Water
0.1 mi from route
Trip from Santa Ana, CA to Magalia, CA
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 11, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
9h 32m
Distance
505.4 mi
813 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
2-day trip
Fuel Cost
$115
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
9h 24m
★
6 AM
9h 33m
8 AM
9h 50m
10 AM
9h 39m
12 PM
9h 37m
3 PM
9h 40m
5 PM
9h 49m
8 PM
9h 28m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Santa Ana, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Magalia, CA
Stephen Leonardi
Trip Overview
The drive from Santa Ana, CA to Magalia, CA covers 505.4 miles and takes about 9h 32m behind the wheel. It usually feels better as a 2-day road trip than as one long push.
The route leans on Westside Freeway, CA 70, Golden State Freeway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is long-haul drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 304.9 miles on Westside Freeway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $115.15 one way before food or hotel costs.
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
252.7 miles from Santa Ana, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 4h 41m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Westside Freeway | 304.9 mi | 5h 29m |
| CA 70 | 53.7 mi | 1h 2m |
| Golden State Freeway | 50 mi | 57m |
| I 5 Truck | 37.7 mi | 43m |
| Santa Ana Freeway | 26.9 mi | 31m |
| Clark Road | 14.8 mi | 23m |
| Golden State Highway | 7.5 mi | 8m |
| Bernie Richter Memorial Highway | 5 mi | 5m |
Longest stretch:
Westside Freeway
— 304.9 mi, about 5h 29m
Traffic on I-5
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 604 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~3,795 veh/hr typical · worst 5,115
Quietest
2 AM
~574 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
6.6×
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 Magalia, 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
Keep left at fork onto I 5
54 mi
·
59 min
·
Westside Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 99
7.5 mi
·
8 min
·
Golden State Highway
Toward CA 99 North, CA 70: Yuba City, Marysville
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Continue on CA 99
5.0 mi
·
5 min
·
Bernie Richter Memorial Highway
17
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 70
22 mi
·
25 min
·
CA 70
Toward CA 70 North: Marysville, Oroville
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Turn right onto 5th Street
0.2 mi
·
38 sec
·
5th Street
19
Turn left onto B Street
1.5 mi
·
3 min
·
B Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
20
Continue on CA 70
30 mi
·
35 min
·
CA 70
Use the left lane.
21
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 70
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
CA 70
22
Turn left onto CA 191
3.5 mi
·
4 min
·
Clark Road
23
Continue on CA 191
11 mi
·
18 min
·
Clark Road
24
Turn slight right onto Skyway
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
·
Skyway
25
Continue on New Skyway
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
New Skyway
26
Turn left onto Depot Lane
64 ft
·
8 sec
·
Depot Lane
27
Turn left onto Glover Lane
97 ft
·
4 sec
·
Glover Lane
28
Arrive at destination
Glover Lane
Trip Plan
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 252.7 miles from Santa Ana, CA, or about 4h 41m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 304.9 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 111 miles or 2h 9m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 252.7 miles or 4h 41m 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 252.7 miles or 4h 41m
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 8h 13m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Magalia, 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 253 miles and 4.8 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Magalia, CA
Aim for roughly 253 miles and 4.8 hours of wheel time on this day.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 111 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 304.9 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
First major stop
Coffee and fuel
167 mi into the route
Best for: Coffee, fuel, and an easy first stretch
This is a natural early stop once the first hours of the drive are behind you.
Second major stop
Overnight candidate
334 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 Sacramento, CAOvernight Options
Night 1
253 mi · about 4.8h in
A practical overnight split lands near Turlock, CA after about 253 miles or 4.8 hours of driving.
Find hotelsPacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 111 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 252.7 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 304.9 miles.
Overnight split
Hotel stopFor a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 253 miles or 4.8 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
Service Plaza
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
Flying J Travel Center
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
Love's Travel Stop
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
Sacramento 49er Travel Plaza
1.2 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 225 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 434 — 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.
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
8
421.5 mi into trip
|
~7h 45m in
|
CA 99 / Golden State Highway
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 99 / Golden State Highway toward CA 99 North, CA 70: Yuba City, Marysville
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward CA 99 North, CA 70: Yuba City, Marysvill...
8
434 mi into trip
|
~7h 59m in
|
CA 70
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 70 toward CA 70 North: Marysville, Oroville
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward CA 70 North: Marysville, Oroville
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$115.15 one way
$230.30 round trip
$5.79/gal
25.4 MPG avg
177 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.96 | $118.57 | $237.14 |
| premium | $6.14 | $122.17 | $244.34 |
| diesel | $5.97 | $118.73 | $237.46 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.06
New Skyway
(0.9 mi)
$0.06
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$115
Tolls
$0
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$245–$355
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 176.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-09-07.
Driving Electric?
About $53 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 151.6 | 1 | $53.07 | $24.26 |
| Efficient EV | 126.4 | 1 | $44.22 | $20.22 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 202.2 | 2 | $70.76 | $32.35 |
Gas CO2
177 kg
EV CO2
59 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
Afternoon in Santa Ana on Friday
Local time
2:01 PM
PDT
Current temp
73°F
Mostly Clear
S 0 to 5 mph
1% chance
Live forecast
Extreme Heat Warning
Extreme Heat Warning issued August 28 at 1:56PM MST until August 29 at 8:00PM MST by NWS Phoenix AZ
Extreme Heat Warning
Extreme Heat Warning issued August 28 at 11:46AM PDT until August 29 at 8:00PM PDT by NWS San Diego CA
Destination
Magalia, CA
Afternoon in Magalia on Friday
Local time
2:01 PM
PDT
Current temp
65°F
Mostly Clear
ESE 5 mph
0% chance
Live forecast
Extreme Heat Warning
Extreme Heat Warning issued August 28 at 1:56PM MST until August 29 at 8:00PM MST by NWS Phoenix AZ
Extreme Heat Warning
Extreme Heat Warning issued August 28 at 11:46AM PDT until August 29 at 8:00PM 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
8 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
9h 32m 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 52.3
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...
28 mi from route
~69 min detour
Free
near mile 122
View on nps.gov
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
What kind of drive is this?
505.4 mi / 9h 32m — a long-haul route where fuel stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single turn. Biggest road: Westside Freeway.
94% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
28 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 304.9 mi on Westside Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Westside Freeway and CA 70. 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
7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 22 significant decision points across 505.4 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 56.6 miles (I 5 Truck): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 116.6 miles (I 5 / Westside Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
High-altitude sections with notable climbs
2,631 ft
18 ft
Total Climb
5,208 ft
Total Descent
2,996 ft
Highest Point
2,631 ft
~108.3 mi in
Elevation Range
2,614 ft
Notable High Points
2,631 ft at ~108.3 miles
+1,432 ft prominence
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.
Between Santa Ana, CA and Magalia, CA, road signs point toward Marysville and Oroville.
Marysville
421.5 mi in
|
~7h 45m
|
via CA 99
Oroville
434 mi in
|
~7h 59m
|
via CA 70
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 Magalia, CA
Full guide →City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 304.9 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 253 miles on day one.
Expect about $0.06 in tolls one way, starting with New Skyway. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.
Yes — we found about 39 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 Magalia, 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 39 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 56.6 miles (I 5 Truck): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 116.6 miles (I 5 / Westside Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
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 9.5 hours each way, a round trip means 19.1 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Magalia, 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, EIA for fuel prices, 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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