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Trip from Sacramento, CA to Salida, CA

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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

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 19 min
4 AM
1h 15m ★
6 AM
1h 21m
8 AM
1h 34m
10 AM
1h 26m
12 PM
1h 24m
3 PM
1h 26m
5 PM
1h 33m
8 PM
1h 18m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

capital city of the U.S. state of California and seat of Sacramento County

Sacramento, CA

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Salida, CA, CA

Salida, CA

Stephen Leonardi

Trip Overview

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.

Main Roads

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
Longest stretch: South Sacramento Freeway — 56.4 mi, about 1h 5m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Sacramento, CA and Salida, 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

56 mi · 1 hr 5 min · South Sacramento Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10

Keep slight left at fork onto CA 99

8.1 mi · 9 min · CA 99
11

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 36 sec
Toward CA 219: Broadway, Kiernan Avenue
12

Turn right onto Broadway Avenue

0.3 mi · 51 sec · Broadway Avenue
13

Continue on Broadway Avenue

207 ft · 11 sec · Broadway Avenue
14

Arrive at destination

Broadway Avenue

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

city in Tulare County, California, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Woodlake, CA

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.

Pacing Suggestions

Laguna, CA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 15 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Lodi, CA

Meal break

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.

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 11

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.

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

$15.68 one way

$31.35 round trip

$5.84/gal 25.4 MPG avg 24 kg CO2
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.

Travel Intel

Current conditions at both ends of the drive.

Forecast as of Apr 20, 2026

Origin

Sacramento, CA

Late night in Sacramento on Tuesday

Local time

5:59 AM

PDT

Current temp

51°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Salida, CA

Late night in Salida on Tuesday

Local time

5:59 AM

PDT

Current temp

75°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

70°F

Woodlake, CA

34 mi in

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

24 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 21m 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 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.

96% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 56.4 mi on South Sacramento Freeway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

7/10

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.

Driving Effort 7/10

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.

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

Arriving in Salida, CA

Full guide →

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).

Who Is This Route For?

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.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 56.4 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 Salida, 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 Salida, 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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