Santa Ana to Burney is 626.7 miles and takes about 11 hours 40 minutes via I-5, with a fuel budget near $143 and an overnight recommendation. This long-haul drive spans the length of California, taking you from the Pacific Coast region north to the same region. It's a route that primarily follows major interstates, making it a straightforward, albeit lengthy, trip. You'll want to plan for at least one overnight stop to break up the nearly 12 hours of driving time.
Trip Pace
Best split across 2 days
Treat the return leg as its own travel day rather than an afterthought.
Break Rhythm
3 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
313.3 miles from Santa Ana, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 5h 46m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Westside Freeway
425.9 mi
7h 39m
Golden State Freeway
50 mi
57m
I 5 Truck
37.7 mi
43m
Cascade Wonderland Highway
33.7 mi
36m
CA 299
27.4 mi
38m
Santa Ana Freeway
26.9 mi
31m
Highway 299
21.9 mi
27m
North Broadway
1.5 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
Westside Freeway
— 425.9 mi, about 7h 39m
Traffic on I-5
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 746 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~2,928 veh/hr typical
· worst 3,830
Quietest
2 AM
~405 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
7.2×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 96 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 Santa Ana, CA and Burney, CA.
1
Start on West 1st Street
0.1 mi·15 sec·West 1st Street
2
Turn right onto North Broadway
1.5 mi·2 min·North Broadway
Use the straight / right lanes.
3
Turn right onto West Santa Clara Avenue
0.1 mi·14 sec·West Santa Clara Avenue
4
Continue on this road
0.3 mi·26 sec·this road
Toward I 5 North: Los AngelesUse the left / straight / right lanes.
5
Merge onto I 5
8.9 mi·10 min·Santa Ana Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
18 mi·20 min·Santa Ana Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
25 mi·29 min·Golden State Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5
2.2 mi·2 min·Golden State Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 Truck
1.5 mi·1 min·I 5 Truck
Exit 161AToward I 5 Truck North, CA 14 TruckUse the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5 Truck
36 mi·41 min·I 5 Truck
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5
22 mi·25 min·Golden State Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
226 mi·4 hr 1 min·Westside Freeway
Toward I 5 NorthUse the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
26 mi·27 min·Westside Freeway
14
Keep left at fork onto I 5
54 mi·59 min·Westside Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5
121 mi·2 hr 10 min·Westside Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Continue on I 5
34 mi·36 min·Cascade Wonderland Highway
17
Take the exit
0.2 mi·19 sec
Toward Burney
18
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi·17 sec
19
Turn straight onto CA 299
2.8 mi·3 min·Highway 299
20
Continue on CA 299
0.6 mi·53 sec·State Highway 299
21
Continue on CA 299
0.2 mi·16 sec·East Stillwater Way
22
Continue on CA 299
19 mi·24 min·Highway 299
23
Turn left onto CA 299
27 mi·38 min·CA 299
24
Arrive at destination
CA 299
Trip Plan
Given the 11-hour 40-minute duration, this route is best split over two days. Aim to depart Santa Ana in the morning to maximize your driving time on day one, and plan to stop around the halfway point or further north to make day two more manageable. The longest stretch without a break is over 425 miles, so be sure to factor in fuel and rest stops accordingly. Keep an eye on your fuel levels, especially in more rural stretches between major towns.
Morning Departure
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Evening Departure
This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
This drive is better paced as a 2-day trip.
Plan roughly 3 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 313.3 miles from Santa Ana, CA, or about 5h 46m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 425.9 miles.
Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 138 miles or 2h 39m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 313.3 miles or 5h 46m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Overnight split
Day 1 wrap after about 313.3 miles or 5h 46m
Stop before fatigue turns the last few hours into a grind. You want day two to start fresh, not just resumed.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 10h 21m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Burney, CA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Santa Ana, 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.
+
Pick one backup stop option before the midpoint in case traffic changes your pacing.
+
Treat this as a 2-day road trip and book the overnight stop before the busiest arrival window.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Santa Ana, CA
Aim for roughly 313 miles and 5.8 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Burney, CA
Aim for roughly 313 miles and 5.8 hours of wheel time on this day.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 138 miles from Santa Ana, CA.
This route usually feels better as a 2-day drive than as one long push.
Plan about 3 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Westside Freeway for about 425.9 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 17
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 116.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|North Broadway
Turn right onto North Broadway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
11 mi into trip|~14m in|I 5 / Santa Ana Freeway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 / Santa Ana Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
28.9 mi into trip|~34m in|I 5 / Golden State Freeway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 / Golden State Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
56.6 mi into trip|~1h 7m in|I 5 Truck
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 Truck toward I 5 Truck North, CA 14 Truck
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 161A
Toward I 5 Truck North, CA 14 Truck
7
116.6 mi into trip|~2h 16m in|I 5 / Westside Freeway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 / Westside Freeway toward I 5 North
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 5 North
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$142.78 one way
$285.57 round trip
$5.79/gal25.4 MPG avg219 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$5.96
$147.03
$294.06
premium
$6.14
$151.49
$302.99
diesel
$5.97
$147.23
$294.45
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$143
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$273–$383
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 219.3 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-09-07.
Driving Electric?
About $66 in charging
· 2 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
188
2
$65.80
$30.08
Efficient EV
156.7
1
$54.84
$25.07
EV Truck/SUV
250.7
3
$87.74
$40.11
Gas CO2
219 kg
EV CO2
73 kg (67% less)
Plan for 2 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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 Sep 12, 2026
Origin
Santa Ana, CA
Afternoon
in Santa Ana on Saturday
Local time
3:58 PM
PDT
Current temp
70°F
Partly Cloudy then Patchy Fog
S 5 mph1% chanceLive forecast
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued September 11 at 6:56PM PDT until September 12 at 3:00AM PDT by NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard CA
Lake Wind Advisory
Lake Wind Advisory issued September 11 at 6:28PM PDT until September 13 at 11:00PM PDT by NWS Hanford CA
Destination
Burney, CA
Afternoon
in Burney on Saturday
Local time
3:58 PM
PDT
Current temp
45°F
Mostly Clear
ESE 1 to 5 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued September 11 at 6:56PM PDT until September 12 at 3:00AM PDT by NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard CA
Lake Wind Advisory
Lake Wind Advisory issued September 11 at 6:28PM PDT until September 13 at 11:00PM PDT by NWS Hanford 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.
For long drives, weather on day two can matter just as much as conditions at departure, so check the whole travel window rather than only the first day.
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
25 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
11h 40m on the road
This is long enough that the arrival forecast matters almost as much as departure conditions. Recheck both ends before you roll.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Whiskeytown National Recreation Area
National Recreation Area
Whiskeytown Lake’s crystal-clear waters are iconic, but this 42,000-acre National Recreation Area offers much more. Explore waterfalls, hike rugged trails, uncover Gold Rush history, and witness the r...
19 mi from route
~48 min detour
$15
near mile 583.4
The Santa Monica Mountains offer easy access to surprisingly wild places. Experience the famous beaches of Malibu or explore more than 500 miles of trails. The park abounds with historical and cultura...
24 mi from route
~60 min detour
Free
near mile 64.8
Lassen Volcanic National Park is home to steaming fumaroles, meadows freckled with wildflowers, clear mountain lakes, and numerous volcanoes. Jagged peaks tell the story of its eruptive past while hot...
30 mi from route
~75 min detour
$30
near mile 626.7
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This trip is predominantly highway driving, with 94% of the 626.7 miles on major roads like the Golden State Freeway. You'll experience a longest stretch of 425.9 miles on the Westside Freeway before transitioning to surface roads. Expect long stretches of rural cruising and potentially dense urban merging as you navigate through California's central valley.
94% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
24 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 425.9 mi on Westside Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Westside Freeway and Golden State Freeway. 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 North Broadway.
Driving Effort7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 17 significant decision points across 626.7 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 (North Broadway): Lane positioning matters here; at 11 miles (I 5 / Santa Ana Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 28.9 miles (I 5 / Golden State Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
The longest stretch is about 425.9 miles on Westside Freeway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — a 2-day pace is more comfortable than one long haul. A sensible stopping point is after roughly 313 miles on day one.
Yes — we found about 59 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 Burney, 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 3 meaningful breaks. There are 59 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (North Broadway): Lane positioning matters here; at 11 miles (I 5 / Santa Ana Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 28.9 miles (I 5 / Golden State Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Whiskeytown National Recreation Area, Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area and Lassen Volcanic National Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 11.7 hours each way, a round trip means 23.3 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Burney, CA before the return drive.
