Origin
Reno, NV
Late night in Reno on Sunday
Local time
1:03 AM
PDT
Current temp
56°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Reno, NV to Gardnerville, NV
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 2m
Distance
50.1 mi
81 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 58m
★
6 AM
1h 3m
8 AM
1h 13m
10 AM
1h 6m
12 PM
1h 5m
3 PM
1h 7m
5 PM
1h 12m
8 PM
1h 0m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Reno, NV
Wikimedia Commons
Gardnerville, NV
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This straightforward 50.1-mile drive from Reno to Gardnerville, Nevada, will take you about 1 hour and 2 minutes to complete. Primarily following Martin Luther King Junior Memorial Highway and South Carson Street, this route is perfectly suited as a day trip, requiring no overnight stays. With an estimated fuel cost of $10, it's an economical journey. The drive offers a local feel, making it a relaxed way to travel between these two points within the Mountain West region.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Martin Luther King Junior Memorial Highway | 34.7 mi | 39m |
| South Carson Street | 11 mi | 14m |
| County Road | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| US 395 | 0.8 mi | 2m |
| Woodfords Road | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| University Way | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| East Maple Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Martin Luther King Junior Memorial Highway
— 34.7 mi, about 39m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Reno, NV and Gardnerville, NV.
1
Start on this road
105 ft
·
12 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left
171 ft
·
14 sec
3
Turn right onto East 4th Street
186 ft
·
13 sec
·
East 4th Street
4
Turn left onto University Way
0.3 mi
·
53 sec
·
University Way
5
Take the ramp onto East Maple Street
0.2 mi
·
16 sec
·
East Maple Street
Toward I 80 East: Elko, Salt Lake City, Winnemucca
6
Merge onto I 80
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
7
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
Exit 15
Toward I 580, US 395: Carson City, Susanville
8
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi
·
49 sec
Toward I 580, US 395: Carson City
9
Merge onto I 580; US 395
35 mi
·
39 min
·
Martin Luther King Junior Memorial Highway
10
Turn left onto US 395
11 mi
·
14 min
·
South Carson Street
Use the left lane.
11
Take the exit
488 ft
·
13 sec
12
Turn straight onto NV 88
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
·
Woodfords Road
13
Enter roundabout onto County Road
144 ft
·
2 sec
·
County Road
14
Continue on County Road
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
County Road
15
At end of road, turn right onto US 395
0.8 mi
·
2 min
·
US 395
16
Turn right onto NV 756
68 ft
·
1 sec
·
Gilman Avenue
17
Arrive at destination
NV 756
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
25 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 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 25.1 miles from Reno, NV, 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 135 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 1.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
East 4th Street
Turn right onto East 4th Street
Navigation decision point
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
University Way
Turn left onto University Way
Navigation decision point
6
0.4 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
East Maple Street
Take the ramp onto East Maple Street toward I 80 East: Elko, Salt Lake City, Winnemucca
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 80 East: Elko, Salt Lake City, Winnemu...
6
1.5 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Take the exit toward I 580, US 395: Carson City, Susanville
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 15
Toward I 580, US 395: Carson City, Susanville
6
1.6 mi into trip
|
~3m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 580, US 395: Carson City
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 580, US 395: Carson City
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.98 one way
$19.96 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
18 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $10.56 | $21.12 |
| premium | $5.59 | $11.03 | $22.06 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.06 | $22.12 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 17.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 15 | 0 | $5.26 | $2.40 |
| Efficient EV | 12.5 | 0 | $4.38 | $2.00 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 20 | 0 | $7.01 | $3.21 |
Gas CO2
18 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (67% 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
Gardnerville, NV
Late night in Gardnerville on Sunday
Local time
1:03 AM
PDT
Current temp
56°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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
1h 2m 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 on this route, with only a 50% highway share. While you'll experience a 34.7-mile stretch on Martin Luther King Junior Memorial Highway, the journey also incorporates local roads like County Road. This mix means you'll encounter varying speed limits and road conditions. The 'turn-heavy' profile suggests a need for attentive driving as you navigate through different segments of the route.
Only 2% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 34.7 mi on Martin Luther King Junior Memorial Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 13 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near East 4th 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 50.1 miles you will encounter 13 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 0.1 miles (East 4th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (University Way): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (East Maple Street): Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
About the Cities
Starting in Reno, NV
Full guide →Reno, the "Biggest Little City in the World", is in the beautiful north-west region of the State of Nevada, right at the base of the Sierra Nevada mountain range. Reno is the second largest tourist destination in Nevada, mainly thanks to its popular downtown casinos. It also has family entertainment, festivals, museums, and cuisine.
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 2m. Total distance: 50.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 2m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 34.7 miles on Martin Luther King Junior Memorial 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 Gardnerville, NV 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.
Mostly yes along the main roads, but rural stretches through NV can have sparse or no coverage. Before you leave, download offline Google Maps or Apple Maps for the route, and consider downloading music or podcasts instead of streaming. If you depend on data for navigation, keep a paper backup of the turn-by-turn directions.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (East 4th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (University Way): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (East Maple Street): Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Gardnerville, NV 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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