Origin
Lake Los Angeles, CA
Afternoon in Lake Los Angeles on Sunday
Local time
12:20 PM
PDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Lake Los Angeles, CA to Riverside, CA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 24m
Distance
65.4 mi
105 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$15
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 18m
★
6 AM
1h 24m
8 AM
1h 37m
10 AM
1h 29m
12 PM
1h 27m
3 PM
1h 29m
5 PM
1h 37m
8 PM
1h 20m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Lake Los Angeles, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Riverside, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Connecting Lake Los Angeles to Riverside is a straightforward 65.5-mile journey that typically takes about 1 hour and 21 minutes. This route functions perfectly as a simple day trip, requiring no overnight stays or complex logistics. You can expect to spend approximately $9 on fuel for the entire excursion, making it a budget-friendly way to travel between these two Pacific Coast locations. Because the trip is entirely local, you won't need to worry about long-distance planning or heavy highway traffic. It is an ideal choice if you prefer a direct, no-nonsense drive that gets you from point A to point B efficiently.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Antelope Highway | 20.5 mi | 28m |
| Barstow Freeway | 9.5 mi | 10m |
| Riverside Freeway | 8.9 mi | 10m |
| Barstow and Mojave Freeway | 6.3 mi | 6m |
| Pearblossom Highway | 5.7 mi | 7m |
| San Bernardino Freeway | 5.6 mi | 6m |
| 170th Street East | 5.1 mi | 7m |
| 165th Street East | 2.5 mi | 3m |
Longest stretch:
Antelope Highway
— 20.5 mi, about 28m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Lake Los Angeles, CA and Riverside, CA.
1
Start on 169th Street East
11 ft
·
5 sec
·
169th Street East
2
Turn left onto Park Valley Avenue
318 ft
·
18 sec
·
Park Valley Avenue
3
Turn right onto 170th Street East
5.1 mi
·
7 min
·
170th Street East
4
Continue on 165th Street East
2.5 mi
·
3 min
·
165th Street East
5
Turn left onto CA 138
5.7 mi
·
7 min
·
Pearblossom Highway
6
Continue on CA 138
21 mi
·
28 min
·
Antelope Highway
7
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
8
Continue on I 15; US 66 Hist
6.3 mi
·
6 min
·
Barstow and Mojave Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on I 215
0.2 mi
·
13 sec
·
Barstow Freeway
Exit 123
10
Keep slight left at fork onto I 215
9.3 mi
·
10 min
·
Barstow Freeway
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
11
Continue on I 215
5.6 mi
·
6 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
33 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 14 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 32.7 miles from Lake Los Angeles, 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 95 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 64.7 — 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
|
Park Valley Avenue
Turn left onto Park Valley Avenue
Navigation decision point
4
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
170th Street East
Turn right onto 170th Street East
Navigation decision point
6
40.7 mi into trip
|
~55m in
|
I 215 / Barstow Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 215 / Barstow Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
8
64.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 21m 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
5
64.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 22m in
|
Central Avenue
Turn right onto Central Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$15.03 one way
$30.06 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
23 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $15.49 | $30.98 |
| premium | $6.18 | $15.90 | $31.81 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $14.44 | $28.88 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$15
Estimated CO2 emission: 22.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 19.6 | 0 | $6.87 | $3.14 |
| Efficient EV | 16.4 | 0 | $5.72 | $2.62 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 26.2 | 0 | $9.16 | $4.19 |
Gas CO2
23 kg
EV CO2
8 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
Riverside, CA
Afternoon in Riverside on Sunday
Local time
12:20 PM
PDT
Current temp
52°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 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 24m 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 rather than a monotonous interstate cruise, as this route features zero highway miles. You will navigate primarily via Park Valley Avenue, 170th Street East, and 165th Street East. Because the road is composed entirely of local streets, there is no long-distance "longest stretch" to speak of, keeping your attention engaged behind the wheel. The experience is defined by the constant turns and transitions between these specific local roads. You should be prepared for a steady, hands-on driving experience that requires focus throughout the entire 65.5-mile duration.
46% 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: 20.5 mi on Antelope 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 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Park Valley Avenue.
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 65.4 miles you will encounter 9 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 (Park Valley Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (170th Street East): Navigation decision point; at 40.7 miles (I 215 / Barstow Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Arriving in Riverside, CA
Full guide →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.
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 24m. Total distance: 65.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 24m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (46%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 20.5 miles on Antelope 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 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: near the start (Park Valley Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (170th Street East): Navigation decision point; at 40.7 miles (I 215 / Barstow 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 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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