Origin
Grass Valley, CA
Late night in Grass Valley on Tuesday
Local time
2:10 AM
PDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Grass Valley, CA to Sacramento, CA
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 11m
Distance
56.5 mi
91 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$13
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 6m
★
6 AM
1h 12m
8 AM
1h 23m
10 AM
1h 16m
12 PM
1h 15m
3 PM
1h 16m
5 PM
1h 22m
8 PM
1h 8m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Grass Valley, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Sacramento, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This straightforward 56.5-mile drive from Grass Valley, CA to Sacramento, CA is a convenient 1-day trip, taking about 1 hour and 11 minutes. With a fuel cost estimated at $13, it's an economical option for a quick journey. The route is primarily highway-focused, utilizing major roads like the Alan S. Hart Freeway and Golden Center Freeway. Given the short distance and duration, you won't need an overnight stay. Both destinations are within the Pacific Coast region, making this a smooth transition within California.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Alan S. Hart Freeway | 16.8 mi | 19m |
| Golden Center Freeway | 14.9 mi | 19m |
| Grass Valley Highway | 8 mi | 11m |
| Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway | 7.1 mi | 8m |
| Capital City Freeway | 4.9 mi | 5m |
| North Sacramento Freeway | 2.6 mi | 2m |
| 12th Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| North 12th Street | 0.6 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Alan S. Hart Freeway
— 16.8 mi, about 19m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Grass Valley, CA and Sacramento, CA.
1
Start on Stewart Street
117 ft
·
11 sec
·
Stewart Street
2
Turn left onto East Main Street
342 ft
·
13 sec
·
East Main Street
3
Turn left onto South Auburn Street
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
South Auburn Street
4
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
15 sec
5
Merge onto CA 20; CA 49
15 mi
·
19 min
·
Golden Center Freeway
Use the straight lane.
6
Continue on CA 49
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Grass Valley Highway
7
Enter roundabout onto CA 49
107 ft
·
3 sec
·
Grass Valley Highway
8
Continue on CA 49
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Grass Valley Highway
9
Enter roundabout onto CA 49
106 ft
·
3 sec
·
Grass Valley Highway
10
Continue on CA 49
5.6 mi
·
9 min
·
Grass Valley Highway
Use the left lane.
11
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
32 sec
Toward I 80 West: Sacramento
12
Merge onto I 80
17 mi
·
19 min
·
Alan S. Hart Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Continue on I 80
7.1 mi
·
8 min
·
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Keep slight right at fork onto I 80 Business
4.9 mi
·
5 min
·
Capital City Freeway
Exit 95
Toward I 80 Business West: Sacramento
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 160
2.6 mi
·
2 min
·
North Sacramento Freeway
Toward CA 160 West: Downtown Sacramento
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Continue on CA 160; US 40 Historic
0.6 mi
·
56 sec
·
North 12th Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
17
Keep slight left at fork onto CA 160; US 40 Historic
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
12th Street
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
18
Turn right onto I Street
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
I Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
19
Turn left onto 9th Street
71 ft
·
1 sec
·
9th Street
20
Arrive at destination
9th Street
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 28.2 miles from Grass Valley, 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 145 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 56.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
East Main Street
Turn left onto East Main Street
Navigation decision point
8
47.5 mi into trip
|
~1h in
|
I 80 Business / Capital City Freeway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 80 Business / Capital City Freeway toward I 80 Business West: Sacramento
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 95
Toward I 80 Business West: Sacramento
7
52.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 6m in
|
CA 160 / North Sacramento Freeway
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 160 / North Sacramento Freeway toward CA 160 West: Downtown Sacramento
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward CA 160 West: Downtown Sacramento
6
55.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 9m in
|
CA 160; US 40 Historic / 12th Street
Keep slight left at fork onto CA 160; US 40 Historic / 12th Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
6
56.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 11m in
|
I Street
Turn right onto I Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$12.99 one way
$25.97 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
20 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $13.38 | $26.76 |
| premium | $6.18 | $13.74 | $27.48 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.47 | $24.95 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$13
Estimated CO2 emission: 19.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 17 | 0 | $5.93 | $2.71 |
| Efficient EV | 14.1 | 0 | $4.94 | $2.26 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 22.6 | 0 | $7.91 | $3.62 |
Gas CO2
20 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (65% 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
Late night in Sacramento on Tuesday
Local time
2:10 AM
PDT
Current temp
45°F
Clear
NNW 15 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
1 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 11m 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 experience on this route, with 69% of your drive on freeways. You'll spend a good portion of the 56.5 miles on the Alan S. Hart Freeway, including the longest uninterrupted stretch of 16.8 miles. The main roads, including Grass Valley Highway, connect you efficiently to your destination. This drive is designed for steady progress rather than winding exploration, making it a predictable journey.
69% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 16.8 mi on Alan S. Hart Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Alan S. Hart Freeway and Golden Center Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near East Main Street.
Driving Effort
9/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 56.5 miles you will encounter 14 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: near the start (East Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 47.5 miles (I 80 Business / Capital City Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 52.4 miles (CA 160 / North Sacramento Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Grass Valley, CA
Full guide →Grass Valley is a city in Nevada County in California's Gold Country.
Top landmarks
- • Empire Mine State Historic Park — state historic park in Grass Valley, California, USA
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 11m. Total distance: 56.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 11m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (69%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 16.8 miles on Alan S. Hart 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: near the start (East Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 47.5 miles (I 80 Business / Capital City Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 52.4 miles (CA 160 / North Sacramento Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
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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