Shasta Lake to Whitmore is 36 miles and takes about 54 minutes via Whitmore Road and CA 44, with a fuel budget near $5 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short drive stays within California's Pacific Coast region, offering a straightforward connection between two points. Given its brief duration, it's an ideal option for a quick transfer or as part of a larger itinerary. You'll find this route to be a practical link rather than a destination in itself, suitable for travelers looking for efficiency.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Whitmore Road
16.1 mi
28m
CA 44
10.8 mi
12m
Cascade Wonderland Highway
6.5 mi
7m
Shasta Dam Boulevard
1.1 mi
1m
Old 44 Drive
0.8 mi
1m
Boggs Lane
<0.1 mi
<1m
Montana Avenue
<0.1 mi
<1m
Atkins Road
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Whitmore Road
— 16.1 mi, about 28m
Traffic on I-5
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 32 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~2,372 veh/hr typical
· worst 2,732
Quietest
2 AM
~167 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
14.2×
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 Shasta Lake, CA and Whitmore, CA.
1
Start on this road
93 ft·11 sec·this road
2
Turn left
60 ft·10 sec
3
Turn left onto Montana Avenue
229 ft·13 sec·Montana Avenue
4
Turn right onto CA 151
1.1 mi·1 min·Shasta Dam Boulevard
5
Take the ramp
85 ft·2 sec
6
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi·31 sec
7
Merge onto I 5
3.2 mi·3 min·Cascade Wonderland Highway
8
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5
3.4 mi·3 min·Cascade Wonderland Highway
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi·46 sec
Exit 678AToward CA 44 East: Hilltop Drive, Lassen National Park
10
Merge onto CA 44
11 mi·12 min·CA 44
11
Turn left onto Old 44 Drive
0.8 mi·1 min·Old 44 Drive
12
At end of road, turn right onto Whitmore Road
16 mi·28 min·Whitmore Road
13
Turn left onto Atkins Road
182 ft·8 sec·Atkins Road
14
Turn left onto Boggs Lane
371 ft·16 sec·Boggs Lane
15
Continue on Boggs Lane
104 ft·4 sec·Boggs Lane
16
Arrive at destination
Boggs Lane
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
The midpoint is around 18 miles from Shasta Lake, 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 12
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 19.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip|~0m in
Turn left
Navigation decision point
5
0 mi into trip|~0m in|Montana Avenue
Turn left onto Montana Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
1.1 mi into trip|~2m in
Keep slight right at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
6
7.9 mi into trip|~10m in
Take the exit toward CA 44 East: Hilltop Drive, Lassen National Park
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 678A
Toward CA 44 East: Hilltop Drive, Lassen Nation...
5
19.8 mi into trip|~25m in|Whitmore Road
At end of road, turn right onto Whitmore Road
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.71 one way
$17.42 round trip
$6.15/gal25.4 MPG avg13 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$6.34
$8.98
$17.97
premium
$6.50
$9.21
$18.41
diesel
$6.28
$8.90
$17.79
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.6 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-19.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging
· 0 stops
· 69% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
10.8
0
$3.78
$1.73
Efficient EV
9
0
$3.15
$1.44
EV Truck/SUV
14.4
0
$5.04
$2.30
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 Oct 22, 2026
Origin
Shasta Lake, CA
Evening
in Shasta Lake on Thursday
Local time
8:17 PM
PDT
Current temp
57°F
Chance Light Rain
NNE 2 mph38% chanceLive forecast
Winter Weather Advisory
Winter Weather Advisory issued October 22 at 1:47AM PDT until October 22 at 5:00PM PDT by NWS Reno NV
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued October 22 at 12:14AM PDT until October 22 at 6:00AM PDT by NWS San Diego CA
Destination
Whitmore, CA
Evening
in Whitmore on Thursday
Local time
8:17 PM
PDT
Current temp
51°F
Chance Light Rain
0 mph28% chanceLive forecast
Winter Weather Advisory
Winter Weather Advisory issued October 22 at 1:47AM PDT until October 22 at 5:00PM PDT by NWS Reno NV
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued October 22 at 12:14AM PDT until October 22 at 6:00AM PDT by NWS San Diego CA
41°F
Millville, CA
18 mi in
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
6 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
54m 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?
About 30% of this 36-mile drive is on highways. You'll encounter a longest stretch of 16.1 miles on Whitmore Road before hitting sections of CA 44 and Cascade Wonderland Highway. Expect a mix of highway cruising and surface road driving as you transition between these. This means you'll experience both faster travel and more local road conditions on your way.
30% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 16.1 mi on Whitmore Road.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive.
Driving Effort7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 12 decision points packed into just 36 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 54m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start: Navigation decision point; near the start (Montana Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
2,237 ft466 ft
Total Climb
1,771 ft
Total Descent
216 ft
Highest Point
2,237 ft
~36 mi in
Elevation Range
1,771 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 Shasta Lake, CA to Whitmore, CA, road signs begin pointing toward Lassen National Park along the way.
Doable as a same-day drive at 54m. Total distance: 36 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
54m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (30%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 16.1 miles on Whitmore Road. 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 Whitmore, 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: near the start: Navigation decision point; near the start (Montana Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Yes — Whiskeytown National Recreation Area and Lassen Volcanic National Park. 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 Whitmore, CA before heading back.
