Origin
Sacramento, CA
Late night in Sacramento on Tuesday
Local time
2:08 AM
PDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Sacramento, CA to Clay, 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
45m
Distance
32.8 mi
53 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 42m
★
6 AM
0h 45m
8 AM
0h 53m
10 AM
0h 48m
12 PM
0h 47m
3 PM
0h 48m
5 PM
0h 53m
8 PM
0h 43m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Sacramento, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Clay, CA
Stephen Leonardi
Trip Overview
Sacramento, CA to Clay, CA is 32.8 miles and takes about 45m via South Sacramento Freeway and CA 104, with a fuel budget near $8 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a straightforward, highway-focused trip primarily within California's Pacific Coast region. You'll be sticking to well-traveled roads for the entire journey, making it a practical option if you need to get from point A to point B efficiently. Given its short duration, it's ideal for a same-day excursion without requiring an overnight stay.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| South Sacramento Freeway | 20.2 mi | 23m |
| CA 104 | 9.3 mi | 16m |
| 15th Street | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| Capital City Freeway | 0.6 mi | <1m |
| J Street | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Stockton Boulevard | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| X Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| 9th Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
South Sacramento Freeway
— 20.2 mi, about 23m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Sacramento, CA and Clay, CA.
1
Start on 9th Street
348 ft
·
16 sec
·
9th Street
2
Turn left onto J Street
0.5 mi
·
55 sec
·
J Street
3
Turn right onto 15th Street
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
15th Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
4
Turn left onto X Street
400 ft
·
8 sec
·
X Street
5
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Toward I 80 East, CA 99 South: Reno, Placerville, Fresno
6
Merge onto US 50; I 80 Business
0.4 mi
·
22 sec
·
Capital City Freeway
7
Keep slight right at fork onto I 80 Business
0.3 mi
·
18 sec
·
Capital City Freeway
Toward I 80 Business East, CA 99 South: Reno, Fresno
Use the slight right lane.
8
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
34 sec
Toward CA 99 South: Fresno
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Merge onto CA 99
20 mi
·
23 min
·
South Sacramento Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
Toward CA 104 East: Jackson, Twin Cities Road
11
At end of road, turn left onto Stockton Boulevard
522 ft
·
14 sec
·
Stockton Boulevard
12
Enter roundabout onto Twin Cities Road
184 ft
·
3 sec
·
Twin Cities Road
13
Continue on Twin Cities Road
162 ft
·
3 sec
·
Twin Cities Road
14
Continue on CA 104
416 ft
·
8 sec
·
CA 104
15
Enter roundabout onto CA 104
94 ft
·
2 sec
·
CA 104
16
Continue on CA 104
9.2 mi
·
16 min
·
CA 104
17
Keep slight left at fork onto CA 104
66 ft
·
1 sec
·
CA 104
18
Arrive at destination
CA 104
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
16 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 32.8 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 16.4 miles from Sacramento, 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 135 decision points cluster between mile 0.5 and 3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.5 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
15th Street
Turn right onto 15th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
1.7 mi into trip
|
~3m in
Take the ramp toward I 80 East, CA 99 South: Reno, Placerville, Fresno
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 80 East, CA 99 South: Reno, Placervill...
8
2.3 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
I 80 Business / Capital City Freeway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 80 Business / Capital City Freeway toward I 80 Business East, CA 99 South: Reno, Fresno
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 80 Business East, CA 99 South: Reno, F...
6
2.6 mi into trip
|
~4m in
Take the exit toward CA 99 South: Fresno
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward CA 99 South: Fresno
5
3 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
CA 99 / South Sacramento Freeway
Merge onto CA 99 / South Sacramento Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.54 one way
$15.08 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
12 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $7.77 | $15.54 |
| premium | $6.18 | $7.98 | $15.95 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.24 | $14.48 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.8 | 0 | $3.44 | $1.57 |
| Efficient EV | 8.2 | 0 | $2.87 | $1.31 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 13.1 | 0 | $4.59 | $2.10 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (64% 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
Clay, CA
Late night in Clay on Tuesday
Local time
2:08 AM
PDT
Current temp
69°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
18 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
45m 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 predominantly a highway experience, with 92% of the route utilizing major roads like the South Sacramento Freeway and CA 104. You'll encounter a longest stretch of 20.2 miles on the South Sacramento Freeway, offering a consistent pace for a significant portion of your travel. The journey transitions through 15th Street, but the overall character remains highway-focused, minimizing complex maneuvers or scenic detours. Expect a smooth, relatively uninterrupted drive on well-maintained roads.
92% 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: 20.2 mi on South Sacramento Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on South Sacramento Freeway and CA 104. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.5 miles in near 15th Street.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 13 decision points packed into just 32.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 45m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.5 miles (15th Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.7 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.3 miles (I 80 Business / Capital City Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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.
Between Sacramento, CA and Clay, CA, road signs point toward Placerville and Fresno.
Placerville
1.7 mi in
|
~3m
Fresno
1.7 mi in
|
~3m
About the Cities
Starting in Sacramento, CA
Full guide →Founded 1849
Sacramento is the state capital of California in the United States. It is the regional center for the Greater Sacramento metropolitan area, which dominates much of the surrounding Sacramento Valley and stretches into parts of Gold Country. Sacramento is the oldest incorporated city in California, settled between the confluences of the Sacramento and American rivers. The city has been the site of many important historic events that have shaped California and U.S. history, most notably the California Gold Rush and location of the original terminus of the First Transcontinental Railroad. Much of this historical legacy has been preserved, especially in the historic Old Sacramento district, where buildings and railroads from that era continue to attract visitors. However, Sacramento is not a city that is stuck in the past. As the capital of the most populous U.S.
Top landmarks
- • California State Capitol — state capitol building of the U.S. state of California
- • Crocker Art Museum — art museum in Sacramento, California
- • Sacramento Valley Station — main railroad and light rail station in Sacramento, 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 45m. Total distance: 32.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
45m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (92%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 20.2 miles on South Sacramento 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 Clay, 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 0.5 miles (15th Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.7 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.3 miles (I 80 Business / Capital City Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Clay, 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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