Rest Area
0 mi from route
Trip from Sacramento, CA to Ferndale, CA
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Oct 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
5h 57m
Distance
278.8 mi
449 km
Drive Score
10/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$68
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
5h 45m
★
6 AM
5h 58m
8 AM
6h 24m
10 AM
6h 7m
12 PM
6h 4m
3 PM
6h 8m
5 PM
6h 22m
8 PM
5h 50m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Sacramento, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Ferndale, CA
Dominik Gryzbon
Trip Overview
Sacramento to Ferndale is 278.8 miles and takes about 5h 57m via Redwood Highway and CA 20, with a fuel budget near $62 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within California, moving between the Pacific Coast regions as you head northwest. It's a manageable one-day drive that offers a mix of highway cruising and more scenic surface roads as you get closer to the coast. Consider this route if you're looking for a relatively straightforward trip that delivers you to your destination without excessive driving time.
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
139.4 miles from Sacramento, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 3h 1m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Redwood Highway | 129.1 mi | 2h 39m |
| CA 20 | 79.4 mi | 1h 54m |
| Westside Freeway | 57.9 mi | 1h 3m |
| CA 211 | 4.8 mi | 10m |
| Willits Bypass | 4.7 mi | 5m |
| Fernbridge Drive | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| I Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| 10th Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Redwood Highway
— 129.1 mi, about 2h 39m
Traffic on I-5
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 202 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~2,771 veh/hr typical · worst 3,253
Quietest
2 AM
~319 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
8.7×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a
6a
noon
6p
11p
Averaged across 69 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 Sacramento, CA and Ferndale, CA.
1
Start on 9th Street
348 ft
·
16 sec
·
9th Street
2
Turn left onto J Street
406 ft
·
14 sec
·
J Street
3
Turn left onto 10th Street
419 ft
·
18 sec
·
10th Street
4
Turn left onto I Street
0.4 mi
·
44 sec
·
I Street
Use the left lane.
5
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
55 sec
Toward I 5 North, CA 99 North: Redding, Yuba City
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Merge onto I 5
5.6 mi
·
6 min
·
Westside Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5
52 mi
·
56 min
·
Westside Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
Toward CA 20: Colusa, Clear Lake
9
Turn left onto CA 20
37 mi
·
50 min
·
CA 20
10
Enter roundabout onto CA 20
58 ft
·
0 sec
·
CA 20
11
Continue on CA 20
19 mi
·
31 min
·
CA 20
Use the straight lane.
12
Enter roundabout onto CA 20
120 ft
·
6 sec
·
CA 20
13
Continue on CA 20
3.8 mi
·
5 min
·
CA 20
14
Enter roundabout onto CA 20
46 ft
·
0 sec
·
CA 20
15
Continue on CA 20
19 mi
·
25 min
·
CA 20
16
Take the exit onto CA 20
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
·
CA 20
17
Merge onto US 101; CA 20
12 mi
·
15 min
·
Redwood Highway
18
Continue on US 101
4.5 mi
·
5 min
·
Willits Bypass
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
48 sec
20
Merge onto US 101
0.2 mi
·
16 sec
·
Willits Bypass
21
Continue on US 101
117 mi
·
2 hr 24 min
·
Redwood Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
22
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
Toward Fernbridge, Ferndale
23
Continue on Fernbridge Drive
527 ft
·
9 sec
·
Fernbridge Drive
24
Continue on Fernbridge Drive
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Fernbridge Drive
Use the left lane.
25
Turn left onto CA 211
4.8 mi
·
10 min
·
CA 211
Use the left lane.
26
Arrive at destination
CA 211
Trip Plan
To make the most of this 5h 57m drive, consider leaving Sacramento in the morning to allow ample time for the trip. With a total distance of 278.8 miles and a fuel cost estimate of $62, it's well-suited for a single day. You'll have one primary stretch of 129.1 miles on the Redwood Highway, so plan a brief stop before or during that section if you prefer. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge as you transition from highway to surface roads, especially in the latter half of the trip.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 139.4 miles from Sacramento, CA, or about 3h 1m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 129.1 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 61 miles or 1h 8m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 139.4 miles or 3h 1m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 51m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Ferndale, CA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Sacramento, 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 Sacramento, CA
This is one driving day of about 278.8 miles and 5h 57m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 61 miles from Sacramento, 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 Redwood Highway for about 129.1 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
139 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 61 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 139.4 miles from Sacramento, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Redwood Highway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 129.1 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Stops Along Your Drive
Picked by where they fit in your drive — first break, midpoint reset, final stretch.
Irvine Lodge Rest Area
0 mi from route
Dunnigan Rest Area
0 mi from route
Moss Cove Rest Area
0 mi from route
Empire Camp Rest Area
0 mi from route
Dunnigan Rest Area
0.1 mi from route
Rest Area
0.1 mi from route
Elkhorn Rest Area
0.2 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.2 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.2 mi from route
Sacramento 49er Travel Plaza
1.2 mi from route
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 185 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 274 — 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
|
J Street
Turn left onto J Street
Navigation decision point
6
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
I Street
Turn left onto I Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
0.6 mi into trip
|
~1m in
Take the ramp toward I 5 North, CA 99 North: Redding, Yuba City
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 5 North, CA 99 North: Redding, Yuba Ci...
6
6.7 mi into trip
|
~9m in
|
I 5 / Westside Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5 / Westside Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
274 mi into trip
|
~5h 47m in
|
CA 211
Turn left onto CA 211
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$68.23 one way
$136.46 round trip
$6.22/gal
25.4 MPG avg
98 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.40 | $70.26 | $140.52 |
| premium | $6.57 | $72.07 | $144.14 |
| diesel | $6.18 | $67.82 | $135.65 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$68
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$93–$118
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 97.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-12.
Driving Electric?
About $29 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 83.6 | 1 | $29.27 | $13.38 |
| Efficient EV | 69.7 | 0 | $24.40 | $11.15 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 111.5 | 1 | $39.03 | $17.84 |
Gas CO2
98 kg
EV CO2
33 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.
Origin
Sacramento, CA
Late night in Sacramento on Saturday
Local time
4:24 AM
PDT
Current temp
56°F
Clear
N 5 mph
0% chance
Live forecast
Red Flag Warning
Red Flag Warning issued October 16 at 2:31AM PDT until October 16 at 10:00PM PDT by NWS Hanford CA
Red Flag Warning
Red Flag Warning issued October 16 at 2:15AM PDT until October 16 at 10:00AM PDT by NWS Sacramento CA
Destination
Ferndale, CA
Late night in Ferndale on Saturday
Local time
4:24 AM
PDT
Current temp
51°F
Partly Cloudy
NW 2 mph
0% chance
Live forecast
Red Flag Warning
Red Flag Warning issued October 16 at 2:31AM PDT until October 16 at 10:00PM PDT by NWS Hanford CA
Red Flag Warning
Red Flag Warning issued October 16 at 2:15AM PDT until October 16 at 10:00AM PDT by NWS Sacramento 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.
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 cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
5h 57m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
This drive consists of 51% highway, with the longest continuous stretch on the Redwood Highway covering 129.1 miles. You'll experience a shift from freeway driving, likely on Westside Freeway, to more surface roads as you proceed. Expect a transition where the pace changes from faster highway speeds to more rural cruising as you approach your destination.
51% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
26 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 129.1 mi on Redwood Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near J Street.
Driving Effort
7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 18 significant decision points across 278.8 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 0.1 miles (J Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (I Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
1,642 ft
27 ft
Total Climb
2,262 ft
Total Descent
2,233 ft
Highest Point
1,642 ft
~179.2 mi in
Elevation Range
1,614 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 Sacramento, CA to Ferndale, CA, road signs begin pointing toward Clear Lake along the way.
Clear Lake
59 mi in
|
~1h 5m
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
- • Sacramento Valley Station — main railroad and light rail station in Sacramento, California
- • Crocker Art Museum — art museum in Sacramento, California
Arriving in Ferndale, CA
Full guide →Founded 1893
Ferndale is a city in Humboldt County is in the North Coast region of California with a charming Victorian ambience.
Top landmarks
- • A. Berding House — historic house in California, United States
- • Alford-Nielson House — single-family detached home in Ferndale, California
- • Ferndale Main Street Historic District — historic district in California, United States
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 5h 57m. Total distance: 278.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 57m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 129.1 miles on Redwood Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 11 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 Ferndale, 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. There are 11 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (J Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (I Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Not recommended in a single day. At 6.0 hours each way, a round trip means 11.9 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Ferndale, 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, 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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