Origin
Riverside, CA
Afternoon in Riverside on Wednesday
Local time
2:44 PM
PDT
Current temp
57°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Riverside, CA to Palm Desert, CA
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jun 3, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 25m
Distance
71.6 mi
115 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$17
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 19m
★
6 AM
1h 26m
8 AM
1h 39m
10 AM
1h 31m
12 PM
1h 29m
3 PM
1h 31m
5 PM
1h 39m
8 PM
1h 22m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Riverside, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Palm Desert, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Riverside to Palm Desert is 71.6 miles and takes about 1 hour 25 minutes via Sonny Bono Memorial Freeway, with a fuel budget near $17 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within California, connecting two points in the Pacific Coast region. It's a straightforward trip, primarily on highways, making it a convenient option for a quick excursion. Consider this route if you're looking for a simple, direct connection between these two Southern California locales without much fuss.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Sonny Bono Memorial Freeway | 19.2 mi | 20m |
| Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway | 18.2 mi | 19m |
| Moreno Valley Freeway | 16.2 mi | 20m |
| Monterey Avenue | 5.9 mi | 8m |
| Escondido Freeway | 4.4 mi | 5m |
| Riverside Freeway | 2.6 mi | 2m |
| Moreno Valley Expressway | 2 mi | 2m |
| East Palm Canyon Drive | 0.8 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Sonny Bono Memorial Freeway
— 19.2 mi, about 20m
Traffic on I-10
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 6 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
noon
~3,613 veh/hr typical · worst 4,930
Quietest
1 AM
~645 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
5.6×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a
6a
noon
6p
11p
Averaged across 27 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 Riverside, CA and Palm Desert, CA.
1
Start on this road
87 ft
·
8 sec
·
this road
2
Turn slight right onto Central Avenue
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Central Avenue
3
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
Toward CA 91 East: San Bernardino
Use the left lane.
4
Merge onto CA 91
2.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Riverside Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Exit 65B
Toward I 215 South, CA 60 East: San Diego, Indio
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Merge onto CA 60
0.3 mi
·
22 sec
·
Pomona Freeway
7
Continue on I 215; CA 60
3.9 mi
·
4 min
·
Escondido Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork onto I 215; CA 60
0.4 mi
·
30 sec
·
Escondido Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight left at fork onto CA 60
16 mi
·
19 min
·
Moreno Valley Freeway
Exit 29
Toward CA 60 East: Indio
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on CA 60
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Moreno Valley Expressway
11
Continue on CA 60
0.6 mi
·
42 sec
·
Moreno Valley Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Merge onto I 10
18 mi
·
19 min
·
Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight left at fork onto I 10
19 mi
·
20 min
·
Sonny Bono Memorial Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
18 sec
Exit 131
Toward I 10 West: Monterey Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Turn right onto Monterey Avenue
5.9 mi
·
8 min
·
Monterey Avenue
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
16
Turn left onto East Palm Canyon Drive
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
East Palm Canyon Drive
Use the left lane.
17
Turn left onto San Luis Rey Avenue
492 ft
·
23 sec
·
San Luis Rey Avenue
Use the left lane.
18
Arrive at destination
San Luis Rey Avenue
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
36 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 16 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 35.8 miles from Riverside, 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 0.8 and 64.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.8 mi into trip
|
~1m in
Take the ramp toward CA 91 East: San Bernardino
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward CA 91 East: San Bernardino
8
3.6 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Take the exit toward I 215 South, CA 60 East: San Diego, Indio
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 65B
Toward I 215 South, CA 60 East: San Diego, Indi...
6
8.5 mi into trip
|
~11m in
|
I 215; CA 60 / Escondido Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 215; CA 60 / Escondido Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
8.9 mi into trip
|
~12m in
|
CA 60 / Moreno Valley Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto CA 60 / Moreno Valley Freeway toward CA 60 East: Indio
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 29
Toward CA 60 East: Indio
7
64.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 14m in
Take the exit toward I 10 West: Monterey Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 131
Toward I 10 West: Monterey Avenue
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$16.81 one way
$33.63 round trip
$5.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
25 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.18 | $17.43 | $34.85 |
| premium | $6.30 | $17.75 | $35.50 |
| diesel | $5.35 | $15.08 | $30.16 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$17
Estimated CO2 emission: 25.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 21.5 | 0 | $7.52 | $3.44 |
| Efficient EV | 17.9 | 0 | $6.27 | $2.86 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 28.6 | 0 | $10.02 | $4.58 |
Gas CO2
25 kg
EV CO2
8 kg (68% 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
Palm Desert, CA
Afternoon in Palm Desert on Wednesday
Local time
2:44 PM
PDT
Current temp
71°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
14 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
1h 25m 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?
This drive is mostly highway, with 62% of the 71.6 miles on freeways. You'll experience a longest stretch of 19.2 miles on the Sonny Bono Memorial Freeway before transitioning to surface roads. Expect a fair number of exits and on-ramps as you navigate through populated areas and approach your destination.
62% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 19.2 mi on Sonny Bono Memorial Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Sonny Bono Memorial Freeway and Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.8 miles in.
Driving Effort
9/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 71.6 miles you will encounter 12 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 0.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 3.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 8.5 miles (I 215; CA 60 / Escondido Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
2,520 ft
216 ft
Total Climb
1,691 ft
Total Descent
2,304 ft
Highest Point
2,520 ft
~30.7 mi in
Elevation Range
2,304 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Riverside, CA to Palm Desert, CA, road signs begin pointing toward Indio along the way.
Indio
3.6 mi in
|
~5m
About the Cities
Starting 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
Arriving in Palm Desert, CA
Full guide →Founded 1973
Palm Desert is a city of 53,000 people (2018) in the desert of California between Palm Springs and Indio. It lies in the Coachella Valley at the base of the San Jacinto Mountains. The city is home to many golf courses, attractions, luxury hotels and shops, and spas that make the region a famous getaway for much of Southern California.
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 25m. Total distance: 71.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 25m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (62%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 19.2 miles on Sonny Bono Memorial Freeway. 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 Palm Desert, 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 0.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 3.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 8.5 miles (I 215; CA 60 / Escondido 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 Palm Desert, 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, EIA for fuel prices, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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