Origin
Victorville, CA
Late night in Victorville on Tuesday
Local time
2:16 AM
PDT
Current temp
66°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Victorville, CA to Riverside, CA
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h
Distance
52.9 mi
85 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$12
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 55m
★
6 AM
1h 0m
8 AM
1h 10m
10 AM
1h 4m
12 PM
1h 3m
3 PM
1h 4m
5 PM
1h 10m
8 PM
0h 57m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Victorville, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Riverside, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Victorville, CA to Riverside, CA is 52.9 miles and takes about 1 hour via Barstow Freeway, with a fuel budget near $12 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short hop stays within the Pacific Coast region, making it a straightforward drive between two California cities. You'll spend most of your time on the highway, so it's a quick and efficient way to get from point A to point B. Plan this trip for any day of the week; it’s an easy addition to a larger itinerary or a standalone drive.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Barstow and Mojave Freeway | 20.9 mi | 22m |
| Barstow Freeway | 9.5 mi | 10m |
| Riverside Freeway | 8.9 mi | 10m |
| CHP Officer Larry L. Wetterling and San Bernardino County Sheriff's Lieutenant Alfred E. Stewart Memorial Highway | 5.6 mi | 6m |
| San Bernardino Freeway | 5.6 mi | 6m |
| D Street | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Central Avenue | 0.7 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Barstow and Mojave Freeway
— 20.9 mi, about 22m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Victorville, CA and Riverside, CA.
1
Start on CA 18
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
D Street
Use the straight lane.
2
Turn left
0.6 mi
·
40 sec
Use the left lane.
3
Merge onto I 15; CA 18
15 mi
·
15 min
·
Barstow and Mojave Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4
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.
5
Continue on I 15; US 66 Hist
6.3 mi
·
6 min
·
Barstow and Mojave Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Continue on I 215
0.2 mi
·
13 sec
·
Barstow Freeway
Exit 123
7
Keep slight left at fork onto I 215
9.3 mi
·
10 min
·
Barstow Freeway
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on I 215
5.6 mi
·
6 min
·
San Bernardino Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on I 215
5.3 mi
·
6 min
·
Riverside Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on CA 91
3.6 mi
·
4 min
·
Riverside Freeway
Exit 34B
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
33 sec
Exit 62
Toward Central Avenue, Riverside Plaza Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Turn right onto Central Avenue
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Central Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
13
Turn slight left
171 ft
·
12 sec
Use the left lane.
14
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
26 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 26.5 miles from Victorville, 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 85 decision points cluster between mile 0.9 and 52.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.9 mi into trip
|
~1m in
Turn left
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
1.5 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
I 15; CA 18 / Barstow and Mojave Freeway
Merge onto I 15; CA 18 / Barstow and Mojave Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
28.3 mi into trip
|
~31m in
|
I 215 / Barstow Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 215 / Barstow Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
8
52 mi into trip
|
~58m 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
5
52.2 mi into trip
|
~58m in
|
Central Avenue
Turn right onto Central Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$12.16 one way
$24.32 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $12.53 | $25.06 |
| premium | $6.18 | $12.86 | $25.73 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.68 | $23.36 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$12
Estimated CO2 emission: 18.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 15.9 | 0 | $5.55 | $2.54 |
| Efficient EV | 13.2 | 0 | $4.63 | $2.12 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 21.2 | 0 | $7.41 | $3.39 |
Gas CO2
19 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (68% 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.
Destination
Riverside, CA
Late night in Riverside on Tuesday
Local time
2:16 AM
PDT
Current temp
70°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
4 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
1h on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is mostly highway, with 85% of the 52.9 miles on freeways. The longest stretch without exiting is 20.9 miles on the Barstow and Mojave Freeway. You can expect a consistent cruising experience for most of the trip. Be prepared for merging traffic as you approach Riverside.
85% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 20.9 mi on Barstow and Mojave Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Barstow and Mojave Freeway and Barstow Freeway. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.9 miles in.
Driving Effort
6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 52.9 miles you will encounter 8 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.9 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 1.5 miles (I 15; CA 18 / Barstow and Mojave Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 28.3 miles (I 215 / Barstow Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Victorville, CA
Full guide →Founded 1895
Victorville is a city in San Bernardino County in Southern California.
Arriving in Riverside, CA
Full guide →Founded 1870
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
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h. Total distance: 52.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (85%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 20.9 miles on Barstow and Mojave 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 Riverside, 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 0.9 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 1.5 miles (I 15; CA 18 / Barstow and Mojave Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 28.3 miles (I 215 / Barstow Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Riverside, CA before heading back.
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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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