Origin
Lake Arrowhead, CA
Morning in Lake Arrowhead on Tuesday
Local time
7:20 AM
PDT
Current temp
53°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Lake Arrowhead, CA to Riverside, 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
52m
Distance
36.7 mi
59 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 48m
★
6 AM
0h 52m
8 AM
1h 1m
10 AM
0h 55m
12 PM
0h 54m
3 PM
0h 56m
5 PM
1h 0m
8 PM
0h 50m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Lake Arrowhead, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Riverside, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Spanning just 36.8 miles, this quick trip from Lake Arrowhead to Riverside takes approximately 53 minutes of driving time. Since the entire journey remains within the Pacific Coast region of California, you won't experience a major climate shift, though the elevation change is notable. Budgeting about $9 for fuel makes this an incredibly economical excursion for a single day. Because the drive is so short, you certainly don't need to plan for an overnight stay; it works perfectly as a straightforward point-to-point transit. Whether you are heading down from the mountains for errands or a change of scenery, the route is manageable and efficient.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Rim of the World Highway | 16.1 mi | 24m |
| Riverside Freeway | 8.9 mi | 10m |
| San Bernardino Freeway | 4.2 mi | 4m |
| Waterman Avenue | 2.1 mi | 3m |
| CA 173 | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| CA 259 | 1.4 mi | 1m |
| Central Avenue | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Foothill Freeway | 0.4 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 Riverside, 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
0.4 mi
·
30 sec
·
Foothill Freeway
8
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
Exit 75B
Toward I 215 South: Riverside
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on CA 259
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
CA 259
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
Toward I 215 South
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Merge onto I 215
4.2 mi
·
4 min
·
San Bernardino Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Continue on I 215
5.3 mi
·
6 min
·
Riverside Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Continue on CA 91
3.6 mi
·
4 min
·
Riverside Freeway
Exit 34B
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
33 sec
Exit 62
Toward Central Avenue, Riverside Plaza Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Turn right onto Central Avenue
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Central Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
16
Turn slight left
171 ft
·
12 sec
Use the left lane.
17
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
18 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 36.7 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 18.4 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 125 decision points cluster between mile 19.7 and 35.8 — 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
7
20.5 mi into trip
|
~31m in
Take the exit toward I 215 South: Riverside
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 75B
Toward I 215 South: Riverside
7
22.3 mi into trip
|
~33m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 215 South
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 215 South
8
35.8 mi into trip
|
~49m in
Take the exit toward Central Avenue, Riverside Plaza Avenue
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 62
Toward Central Avenue, Riverside Plaza Avenue
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.44 one way
$16.87 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $8.69 | $17.38 |
| premium | $6.18 | $8.93 | $17.85 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.10 | $16.21 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11 | 0 | $3.85 | $1.76 |
| Efficient EV | 9.2 | 0 | $3.21 | $1.47 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 14.7 | 0 | $5.14 | $2.35 |
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (69% 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
Riverside, CA
Morning in Riverside on Tuesday
Local time
7:20 AM
PDT
Current temp
70°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
17 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
52m 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 that demands your full attention as you descend from the mountains. You will primarily navigate via the Rim of the World Highway, Waterman Avenue, and 30th Street rather than relying on high-speed interstates. In fact, this route features zero highway share, meaning you won't be cruising on monotonous freeways. Because the road is entirely composed of local surface streets and winding mountain passes, you should prepare for a technical driving experience. The constant steering adjustments make this feel like a hands-on journey rather than a passive cruise.
45% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
17 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?
8/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 19.7 miles in near CA 18 / 30th Street.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 12 decision points packed into just 36.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 52m.
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 20.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
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 Riverside, CA
Full guide →Founded 1870
Riverside is a city in Riverside County in California. With a population of over 300,000, the city plays host to a diverse cross-section of people and has a rich history. Riverside is approximately 55 miles east of downtown Los Angeles. It is a center for higher education, with one community college, a large state university, and two private universities. A hub of regional commerce and transportation, it is a city with an intriguing past and a promising future, and is worth a visit.
Top landmarks
- • Mission Inn — hotel in Riverside, California
- • Universalist Unitarian Church of Riverside — church building in Riverside, California, USA
- • First Congregational Church of Riverside — church building in Riverside, California, United States of America
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 52m. Total distance: 36.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
52m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (45%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
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.
Yes — we found about 1 rest area or service plaza within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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 Riverside, 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 20.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Riverside, 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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