Truckee to Riverside is 467.9 miles and takes about 9h 54m via US 395, Grand Army of the Republic Highway, and Blue Star Memorial Highway, with a fuel budget near $112 and enough daylight to finish in a day, but an overnight is recommended. This trip takes you across California, moving from the Pacific Coast region down to Southern California. Given the surface road profile and the recommended two days for this drive, expect a more relaxed pace with plenty of opportunities to break up the 467.9 miles. It's a solid option if you prefer to avoid extensive freeway driving and want to see more of the landscape between these two points.
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
234 miles from Truckee, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 5h 15m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US 395
109.1 mi
2h 21m
Grand Army of the Republic Highway
104.6 mi
2h 2m
Blue Star Memorial Highway
103.3 mi
2h 3m
Main Street
43.8 mi
53m
South Carson Street
11 mi
13m
CA 267
10.3 mi
14m
NV 28
10.1 mi
16m
Lincoln Highway
9.8 mi
14m
Longest stretch:
US 395
— 109.1 mi, about 2h 21m
Traffic on I-15
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 18 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
2 PM
~5,301 veh/hr typical
Quietest
1 AM
~1,169 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
4.5×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 46 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 Truckee, CA and Riverside, CA.
1
Start on this road
78 ft·11 sec·this road
2
Turn left onto US 40 Hist
249 ft·15 sec·Donner Pass Road
3
Turn left onto Bridge Street
0.2 mi·28 sec·Bridge Street
Use the left lane.
4
Continue on Brockway Road
1.2 mi·2 min·Brockway Road
5
Enter roundabout onto Brockway Road
107 ft·2 sec·Brockway Road
6
Continue on Brockway Road
0.3 mi·36 sec·Brockway Road
7
Turn right onto CA 267
10 mi·14 min·CA 267
8
Turn left onto CA 28
0.4 mi·56 sec·North Lake Boulevard
9
Enter roundabout onto CA 28
69 ft·1 sec·North Lake Boulevard
10
Continue on CA 28
0.1 mi·21 sec·North Lake Boulevard
11
Enter roundabout onto CA 28
66 ft·2 sec·North Lake Boulevard
12
Continue on CA 28
1.2 mi·2 min·North Lake Boulevard
13
Continue on NV 28
2.3 mi·5 min·Tahoe Boulevard
14
Turn right onto Lakeshore Boulevard
3.1 mi·6 min·Lakeshore Boulevard
15
At end of road, turn right onto NV 28
10 mi·16 min·NV 28
16
At end of road, turn left onto US 50
9.8 mi·14 min·Lincoln Highway
17
Turn right onto US 395
11 mi·13 min·South Carson Street
18
Take the exit
488 ft·13 sec
19
Turn straight onto NV 88
0.3 mi·42 sec·Woodfords Road
20
Enter roundabout onto County Road
144 ft·2 sec·County Road
21
Continue on County Road
1.1 mi·2 min·County Road
22
At end of road, turn right onto US 395
66 mi·1 hr 30 min·US 395
Use the left lane.
23
Turn left onto Emigrant Street
0.5 mi·42 sec·Emigrant Street
24
At end of road, turn right onto Sinclair Street
0.1 mi·13 sec·Sinclair Street
25
Turn left onto US 395
44 mi·53 min·Main Street
Use the straight lane.
26
Continue on US 395
44 mi·50 min·US 395
Use the straight lane.
27
Turn right onto North Barlow Lane
1.0 mi·1 min·North Barlow Lane
28
Turn left onto CA 168
1.5 mi·2 min·West Line Street
29
Turn right onto US 395; CA 168; US 6 Hist
2.4 mi·3 min·South Main Street
30
Continue on US 395; CA 168; US 6 Hist
5.0 mi·5 min·El Camino Sierra
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
31
Continue on US 395; CA 168; US 6 Hist
7.4 mi·8 min·Grand Army of the Republic Highway
Use the straight lane.
32
Continue on US 395; US 6 Hist
0.2 mi·32 sec·North Main Street
33
Continue on US 395; US 6 Hist
26 mi·31 min·Grand Army of the Republic Highway
Use the straight lane.
34
Continue on US 395; US 6 Hist
0.7 mi·1 min·North Edwards Street
35
Continue on US 395; US 6 Hist
15 mi·17 min·Grand Army of the Republic Highway
Use the straight lane.
36
Continue on US 395; US 6 Hist
2.2 mi·4 min·North Main Street
37
Continue on US 395; US 6 Hist
56 mi·1 hr 4 min·Grand Army of the Republic Highway
Use the straight lane.
38
Continue on US 395; US 6 Hist
7.0 mi·8 min·Blue Star Memorial Highway
Use the straight lane.
39
Keep slight left at fork onto US 395
30 mi·34 min·Blue Star Memorial Highway
Toward US 395 South: San BernardinoUse the slight left / slight right lanes.
40
Continue on US 395
0.9 mi·1 min·Red Mountain Road
41
Continue on US 395
67 mi·1 hr 20 min·Blue Star Memorial Highway
Use the straight lane.
42
Take the exit
0.7 mi·1 min
Toward I 15 South: San Bernardino, Los AngelesUse the straight lane.
43
Merge onto I 15; US 66 Hist
3.4 mi·3 min·Barstow and Mojave Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
44
Continue on I 15; US 66 Hist; US 91 Hist; US 395 Hist
5.6 mi·6 min·CHP Officer Larry L. Wetterling and San Bernardino County Sheriff's Lieutenant Alfred E. Stewart Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
45
Continue on I 15; US 66 Hist
6.3 mi·6 min·Barstow and Mojave Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
46
Continue on I 215
0.2 mi·13 sec·Barstow Freeway
Exit 123
47
Keep slight left at fork onto I 215
9.3 mi·10 min·Barstow Freeway
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
48
Continue on I 215
5.6 mi·6 min·San Bernardino Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
49
Continue on I 215
5.3 mi·6 min·Riverside Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
50
Continue on CA 91
3.6 mi·4 min·Riverside Freeway
Exit 34BUse the straight / slight right lanes.
51
Take the exit
0.2 mi·33 sec
Exit 62Toward Central Avenue, Riverside Plaza AvenueUse the straight / slight right lanes.
52
Turn right onto Central Avenue
0.7 mi·1 min·Central Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
53
Turn slight left
171 ft·12 sec
Use the left lane.
54
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
With a total drive time of nearly 10 hours, splitting this trip over two days is the most practical approach. Aim to leave Truckee in the morning to make good progress, and plan your first day's drive to end around the halfway point. This will allow for comfortable stops and reduce fatigue. Keep an eye on your fuel levels, especially on US 395, as services can be spread out in some sections. The recommended two-day pace allows for about 234 miles of driving per day, which should be manageable with the recommended two stops.
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 234 miles from Truckee, CA, or about 5h 15m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 109.1 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 103 miles or 2h 33m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 234 miles or 5h 15m 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 234 miles or 5h 15m
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 43m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Riverside, CA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Truckee, 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 Truckee, CA
Aim for roughly 234 miles and 5 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Riverside, CA
Aim for roughly 234 miles and 5 hours of wheel time on this day.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 103 miles from Truckee, 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 US 395 for about 109.1 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 26
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 467 — 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|Bridge Street
Turn left onto Bridge Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
7
51.6 mi into trip|~1h 22m in|US 395
At end of road, turn right onto US 395
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
7
329.8 mi into trip|~7h 10m in|US 395 / Blue Star Memorial Highway
Keep slight left at fork onto US 395 / Blue Star Memorial Highway toward US 395 South: San Bernardino
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward US 395 South: San Bernardino
7
427.1 mi into trip|~9h 7m in
Take the exit toward I 15 South: San Bernardino, Los Angeles
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight lane.
Toward I 15 South: San Bernardino, Los Angeles
8
467 mi into trip|~9h 52m in
Take the exit toward Central Avenue, Riverside Plaza Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 62
Toward Central Avenue, Riverside Plaza Avenue
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$97.89 one way
$195.78 round trip
$5.31/gal25.4 MPG avg164 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$5.52
$101.67
$203.33
premium
$5.67
$104.36
$208.71
diesel
$4.80
$88.35
$176.70
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$98
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$228–$338
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 163.7 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $49 in charging
· 1 stop
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
140.4
1
$49.13
$22.46
Efficient EV
117
1
$40.94
$18.72
EV Truck/SUV
187.2
2
$65.51
$29.95
Gas CO2
164 kg
EV CO2
55 kg (66% 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.
Forecast as of Jul 16, 2026
Origin
Truckee, CA
Late night
in Truckee on Sunday
Local time
1:15 AM
PDT
Current temp
81°F
Sunny
SW 10 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued July 16 at 4:05PM PDT by NWS San Diego CA
Extreme Heat Warning
Extreme Heat Warning issued July 16 at 1:29PM PDT until July 16 at 8:00PM PDT by NWS San Diego CA
Destination
Riverside, CA
Late night
in Riverside on Sunday
Local time
1:15 AM
PDT
Current temp
99°F
Sunny
W 10 to 15 mph3% chanceLive forecast
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued July 16 at 4:05PM PDT by NWS San Diego CA
Extreme Heat Warning
Extreme Heat Warning issued July 16 at 1:29PM PDT until July 16 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
18 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
9h 54m 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.
Devils Postpile National Monument
National Monument
Established in 1911 by presidential proclamation, Devils Postpile National Monument protects and preserves the Devils Postpile formation, the 101-foot high Rainbow Falls, and pristine mountain scenery...
10 mi from route
~26 min detour
Free
near mile 161.3
Park Closure: Reds Meadow Road Access Restrictions in 2026
Park Closure: Devils Postpile National Monument facilities are closed for the season
Not just a great valley, but a shrine to human foresight, the strength of granite, the power of glaciers, the persistence of life, and the tranquility of the High Sierra. First protected in 1864, Yose...
26 mi from route
~64 min detour
$35
near mile 145.2
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
About 35% of this 467.9-mile drive is on highways, with the remaining 65% on surface roads. You'll encounter the longest uninterrupted stretch of 109.1 miles on US 395. Expect a significant amount of driving away from high-speed corridors, with the primary roads transitioning from highways to surface roads relatively early in the trip. This means you'll likely experience more varied speed limits and potentially more local traffic.
Only 35% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
54 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 109.1 mi on US 395.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. 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 Bridge Street.
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 26 significant decision points across 467.9 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 (Bridge Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 51.6 miles (US 395): Lane positioning matters here; at 329.8 miles (US 395 / Blue Star Memorial Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
High-altitude sections with notable climbs
7,332 ft829 ft
Total Climb
3,175 ft
Total Descent
8,165 ft
Highest Point
7,332 ft
~167.4 mi in
Elevation Range
6,504 ft
Notable High Points
6,241 ft at ~33.5 miles+266 ft prominence
7,332 ft at ~167.4 miles+139 ft prominence
3,624 ft at ~435.4 miles+851 ft prominence
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 Truckee, CA to Riverside, CA, road signs begin pointing toward Los Angeles along the way.
Truckee is a pleasant town of 17,000 people (2019) in the Lake Tahoe region of California. Just east of the Donner Pass on Interstate 80, Truckee is an easy entry point for travelers from the Bay Area to the region.
Riverside is a city in Riverside County in California. With a population of over 300,000, the city plays host to a diverse cross-section of people and has a rich history. Riverside is approximately 55 miles east of downtown Los Angeles. It is a center for higher education, with one community college, a large state university, and two private universities. A hub of regional commerce and transportation, it is a city with an intriguing past and a promising future, and is worth a visit.
Top landmarks
•Mission Inn — hotel in Riverside, California
•Universalist Unitarian Church of Riverside — church building in Riverside, California, USA
•First Congregational Church of Riverside — church building in Riverside, California, United States of America
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 109.1 miles on US 395. 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 234 miles on day one.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
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 Riverside, 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. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Bridge Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 51.6 miles (US 395): Lane positioning matters here; at 329.8 miles (US 395 / Blue Star Memorial Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Devils Postpile National Monument and Yosemite National Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 9.9 hours each way, a round trip means 19.8 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Riverside, CA before the return drive.
