Origin
Palmdale, CA
Late night in Palmdale on Tuesday
Local time
5:13 AM
PDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Palmdale, CA to Stockton, 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
6h 6m
Distance
326.4 mi
525 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$75
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
5h 54m
★
6 AM
6h 7m
8 AM
6h 33m
10 AM
6h 16m
12 PM
6h 13m
3 PM
6h 17m
5 PM
6h 31m
8 PM
5h 59m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Palmdale, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Stockton, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Palmdale to Stockton is 326.4 miles and takes about 6h 6m via Westside Freeway, Golden State Freeway, with a fuel budget near $75 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within California's Pacific Coast region, offering a mostly highway experience. You'll spend most of your time on well-maintained freeways, making it a straightforward transit. If you're looking for an efficient way to get from Southern to Northern California without significant detours, this route should fit the bill.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
163.2 miles from Palmdale, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 3h 10m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Westside Freeway | 250.5 mi | 4h 28m |
| West Avenue D | 22.4 mi | 30m |
| Golden State Freeway | 21.1 mi | 24m |
| Antelope Valley Freeway | 13.7 mi | 15m |
| Lancaster Road | 13.5 mi | 18m |
| East Palmdale Boulevard | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| South El Dorado Street | 1 mi | 1m |
| CA 138 | 0.6 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Westside Freeway
— 250.5 mi, about 4h 28m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Palmdale, CA and Stockton, CA.
1
Start on CA 138
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
·
East Palmdale Boulevard
2
Continue on CA 138
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
East Palmdale Boulevard
3
Take the exit onto CA 138
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
·
CA 138
Toward CA 14 North, CA 138 West: Mojave
4
Merge onto CA 14; CA 138
10 mi
·
12 min
·
Antelope Valley Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 14; CA 138
3.3 mi
·
3 min
·
Antelope Valley Freeway
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit onto CA 138
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
·
CA 138
Exit 49
Toward CA 138: Avenue D, Gorman
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Continue on CA 138
22 mi
·
30 min
·
West Avenue D
Use the left lane.
8
Continue on CA 138
13 mi
·
18 min
·
Lancaster Road
9
Take the exit
1.2 mi
·
2 min
Toward I 5 North: Sacramento
10
Merge onto I 5
21 mi
·
24 min
·
Golden State Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
226 mi
·
4 hr 1 min
·
Westside Freeway
Toward I 5 North
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
25 mi
·
26 min
·
Westside Freeway
13
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
14 sec
Exit 471
Toward CA 4 West
14
Keep slight right at fork
407 ft
·
5 sec
15
Turn straight onto West Charter Way
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
West Charter Way
Use the straight / left lanes.
16
Turn left onto South El Dorado Street
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
South El Dorado Street
17
Continue on North El Dorado Street
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
·
North El Dorado Street
18
Turn right onto East Fremont Street
117 ft
·
5 sec
·
East Fremont Street
19
Arrive at destination
East Fremont Street
Trip Plan
Aim to depart Palmdale early to maximize daylight and avoid potential traffic as you head north. With a duration of just over 6 hours, this trip is easily completed in a single day, so you have flexibility in your departure time. Plan for one stop, perhaps around the halfway point, to stretch your legs and refuel. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially during the 250.5-mile stretch on the Westside Freeway, as services can be spread out on long highway segments.
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.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 163.2 miles from Palmdale, CA, or about 3h 10m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 250.5 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 72 miles or 1h 32m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 163.2 miles or 3h 10m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 5h 1m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Stockton, CA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Palmdale, 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.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Palmdale, CA
This is one driving day of about 326.4 miles and 6h 6m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 72 miles from Palmdale, CA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Westside Freeway for about 250.5 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
163 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 72 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 163.2 miles from Palmdale, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Westside Freeway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 250.5 miles.
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 1.1 and 73.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
1.1 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
CA 138
Take the exit onto CA 138 toward CA 14 North, CA 138 West: Mojave
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward CA 14 North, CA 138 West: Mojave
5
1.5 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
CA 14; CA 138 / Antelope Valley Freeway
Merge onto CA 14; CA 138 / Antelope Valley Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
11.8 mi into trip
|
~14m in
|
CA 14; CA 138 / Antelope Valley Freeway
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 14; CA 138 / Antelope Valley Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
8
15.2 mi into trip
|
~18m in
|
CA 138
Take the exit onto CA 138 toward CA 138: Avenue D, Gorman
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 49
Toward CA 138: Avenue D, Gorman
7
73.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 34m 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
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$75.02 one way
$150.04 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
114 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $77.31 | $154.62 |
| premium | $6.18 | $79.38 | $158.75 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $72.07 | $144.13 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$75
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$100–$125
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 114.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $34 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 97.9 | 1 | $34.27 | $15.67 |
| Efficient EV | 81.6 | 0 | $28.56 | $13.06 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 130.6 | 1 | $45.70 | $20.89 |
Gas CO2
114 kg
EV CO2
38 kg (67% 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.
Destination
Stockton, CA
Late night in Stockton on Tuesday
Local time
5:13 AM
PDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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.
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
5 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
6h 6m on the road
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is primarily highway, with 88% of the 326.4 miles on freeways. You'll experience a long stretch of 250.5 miles on the Westside Freeway. Expect to transition from the Westside Freeway onto surface roads before reaching the Golden State Freeway. With such a high highway percentage, anticipate some merging and consistent cruising speeds for extended periods.
88% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 250.5 mi on Westside Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Westside Freeway and West Avenue D. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.1 miles in near CA 138.
Driving Effort
9/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 14 significant decision points across 326.4 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 1.1 miles (CA 138): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.5 miles (CA 14; CA 138 / Antelope Valley Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 11.8 miles (CA 14; CA 138 / Antelope Valley Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Palmdale, CA
Full guide →Founded 1886
Palmdale is a city in the far north of Los Angeles County in the Antelope Valley region of the Mojave Desert in Southern California.
Top landmarks
- • Joe Davies Heritage Airpark — aviation museum in Palmdale, California, United States
Arriving in Stockton, CA
Full guide →Founded 1849
Stockton is a city in the San Joaquin Valley in northern California. Sitting on the San Joaquin Delta, Stockton is the world's most inland natural port and used to be a major port city. One of the larger cities along I-5 through the Central Valley, it is a convenient stop and offers a variety of restaurants and accommodations for road-trippers. There are several shopping centers and movie theaters and one art museum but few major attractions.
Top landmarks
- • Haggin Museum — art museum in Stockton, California
- • USCGC Fir — Lighthouse tender
- • USS Lucid — 1953 Aggressive-class minesweeper
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 6h 6m. Total distance: 326.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
6h 6m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 250.5 miles on Westside Freeway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
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 Stockton, 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 1 meaningful breaks. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 1.1 miles (CA 138): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.5 miles (CA 14; CA 138 / Antelope Valley Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 11.8 miles (CA 14; CA 138 / Antelope Valley Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Not recommended in a single day. At 6.1 hours each way, a round trip means 12.2 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Stockton, CA before the return drive.
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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