Origin
San Clemente, CA
Late night in San Clemente on Tuesday
Local time
5:02 AM
PDT
Current temp
53°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from San Clemente, CA to Fontana, 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
1h 26m
Distance
67.9 mi
109 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$16
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 20m
★
6 AM
1h 27m
8 AM
1h 40m
10 AM
1h 31m
12 PM
1h 30m
3 PM
1h 32m
5 PM
1h 39m
8 PM
1h 23m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
San Clemente, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Fontana, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
San Clemente to Fontana is 67.9 miles and takes about 1 hour 26 minutes via the San Diego Freeway, Eastern Transportation Corridor, and Riverside Freeway, with a fuel budget near $16 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within California, moving from the Pacific Coast region inland. It's a relatively short trip, mostly on highways, making it a straightforward connection between these two Southern California cities. You'll find it's a practical route for those needing to travel between these points without a significant time commitment.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| San Diego Freeway | 17.1 mi | 19m |
| Eastern Transportation Corridor | 8.3 mi | 9m |
| Riverside Freeway | 8.2 mi | 9m |
| San Bernardino Freeway | 5.7 mi | 6m |
| Foothill Transportation Corridor | 5.3 mi | 6m |
| Corona Freeway | 4.7 mi | 5m |
| I 5 Truck | 3.3 mi | 3m |
| Ontario Freeway | 3.1 mi | 3m |
Longest stretch:
San Diego Freeway
— 17.1 mi, about 19m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between San Clemente, CA and Fontana, CA.
1
Start on South El Camino Real
379 ft
·
20 sec
·
South El Camino Real
2
Turn left onto Avenida Presidio
521 ft
·
16 sec
·
Avenida Presidio
Use the left lane.
3
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
Toward I 5 North: Los Angeles
Use the left lane.
4
Merge onto I 5
9.7 mi
·
11 min
·
San Diego Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5
7.4 mi
·
8 min
·
San Diego Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 Truck
1.6 mi
·
1 min
·
I 5 Truck
Toward Bake Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 Truck
1.7 mi
·
1 min
·
I 5 Truck
Use the slight right lane.
8
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
35 sec
Exit 95
Toward CA 133 North: Riverside
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Merge onto CA 133 Toll
2.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Eastern Transportation Corridor
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight left at fork
1.3 mi
·
2 min
Exit 14B
Toward CA 241 North: Riverside
11
Merge onto CA 241 Toll
5.3 mi
·
6 min
·
Foothill Transportation Corridor
12
Merge onto CA 241 Toll
5.5 mi
·
6 min
·
Eastern Transportation Corridor
13
Keep slight right at fork
1.0 mi
·
1 min
Exit 39A
Toward CA 91 East: Riverside
Use the slight right lane.
14
Merge onto CA 91
8.2 mi
·
9 min
·
Riverside Freeway
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
15
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
19 sec
Exit 50
Toward Main Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Turn left onto CA 31
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
South Main Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
17
Continue on Hamner Avenue
0.1 mi
·
22 sec
·
Hamner Avenue
18
Turn right onto East Yuma Drive
204 ft
·
3 sec
·
East Yuma Drive
Use the right lane.
19
Continue on Hidden Valley Parkway
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
·
Hidden Valley Parkway
Use the straight lane.
20
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
Toward I 15 North: Barstow
Use the left lane.
21
Merge onto I 15
2.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Corona Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
22
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
Exit 100
Toward Sixth Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
23
Turn left onto 6th Street
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
6th Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
24
Turn right onto Hamner Avenue
2.6 mi
·
4 min
·
Hamner Avenue
Use the right lane.
25
Turn right onto Limonite Avenue
0.5 mi
·
52 sec
·
Limonite Avenue
Use the right lane.
26
Turn slight right
0.1 mi
·
25 sec
Use the right lane.
27
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
Toward I 15 North
Use the right lane.
28
Merge onto I 15
2.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Corona Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
29
Continue on I 15
3.1 mi
·
3 min
·
Ontario Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
30
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
Exit 109
Toward I 10: Los Angeles, San Bernardino
Use the slight right lane.
31
Keep slight right at fork
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Exit 109B
Toward I 10 East: San Bernadino
Use the slight right lane.
32
Merge onto I 10
5.7 mi
·
6 min
·
San Bernardino Freeway
Use the slight right lane.
33
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
Exit 64
Toward Sierra Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
34
Keep slight left at fork
448 ft
·
12 sec
Toward Sierra Avenue North
Use the left lane.
35
Turn slight left onto Sierra Avenue
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
Sierra Avenue
Use the left lane.
36
Turn right onto Merrill Avenue
205 ft
·
4 sec
·
Merrill Avenue
37
Arrive at destination
Merrill Avenue
Where to Stop
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.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 15 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 33.9 miles from San Clemente, 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 335 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 66.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Avenida Presidio
Turn left onto Avenida Presidio
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
8
36.3 mi into trip
|
~43m in
Keep slight right at fork toward CA 91 East: Riverside
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 39A
Toward CA 91 East: Riverside
8
59.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 14m in
Take the exit toward I 10: Los Angeles, San Bernardino
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 109
Toward I 10: Los Angeles, San Bernardino
8
59.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 15m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 10 East: San Bernadino
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 109B
Toward I 10 East: San Bernadino
8
66.1 mi into trip
|
~1h 23m in
Keep slight left at fork toward Sierra Avenue North
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward Sierra Avenue North
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$15.61 one way
$31.21 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
24 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $16.08 | $32.16 |
| premium | $6.18 | $16.51 | $33.03 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $14.99 | $29.98 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$16
Estimated CO2 emission: 23.8 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 | 20.4 | 0 | $7.13 | $3.26 |
| Efficient EV | 17 | 0 | $5.94 | $2.72 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 27.2 | 0 | $9.51 | $4.35 |
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.
Destination
Fontana, CA
Late night in Fontana on Tuesday
Local time
5:02 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
16 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 26m 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 route on freeways. You'll encounter a longest stretch of 17.1 miles on the San Diego Freeway. Expect numerous exits and merges as you navigate this largely urban and suburban corridor. The transition from highway to surface roads will occur periodically as you approach your destination.
62% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
37 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 17.1 mi on San Diego Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on San Diego Freeway and Eastern Transportation Corridor. 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 Avenida Presidio.
Driving Effort
10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 67.9 miles you will encounter 33 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 0.1 miles (Avenida Presidio): Lane positioning matters here; at 36.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 59.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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.
On the drive from San Clemente, CA to Fontana, CA, road signs begin pointing toward San Bernardino along the way.
San Bernardino
59.3 mi in
|
~1h 14m
About the Cities
Starting in San Clemente, CA
Full guide →San Clemente is a city by the beach in Orange County in Southern California. It is called the "little Spanish village by the sea" because many of the buildings have a rustic and antique Spanish look to them. People from San Clemente pride themselves on the laid-back and closely knit community traditions that are practiced in this small town. Not only does the culture have a great influence on all the people who live there, but anyone who visits is also sure to experience this feeling as well.
Arriving in Fontana, CA
Full guide →Fontana is a city in San Bernardino County in 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 26m. Total distance: 67.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 26m 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 17.1 miles on San Diego Freeway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 10 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 Fontana, 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 0.1 miles (Avenida Presidio): Lane positioning matters here; at 36.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 59.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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 Fontana, 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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