Santa Clarita, CA to Kinneloa Mesa, CA is 38.1 miles and takes about 50 minutes via Foothill Freeway and Antelope Valley Freeway, with a fuel budget near $9 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Pacific Coast region, offering a straightforward drive. It's a relatively short journey, making it ideal for a quick trip or an addition to a longer itinerary. You'll primarily be on well-traveled freeways, so expect typical commuter traffic, especially during peak hours. This route is best suited for those looking for efficiency rather than extensive sightseeing.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Foothill Freeway
28.1 mi
32m
Antelope Valley Freeway
2.2 mi
2m
Newhall Avenue
2 mi
4m
North Sierra Madre Boulevard
1.3 mi
2m
Sierra Madre Villa Avenue
1 mi
2m
Orchard Village Road
0.6 mi
1m
Golden State Freeway
0.6 mi
<1m
Lyons Avenue
0.5 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
Foothill Freeway
— 28.1 mi, about 32m
Traffic on I-210
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 30 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
8 AM
~4,376 veh/hr typical
Quietest
2 AM
~238 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
18.4×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 50 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 Clarita, CA and Kinneloa Mesa, CA.
1
Start on Newhall Avenue
451 ft·21 sec·Newhall Avenue
2
Turn right onto 16th Street
0.3 mi·41 sec·16th Street
3
Turn left onto Orchard Village Road
0.6 mi·1 min·Orchard Village Road
4
Turn left onto Lyons Avenue
0.5 mi·1 min·Lyons Avenue
Use the left lane.
5
Turn right onto Newhall Avenue
0.5 mi·1 min·Newhall Avenue
6
Enter roundabout onto Newhall Avenue
73 ft·2 sec·Newhall Avenue
7
Continue on Newhall Avenue
1.5 mi·3 min·Newhall Avenue
8
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·26 sec
Exit 2Toward CA 14 South: Los Angeles
9
Merge onto CA 14
1.3 mi·1 min·Antelope Valley Freeway
10
Keep slight left at fork onto CA 14
1.0 mi·1 min·Antelope Valley Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi·36 sec
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Merge onto I 5
0.6 mi·40 sec·Golden State Freeway
13
Take the exit
0.3 mi·17 sec
Exit 161AToward I 210 East: PasadenaUse the slight right lane.
14
Continue on I 210
24 mi·28 min·Foothill Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Keep slight right at fork onto I 210
3.7 mi·4 min·Foothill Freeway
Toward CA 134 West, I 210 East: San Bernardino, VenturaUse the slight right lane.
16
Take the exit
0.2 mi·28 sec
Exit 29AToward San Gabriel BoulevardUse the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Turn slight left onto North Sierra Madre Boulevard
1.3 mi·2 min·North Sierra Madre Boulevard
Use the straight / left lanes.
18
Turn slight left
389 ft·17 sec
19
Turn left onto Sierra Madre Villa Avenue
255 ft·9 sec·Sierra Madre Villa Avenue
Use the left lane.
20
Continue on Sierra Madre Villa Avenue
1.0 mi·2 min·Sierra Madre Villa Avenue
21
Turn left onto Vosburg Street
0.1 mi·32 sec·Vosburg Street
22
Turn slight left
90 ft·6 sec
23
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
The midpoint is around 19 miles from Santa Clarita, 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 15
5 decision points cluster between mile 4.9 and 35.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
4.9 mi into trip|~9m in|CA 14 / Antelope Valley Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto CA 14 / Antelope Valley Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
5.9 mi into trip|~10m in
Keep slight left at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
7 mi into trip|~11m in
Take the exit toward I 210 East: Pasadena
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 161A
Toward I 210 East: Pasadena
8
31.6 mi into trip|~40m in|I 210 / Foothill Freeway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 210 / Foothill Freeway toward CA 134 West, I 210 East: San Bernardino, Ventura
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward CA 134 West, I 210 East: San Bernardino,...
7
35.3 mi into trip|~44m in
Take the exit toward San Gabriel Boulevard
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 29A
Toward San Gabriel Boulevard
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.95 one way
$17.90 round trip
$5.97/gal25.4 MPG avg13 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$6.18
$9.27
$18.55
premium
$6.30
$9.45
$18.89
diesel
$5.35
$8.03
$16.05
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 13.3 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging
· 0 stops
· 69% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
11.4
0
$4.00
$1.83
Efficient EV
9.5
0
$3.33
$1.52
EV Truck/SUV
15.2
0
$5.33
$2.44
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (69% 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 May 28, 2026
Origin
Santa Clarita, CA
Afternoon
in Santa Clarita on Wednesday
Local time
2:55 PM
PDT
Current temp
52°F
Mostly Cloudy
S 5 mph4% chanceLive forecast
Beach Hazards Statement
Beach Hazards Statement issued May 28 at 12:30AM PDT until May 28 at 11:00PM PDT by NWS Eureka CA
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued May 27 at 11:47PM PDT until May 28 at 5:00AM PDT by NWS Phoenix AZ
Destination
Kinneloa Mesa, CA
Afternoon
in Kinneloa Mesa on Wednesday
Local time
2:55 PM
PDT
Current temp
53°F
Partly Cloudy
SSE 0 to 5 mph4% chanceLive forecast
Beach Hazards Statement
Beach Hazards Statement issued May 28 at 12:30AM PDT until May 28 at 11:00PM PDT by NWS Eureka CA
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued May 27 at 11:47PM PDT until May 28 at 5:00AM PDT by NWS Phoenix AZ
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
1 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
50m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is predominantly highway-focused, with 81% of the journey on freeways. You'll experience a consistent pace for the most part, with the longest uninterrupted stretch covering 28.1 miles on the Foothill Freeway. The route utilizes major arteries like the Foothill Freeway and Antelope Valley Freeway, meaning you'll be on multi-lane, high-speed roads for the bulk of your travel. While the scenery is not the primary focus, the road itself offers a smooth and direct path between these two California locations.
81% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
23 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 28.1 mi on Foothill Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Foothill Freeway and Antelope Valley Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 4.9 miles in near CA 14 / Antelope Valley Freeway.
Driving Effort10/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 15 decision points packed into just 38.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 50m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 4.9 miles (CA 14 / Antelope Valley Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 5.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
1,737 ft792 ft
Total Climb
1,433 ft
Total Descent
1,415 ft
Highest Point
1,737 ft
~21.8 mi in
Elevation Range
945 ft
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 Santa Clarita, CA to Kinneloa Mesa, CA, road signs begin pointing toward Ventura along the way.
Santa Clarita is the third largest city in Los Angeles County in Southern California, with a population of 229,000 in 2020. It is generally considered to be a suburb of Greater Los Angeles. It consists of the neighborhoods of Canyon Country, Newhall, Saugus, and Valencia. It is part of the Santa Clarita Valley, which also includes the unincorporated "satellite communities" of Castaic, Stevenson Ranch, Val Verde, and Agua Dulce.
Doable as a same-day drive at 50m. Total distance: 38.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
50m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (81%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 28.1 miles on Foothill 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 Kinneloa Mesa, 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 4.9 miles (CA 14 / Antelope Valley Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 5.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Kinneloa Mesa, CA before heading back.
