Water
0.1 mi from route
Trip from Santa Ana, CA to Cameron Park, CA
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Oct 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
8h 14m
Distance
436.8 mi
703 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
2-day trip
Fuel Cost
$59
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
8h 7m
★
6 AM
8h 14m
8 AM
8h 30m
10 AM
8h 20m
12 PM
8h 18m
3 PM
8h 21m
5 PM
8h 29m
8 PM
8h 10m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Santa Ana, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Cameron Park, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Santa Ana to Cameron Park is 436.8 miles and takes about 8h 14m via North Broadway, West Santa Clara Avenue, and I 5 North, with a fuel budget near $96 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within California, traversing the Pacific Coast region for both its start and end. Given the route primarily uses surface roads, expect a more grounded experience than a pure highway cruise. With two recommended stops, it's designed to be manageable, though you could potentially complete it in a single, long day if you prefer.
Trip Pace
Best split across 2 days
Treat the return leg as its own travel day rather than an afterthought.
Break Rhythm
2 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
218.4 miles from Santa Ana, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 4h 5m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Westside Freeway | 251.1 mi | 4h 29m |
| Golden State Freeway | 50 mi | 57m |
| I 5 Truck | 37.7 mi | 43m |
| CA 99 | 29.4 mi | 33m |
| Santa Ana Freeway | 26.9 mi | 31m |
| El Dorado Freeway | 19.8 mi | 22m |
| Bradshaw Road | 11.3 mi | 16m |
| Crosstown Freeway | 2.5 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
Westside Freeway
— 251.1 mi, about 4h 29m
Traffic on I-5
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 370 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~2,464 veh/hr typical · worst 3,254
Quietest
2 AM
~475 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
5.2×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a
6a
noon
6p
11p
Averaged across 89 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 Cameron Park, 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 Angeles
Use 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 161A
Toward I 5 Truck North, CA 14 Truck
Use 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 North
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
26 mi
·
27 min
·
Westside Freeway
14
Take the exit onto CA 4
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
CA 4
Toward CA 4 East: Downtown Stockton
15
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 4
0.4 mi
·
57 sec
·
CA 4
16
Keep slight left at fork onto CA 4
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
·
CA 4
17
Merge onto CA 4
2.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Crosstown Freeway
18
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Toward CA 99 North
19
Merge onto CA 99
29 mi
·
33 min
·
CA 99
20
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
Toward Grant Line Road
21
Turn right onto E2
2.2 mi
·
3 min
·
Grant Line Road
22
Turn left onto Bradshaw Road
2.6 mi
·
3 min
·
Bradshaw Road
23
Enter roundabout onto Bradshaw Road
91 ft
·
1 sec
·
Bradshaw Road
24
Continue on Bradshaw Road
8.7 mi
·
12 min
·
Bradshaw Road
Use the left / uturn lanes.
25
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
45 sec
Toward US 50 East: South Lake Tahoe
26
Merge onto US 50
20 mi
·
22 min
·
El Dorado Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
27
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
46 sec
Exit 34
Toward Cambridge Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
28
Turn left onto Flying C Road
294 ft
·
8 sec
·
Flying C Road
29
Continue on Cambridge Road
1.2 mi
·
4 min
·
Cambridge Road
30
Turn right onto Knollwood Drive
203 ft
·
7 sec
·
Knollwood Drive
31
Turn right onto Montclair Road
418 ft
·
18 sec
·
Montclair Road
32
Arrive at destination
Montclair Road
Trip Plan
Given the 8-hour duration and surface road profile, planning for two days is wise for a comfortable pace. Start early to make the most of daylight, especially since you'll be navigating urban and suburban areas with more traffic lights. With two planned stops, you can break up the drive into manageable segments, perhaps 4 hours each day. Keep an eye on your fuel as you'll be on surface roads for the entire 436.8 miles, and it's best to refuel before hitting longer stretches between services. Factor in the $96 fuel cost for your budget.
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 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 218.4 miles from Santa Ana, CA, or about 4h 5m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 251.1 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 96 miles or 1h 52m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 218.4 miles or 4h 5m 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 218.4 miles or 4h 5m
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 6h 57m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Cameron Park, 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 218 miles and 4.1 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Cameron Park, CA
Aim for roughly 218 miles and 4.1 hours of wheel time on this day.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 96 miles from Santa Ana, CA.
This route usually feels better as a 2-day drive than as one long push.
Plan about 2 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Westside Freeway for about 251.1 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Overnight candidate
218 mi into the route
Best for: Hotel check-in, dinner, and a fresh start
This lines up well with a realistic day-end stop if you are breaking the drive into stages.
Find hotels in Reedley, CAOvernight Options
Night 1
218 mi · about 4.1h in
A practical overnight split lands near Reedley, CA after about 218 miles or 4.1 hours of driving.
Find hotelsPacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 96 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 218.4 miles from Santa Ana, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Westside Freeway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 251.1 miles.
Overnight split
Hotel stopFor a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 218 miles or 4.1 hours on the road.
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.
Dos Amigos Vista Point
0.1 mi from route
EZ Trip Travel Center
0.1 mi from route
EZ Trip Travel Center
0.1 mi from route
Castaic Truck Stop
0.1 mi from route
Tejon Pass Rest Area - Southbound
0.1 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.1 mi from route
Coalinga Avenal Safety Roadside Rest Area - Northbound
0.2 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.2 mi from route
Coalinga - Avenal Rest Area - Southbound
0.2 mi from route
Coalinga - Avenal Rest Area - Northbound
0.2 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.2 mi from route
John "Chuck" Erreca Southbound Rest Area
0.2 mi from route
Buttonwillow Rest Area
0.2 mi from route
Buttonwillow Rest Area
0.2 mi from route
Westley Rest Area
0.2 mi from route
Tejon Pass Rest Area - Northbound
0.2 mi from route
Petro Stopping Centers
0.2 mi from route
TA
0.2 mi from route
Service Plaza
0.2 mi from route
Service Plaza
0.2 mi from route
TA
0.2 mi from route
Lost Hills Travel Center
0.2 mi from route
John "Chuck" Erreca Northbound Rest Area
0.3 mi from route
Westley Rest Area
0.3 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.3 mi from route
Flying J Travel Center
0.3 mi from route
TA
0.4 mi from route
Flying J Travel Center
0.8 mi from route
Service Plaza
0.9 mi from route
Service Plaza
1.3 mi from route
Rest Area
1.6 mi from route
Rest Area
1.7 mi from route
Rest Area
1.8 mi from route
Petro Stopping Centers
2 mi from route
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 295 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 435.1 — 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.
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
7
435.1 mi into trip
|
~8h 8m in
Take the exit toward Cambridge Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 34
Toward Cambridge Road
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$59.33 one way
$118.66 round trip
$3.45/gal
25.4 MPG avg
153 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $3.85 | $66.21 | $132.42 |
| premium | $4.15 | $71.37 | $142.73 |
| diesel | $3.75 | $64.49 | $128.98 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$59
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$189–$299
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 152.8 kg one way.
Driving Electric?
About $46 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 131 | 1 | $45.86 | $20.97 |
| Efficient EV | 109.2 | 1 | $38.22 | $17.47 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 174.7 | 2 | $61.15 | $27.96 |
Gas CO2
153 kg
EV CO2
51 kg (67% 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
Santa Ana, CA
Evening in Santa Ana on Saturday
Local time
7:16 PM
PDT
Current temp
74°F
Partly Cloudy
E 5 to 10 mph
1% chance
Live forecast
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued October 16 at 8:41PM PDT until October 17 at 12:00PM PDT by NWS San Diego CA
High Wind Warning
High Wind Warning issued October 16 at 8:41PM PDT until October 18 at 12:00AM PDT by NWS San Diego CA
Destination
Cameron Park, CA
Evening in Cameron Park on Saturday
Local time
7:16 PM
PDT
Current temp
59°F
Clear
E 5 mph
0% chance
Live forecast
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued October 16 at 8:41PM PDT until October 17 at 12:00PM PDT by NWS San Diego CA
High Wind Warning
High Wind Warning issued October 16 at 8:41PM PDT until October 18 at 12:00AM PDT by NWS San Diego 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
15 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
8h 14m 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.
Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area
National Recreation Area
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...
22 mi from route
~55 min detour
Free
near mile 60.2
View on nps.gov
César E. Chávez National Monument
National Monument
Yes, we can! Widely recognized as the most important Latino leader in the United States during the twentieth century, Cesar Chavez led farm workers and supporters in the establishment of the country's...
27 mi from route
~68 min detour
Free
near mile 120.5
View on nps.gov
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
What kind of drive is this?
This route is mostly surface roads, with 0% highway driving. You'll be on local streets like North Broadway and West Santa Clara Avenue for the entire 436.8 miles. Expect to encounter frequent intersections and potentially slower speeds as you navigate through populated areas. The longest stretch data is not available, but the profile indicates a consistent surface road experience throughout.
96% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
32 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 251.1 mi on Westside Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
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 Effort
10/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 29 significant decision points across 436.8 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 (North Broadway): Lane positioning matters here; at 11 miles (I 5 / Santa Ana Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 56.6 miles (I 5 Truck): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Hilly terrain with moderate elevation changes
3,120 ft
37 ft
Total Climb
4,661 ft
Total Descent
3,551 ft
Highest Point
3,120 ft
~93.6 mi in
Elevation Range
3,083 ft
Notable High Points
3,120 ft at ~93.6 miles
+1,815 ft prominence
About the Cities
Starting in Santa Ana, CA
Full guide →Founded 1869
Santa Ana is a city in Orange County, Southern California and is the county seat of that county.
Top landmarks
- • Yost Theater — historic movie theater and hotel building in Santa Ana, California, later used b...
- • Santa Ana Fire Station Headquarters No. 1 — fire station in Santa Ana, United States of America
- • Rankin's — historic building in Santa Ana, California, United States
Arriving in Cameron Park, CA
Full guide →City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 251.1 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 218 miles on day one.
Yes — we found about 35 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 Cameron Park, 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 2 meaningful breaks. There are 35 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 56.6 miles (I 5 Truck): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area and César E. Chávez National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 8.2 hours each way, a round trip means 16.5 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Cameron Park, 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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, NPS for national parks, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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