into trip
|
~6m in
|
NV 88 / Woodfords Road
Enter roundabout onto NV 88 / Woodfords Road
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
7
18 mi into trip
|
~26m in
|
US 395
Take the exit onto US 395 toward I 580 North, US 395 North, US 50 East: Reno, Dayton, Fallon
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.
Toward I 580 North, US 395 North, US 50 East: R...
6
52.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 5m in
Take the exit toward I 80 East: Sparks, Elko
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 36A
Toward I 80 East: Sparks, Elko
8
54.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 8m in
Keep slight left at fork toward NV 445 North
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / right lanes.
Toward NV 445 North
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.98 one way
$21.95 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $11.62 | $23.23 |
| premium | $5.59 | $12.13 | $24.26 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.17 | $24.33 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 19.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16.5 | 0 | $5.79 | $2.64 |
| Efficient EV | 13.8 | 0 | $4.82 | $2.20 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 22 | 0 | $7.71 | $3.53 |
Gas CO2
19 kg
EV CO2
6 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.
Destination
Sparks, NV
Night in Sparks on Saturday
Local time
9:28 PM
PDT
Current temp
59°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
3 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 9m 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?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive on this route, as indicated by its 0% highway share. You'll navigate through residential and local thoroughfares for the entire 55.4 miles, with no particularly long uninterrupted stretches. The drive progresses by connecting a series of local roads, including Patricia Way, Tillman Lane, and Kimmerling Road, rather than cruising on high-speed highways. This means you'll be managing more frequent turns and potentially varying speed limits as you pass through different communities.
83% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 20.6 mi on I 580.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 580 and Carson City Deputy Sheriff Carl Howell Memorial Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Patricia Way.
Driving Effort
8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 55.1 miles you will encounter 16 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 0.1 miles (Patricia Way): Navigation decision point; at 3.6 miles (NV 88 / Woodfords Road): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 18 miles (US 395): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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.
Between Gardnerville Ranchos, NV and Sparks, NV, road signs point toward Dayton and Fallon.
Dayton
18 mi in
|
~26m
|
via US 395
Fallon
18 mi in
|
~26m
|
via US 395
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 9m. Total distance: 55.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 9m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (83%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 20.6 miles on I 580. 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 Sparks, NV 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.
Mostly yes along the main roads, but rural stretches through NV can have sparse or no coverage. Before you leave, download offline Google Maps or Apple Maps for the route, and consider downloading music or podcasts instead of streaming. If you depend on data for navigation, keep a paper backup of the turn-by-turn directions.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Patricia Way): Navigation decision point; at 3.6 miles (NV 88 / Woodfords Road): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 18 miles (US 395): 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 Sparks, NV 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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