Origin
Lake Arrowhead, CA
Morning in Lake Arrowhead on Tuesday
Local time
7:21 AM
PDT
Current temp
53°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Lake Arrowhead, CA to Fontana, 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
47m
Distance
32.3 mi
52 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 43m
★
6 AM
0h 47m
8 AM
0h 55m
10 AM
0h 50m
12 PM
0h 49m
3 PM
0h 50m
5 PM
0h 55m
8 PM
0h 45m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Lake Arrowhead, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Fontana, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Lake Arrowhead to Fontana is 32.3 miles and takes about 47 minutes via Rim of the World Highway and Foothill Freeway, with a fuel budget near $7 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive connects the Pacific Coast region, starting in the mountains and descending towards the Inland Empire. You'll experience a mix of mountain cruising and freeway travel. It's a straightforward trip, ideal for a quick transit between these two Southern California areas.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Rim of the World Highway | 16.1 mi | 24m |
| Foothill Freeway | 8.7 mi | 9m |
| Sierra Avenue | 3.2 mi | 5m |
| Waterman Avenue | 2.1 mi | 3m |
| CA 173 | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| 30th Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Mittry Drive | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Merrill Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Rim of the World Highway
— 16.1 mi, about 24m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Lake Arrowhead, CA and Fontana, CA.
1
Start on Mittry Drive
207 ft
·
10 sec
·
Mittry Drive
2
Turn left onto CA 173
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
CA 173
3
At end of road, turn right onto CA 18
16 mi
·
24 min
·
Rim of the World Highway
4
Continue on CA 18
2.1 mi
·
3 min
·
Waterman Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
Turn right onto CA 18
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
·
30th Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
Toward CA 210 West: Los Angeles, Riverside
Use the left / straight lanes.
7
Merge onto CA 210
8.7 mi
·
9 min
·
Foothill Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
Exit 67
Toward Sierra Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Turn left onto Sierra Avenue
3.2 mi
·
5 min
·
Sierra Avenue
Use the left / right lanes.
10
Turn left onto Merrill Avenue
205 ft
·
4 sec
·
Merrill Avenue
Use the left lane.
11
Arrive at destination
Merrill Avenue
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
16 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 32 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 16.1 miles from Lake Arrowhead, 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 85 decision points cluster between mile 19.7 and 32.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
19.7 mi into trip
|
~30m in
|
CA 18 / 30th Street
Turn right onto CA 18 / 30th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
8
19.9 mi into trip
|
~30m in
Take the ramp toward CA 210 West: Los Angeles, Riverside
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the left / straight lanes.
Toward CA 210 West: Los Angeles, Riverside
5
20.1 mi into trip
|
~31m in
|
CA 210 / Foothill Freeway
Merge onto CA 210 / Foothill Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
28.8 mi into trip
|
~41m in
Take the exit toward Sierra Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 67
Toward Sierra Avenue
6
32.2 mi into trip
|
~47m in
|
Merrill Avenue
Turn left onto Merrill Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.42 one way
$14.85 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $7.65 | $15.30 |
| premium | $6.18 | $7.86 | $15.71 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.13 | $14.26 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.7 | 0 | $3.39 | $1.55 |
| Efficient EV | 8.1 | 0 | $2.83 | $1.29 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.9 | 0 | $4.52 | $2.07 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (64% 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
Fontana, CA
Morning in Fontana on Tuesday
Local time
7:21 AM
PDT
Current temp
69°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
16 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
47m 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?
This 32.3-mile drive includes 32% on highways. You'll encounter a 16.1-mile stretch on the Rim of the World Highway before transitioning to the Foothill Freeway and then surface streets like Sierra Avenue. Expect a shift from open highway driving to more urban merging as you approach Fontana.
32% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
11 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 16.1 mi on Rim of the World Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 19.7 miles in near CA 18 / 30th Street.
Driving Effort
6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 32.3 miles you will encounter 8 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 19.7 miles (CA 18 / 30th Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 19.9 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 20.1 miles (CA 210 / Foothill 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.
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 Lake Arrowhead, CA to Fontana, CA, road signs begin pointing toward Riverside along the way.
Riverside
19.9 mi in
|
~30m
About the Cities
Starting in Lake Arrowhead, CA
Full guide →Lake Arrowhead is an unincorporated community in San Bernardino County, California. As a scenic mountain resort in the San Bernardino Mountains, Lake Arrowhead's economy is almost completely supported by tourism, both by casual vacationers and part-time residents.
Arriving in Fontana, CA
Full guide →Fontana is a city in San Bernardino County in Southern 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 47m. Total distance: 32.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
47m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (32%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 16.1 miles on Rim of the World Highway. 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 Fontana, 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 19.7 miles (CA 18 / 30th Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 19.9 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 20.1 miles (CA 210 / Foothill 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 Fontana, 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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