Origin
Sacramento, CA
Late night in Sacramento on Tuesday
Local time
5:59 AM
PDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 21m
Distance
68.2 mi
110 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$16
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Sacramento, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Salida, CA
Stephen Leonardi
If you are planning to travel from Sacramento to Salida, you are looking at a straightforward 68.2-mile trip that typically takes about 1 hour and 21 minutes. Because this journey is well within the range of a comfortable day trip, you won't need to worry about booking an overnight stay. You can expect to spend approximately $16 on fuel for the one-way excursion. The route keeps you entirely within the Pacific Coast region of California, maintaining a consistent atmosphere throughout. Since there are no mandatory stops required, it is a highly efficient commute for those who prefer to get to their destination quickly. Overall, it serves as a practical, no-fuss connection between these two Central Valley locations.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| South Sacramento Freeway | 56.4 mi | 1h 5m |
| CA 99 | 8.1 mi | 9m |
| 15th Street | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| Capital City Freeway | 0.6 mi | <1m |
| J Street | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Broadway Avenue | 0.3 mi | 1m |
| X Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| 9th Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Sacramento, CA and Salida, CA.
Start on 9th Street
Turn left onto J Street
Turn right onto 15th Street
Turn left onto X Street
Take the ramp
Merge onto US 50; I 80 Business
Keep slight right at fork onto I 80 Business
Take the exit
Merge onto CA 99
Keep slight left at fork onto CA 99
Take the exit
Turn right onto Broadway Avenue
Continue on Broadway Avenue
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
34 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.
A short stop after about 15 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 34.1 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.
5 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.
Turn right onto 15th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Take the ramp toward I 80 East, CA 99 South: Reno, Placerville, Fresno
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
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
Take the exit toward CA 99 South: Fresno
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Merge onto CA 99 / South Sacramento Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$15.68 one way
$31.35 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $16.15 | $32.31 |
| premium | $6.18 | $16.59 | $33.17 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $15.06 | $30.12 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$16
Estimated CO2 emission: 23.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 20.5 | 0 | $7.16 | $3.27 |
| Efficient EV | 17.1 | 0 | $5.97 | $2.73 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 27.3 | 0 | $9.55 | $4.36 |
Gas CO2
24 kg
EV CO2
8 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Late night in Sacramento on Tuesday
Local time
5:59 AM
PDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Destination
Late night in Salida on Tuesday
Local time
5:59 AM
PDT
Current temp
75°F
Unavailable
70°F
Woodlake, CA
34 mi in
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
Expect a highly efficient, highway-focused drive as 96% of your journey is spent on major thoroughfares. You will navigate using a combination of 15th Street and the South Sacramento Freeway, eventually transitioning onto CA 99. The most significant portion of your time behind the wheel will be spent on the South Sacramento Freeway, which accounts for a 56.4-mile uninterrupted stretch. Because the vast majority of the route is highway-based, the drive maintains a steady, fast-paced rhythm without the need for technical maneuvering. You will find that the road surface and traffic patterns remain relatively predictable from start to finish.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on South Sacramento Freeway and CA 99. 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.
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 68.2 miles you will encounter 11 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 0.5 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.
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
Salida is an unincorporated town, northwest of, and immediately adjacent to, Modesto, in Stanislaus County, in California's San Joaquin Valley.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 21m. Total distance: 68.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 21m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (96%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
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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