Los Angeles to Greenville is 528.2 miles and takes about 10h 12m via Westside Freeway and CA 70, with a fuel budget near $115 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This long-haul drive stays within California, moving from the Pacific Coast region towards the northeastern part of the state. Given the duration, it's best to plan for an overnight stop, making it a two-day trip. You'll be spending most of your time on highways, so it's a straightforward route for those looking for efficient travel.
Trip Pace
Best split across 2 days
Treat the return leg as its own travel day rather than an afterthought.
Break Rhythm
2 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
264.1 miles from Los Angeles, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 4h 52m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Westside Freeway
304.9 mi
5h 29m
CA 70
112 mi
2h 25m
I 5 Truck
37.7 mi
43m
Golden State Freeway
29 mi
33m
Hollywood Freeway
15.5 mi
19m
CA 89
11.8 mi
17m
Golden State Highway
7.5 mi
8m
Bernie Richter Memorial Highway
5 mi
5m
Longest stretch:
Westside Freeway
— 304.9 mi, about 5h 29m
Traffic on I-5
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 428 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~3,581 veh/hr typical
· worst 4,915
Quietest
2 AM
~522 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
6.9×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 89 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Los Angeles, CA and Greenville, CA.
1
Start on West 1st Street
0.1 mi·32 sec·West 1st Street
2
Turn right onto North Broadway
0.4 mi·49 sec·North Broadway
3
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·30 sec
Toward US 101 North, CA 110
4
Merge onto US 101
0.7 mi·55 sec·Santa Ana Freeway
5
Continue on US 101
15 mi·19 min·Hollywood Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight left at fork
0.9 mi·59 sec
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Merge onto I 5
4.5 mi·5 min·Golden State Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5
2.2 mi·2 min·Golden State Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 Truck
1.5 mi·1 min·I 5 Truck
Exit 161AToward I 5 Truck North, CA 14 TruckUse the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5 Truck
36 mi·41 min·I 5 Truck
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5
22 mi·25 min·Golden State Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
226 mi·4 hr 1 min·Westside Freeway
Toward I 5 NorthUse the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
26 mi·27 min·Westside Freeway
14
Keep left at fork onto I 5
54 mi·59 min·Westside Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 99
7.5 mi·8 min·Golden State Highway
Toward CA 99 North, CA 70: Yuba City, MarysvilleUse the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Continue on CA 99
5.0 mi·5 min·Bernie Richter Memorial Highway
17
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 70
22 mi·25 min·CA 70
Toward CA 70 North: Marysville, OrovilleUse the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Turn right onto 5th Street
0.2 mi·38 sec·5th Street
19
Turn left onto B Street
1.5 mi·3 min·B Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
20
Continue on CA 70
30 mi·35 min·CA 70
Use the left lane.
21
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 70
12 mi·13 min·CA 70
22
Continue on CA 70
48 mi·1 hr 11 min·CA 70
23
Continue on CA 70
0.9 mi·1 min·Feather River Highway
24
Turn left onto CA 89
12 mi·17 min·CA 89
25
Turn left onto Main Street
62 ft·1 sec·Main Street
26
Arrive at destination
Main Street
Trip Plan
For this 10-hour drive, splitting it over two days is recommended. Aim to leave Los Angeles in the morning to cover about half the distance on your first day, allowing for a comfortable overnight stop. This approach breaks up the 304.9-mile stretch on the Westside Freeway. Keep an eye on your fuel levels, especially as you move away from major urban centers. Planning at least two stops for fuel and rest will make the drive more manageable.
Morning Departure
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Evening Departure
This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
This drive is better paced as a 2-day trip.
Plan roughly 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 264.1 miles from Los Angeles, CA, or about 4h 52m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 304.9 miles.
Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 116 miles or 2h 13m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 264.1 miles or 4h 52m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Overnight split
Day 1 wrap after about 264.1 miles or 4h 52m
Stop before fatigue turns the last few hours into a grind. You want day two to start fresh, not just resumed.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 8h 43m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Greenville, CA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Los Angeles, CA so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
+
Pick one backup stop option before the midpoint in case traffic changes your pacing.
+
Treat this as a 2-day road trip and book the overnight stop before the busiest arrival window.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Los Angeles, CA
Aim for roughly 264 miles and 5.1 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Greenville, CA
Aim for roughly 264 miles and 5.1 hours of wheel time on this day.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 116 miles from Los Angeles, CA.
This route usually feels better as a 2-day drive than as one long push.
Plan about 2 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Westside Freeway for about 304.9 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 19
5 decision points cluster between mile 16.9 and 401.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
16.9 mi into trip|~22m in
Keep slight left at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
24.5 mi into trip|~31m in|I 5 Truck
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 Truck toward I 5 Truck North, CA 14 Truck
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 161A
Toward I 5 Truck North, CA 14 Truck
7
84.5 mi into trip|~1h 40m in|I 5 / Westside Freeway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 / Westside Freeway toward I 5 North
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 5 North
8
389.4 mi into trip|~7h 9m in|CA 99 / Golden State Highway
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 99 / Golden State Highway toward CA 99 North, CA 70: Yuba City, Marysville
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward CA 99 North, CA 70: Yuba City, Marysvill...
8
401.8 mi into trip|~7h 23m in|CA 70
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 70 toward CA 70 North: Marysville, Oroville
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward CA 70 North: Marysville, Oroville
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$129.26 one way
$258.53 round trip
$6.22/gal25.4 MPG avg185 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$6.40
$133.11
$266.22
premium
$6.57
$136.54
$273.08
diesel
$6.18
$128.49
$256.99
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$129
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$259–$369
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 184.8 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-12.
Driving Electric?
About $55 in charging
· 1 stop
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
158.5
1
$55.46
$25.35
Efficient EV
132.1
1
$46.22
$21.13
EV Truck/SUV
211.3
2
$73.95
$33.80
Gas CO2
185 kg
EV CO2
62 kg (66% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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.
Forecast as of Oct 17, 2026
Origin
Los Angeles, CA
Afternoon
in Los Angeles on Saturday
Local time
12:07 PM
PDT
Current temp
69°F
Mostly Clear
NE 5 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued October 16 at 8:41PM PDT until October 17 at 12:00PM PDT by NWS San Diego CA
High Wind Warning
High Wind Warning issued October 16 at 8:41PM PDT until October 18 at 12:00AM PDT by NWS San Diego CA
Destination
Greenville, CA
Afternoon
in Greenville on Saturday
Local time
12:07 PM
PDT
Current temp
36°F
Mostly Clear
NNW 1 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued October 16 at 8:41PM PDT until October 17 at 12:00PM PDT by NWS San Diego CA
High Wind Warning
High Wind Warning issued October 16 at 8:41PM PDT until October 18 at 12:00AM PDT by NWS San Diego CA
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
For long drives, weather on day two can matter just as much as conditions at departure, so check the whole travel window rather than only the first day.
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
33 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
10h 12m on the road
This is long enough that the arrival forecast matters almost as much as departure conditions. Recheck both ends before you roll.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area
National Recreation Area
The Santa Monica Mountains offer easy access to surprisingly wild places. Experience the famous beaches of Malibu or explore more than 500 miles of trails. The park abounds with historical and cultura...
22 mi from route
~56 min detour
Free
near mile 18.2
Park Closure: Solstice Canyon Trail Weekday Closure for Repairs
Yes, we can! Widely recognized as the most important Latino leader in the United States during the twentieth century, Cesar Chavez led farm workers and supporters in the establishment of the country's...
28 mi from route
~70 min detour
Free
near mile 91.1
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This is a long-haul drive with 97% on major highways. You'll encounter your longest stretch of uninterrupted driving at 304.9 miles on the Westside Freeway. After this, the route transitions to CA 70 and I 5 Truck, maintaining a highway feel for the majority of the trip. Expect extensive highway cruising with minimal time on surface roads.
97% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
26 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 304.9 mi on Westside Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Westside Freeway and CA 70. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 16.9 miles in.
Driving Effort8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 19 significant decision points across 528.2 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 16.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 24.5 miles (I 5 Truck): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 84.5 miles (I 5 / Westside Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
High-altitude sections with notable climbs
3,585 ft26 ft
Total Climb
6,508 ft
Total Descent
3,208 ft
Highest Point
3,585 ft
~528.2 mi in
Elevation Range
3,558 ft
Notable High Points
2,876 ft at ~75.5 miles+1,809 ft prominence
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Los Angeles, CA and Greenville, CA, road signs point toward Marysville and Oroville.
Frank Lloyd Wright is said to have quipped, "Tip the world over on its side and everything loose will land in Los Angeles," a quote that has since been repeated both by those who love and hate L.A. The "City of Angels" is home to people who hail from all parts of the globe and an important center of culture, business, media, and international trade. However, it's most famous for being a major center of the world's television, motion picture, and music industry, which forms the base of the city's status and lures visitors for its show business history and celebrity culture. Visitors are also drawn to Los Angeles for its Mediterranean climate and numerous beaches, which gave birth to California's famed surf culture.
Top landmarks
•Hollywood Walk of Fame — more than 2,700 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks...
•Hollywood Sign — sign reading "HOLLYWOOD" located in Los Angeles, California, United States
•Getty Center — campus of the Getty Museum and other programs of the Getty Trust in Los Angeles
Plumas County is in the Shasta Cascades region of California. The forests, rivers and mountains of Plumas County were originally inhabited by Native Americans before miners arrived during the Gold Rush, followed soon after by loggers, and today tourists visit the county for its camping, fishing, whitewater, snowshoeing, and other outdoor opportunities.
The longest stretch is about 304.9 miles on Westside Freeway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — a 2-day pace is more comfortable than one long haul. A sensible stopping point is after roughly 264 miles on day one.
Yes — we found about 37 rest areas or service plazas 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 Greenville, CA before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 2 meaningful breaks. There are 37 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 16.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 24.5 miles (I 5 Truck): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 84.5 miles (I 5 / Westside Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area and César E. Chávez National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 10.2 hours each way, a round trip means 20.4 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Greenville, CA before the return drive.
