Origin
Yorba Linda, CA
Late night in Yorba Linda on Tuesday
Local time
1:58 AM
PDT
Current temp
55°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Yorba Linda, 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
36m
Distance
28.9 mi
46 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 33m
★
6 AM
0h 37m
8 AM
0h 43m
10 AM
0h 39m
12 PM
0h 38m
3 PM
0h 39m
5 PM
0h 42m
8 PM
0h 35m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Yorba Linda, CA
Stephen Leonardi
Riverside, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Yorba Linda, CA to Riverside, CA is 28.9 miles and takes about 36m via Riverside Freeway, with a fuel budget near $7 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This straightforward drive stays within the Pacific Coast region, connecting two points in Southern California. It's primarily a highway-focused trip, making it a quick and efficient transit rather than a journey filled with extensive sightseeing. Consider this route for its directness, perfect for when you need to get from point A to point B without much fuss.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Riverside Freeway | 23.8 mi | 27m |
| Imperial Highway | 2.9 mi | 4m |
| Magnolia Avenue | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| Madison Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Yorba Linda Boulevard | <0.1 mi | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
Riverside Freeway
— 23.8 mi, about 27m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Yorba Linda, CA and Riverside, CA.
1
Start on Yorba Linda Boulevard
41 ft
·
0 sec
·
Yorba Linda Boulevard
2
Turn left onto Imperial Highway
2.9 mi
·
4 min
·
Imperial Highway
Use the left lane.
3
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
18 sec
Toward CA 91 East: Riverside
4
Merge onto CA 91
24 mi
·
27 min
·
Riverside Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
Exit 60
Toward Madison Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Turn left onto Madison Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Madison Street
Use the left lane.
7
Turn right onto Magnolia Avenue
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Magnolia Avenue
8
Turn right
102 ft
·
8 sec
9
At end of road, turn left
181 ft
·
13 sec
10
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 85 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 28.8 — 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
|
Imperial Highway
Turn left onto Imperial Highway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
3.2 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
CA 91 / Riverside Freeway
Merge onto CA 91 / Riverside Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
27 mi into trip
|
~32m in
Take the exit toward Madison Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 60
Toward Madison Street
6
27.2 mi into trip
|
~32m in
|
Madison Street
Turn left onto Madison Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
28.8 mi into trip
|
~36m in
At end of road, turn left
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.64 one way
$13.28 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
10 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $6.84 | $13.69 |
| premium | $6.18 | $7.03 | $14.06 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.38 | $12.76 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8.7 | 0 | $3.03 | $1.39 |
| Efficient EV | 7.2 | 0 | $2.53 | $1.16 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 11.6 | 0 | $4.05 | $1.85 |
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (70% 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
1:58 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
15 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
36m 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 is largely a highway-focused drive, with 83% of the journey on freeways. You'll spend most of your time on the Riverside Freeway, where the longest uninterrupted stretch spans 23.8 miles. Expect a consistent driving experience, characterized by higher speeds and the efficiency of freeway travel. While Imperial Highway and Magnolia Avenue will feature, they represent a smaller portion of this relatively short commute.
83% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
10 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 23.8 mi on Riverside Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Riverside Freeway and Imperial Highway. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Imperial Highway.
Driving Effort
5/10
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 28.9 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: near the start (Imperial Highway): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.2 miles (CA 91 / Riverside Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 27 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Yorba Linda, CA
Full guide →Founded 1967
Yorba Linda is a city in Orange County and a suburb of Los Angeles in Southern California. Its most famous resident was Richard Nixon. His birthplace is a National Historic Landmark, at his presidential library and museum located there.
Top landmarks
- • Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum — library, museum, and campus in Yorba Linda, California, USA
- • Birthplace of Richard Nixon — historic house in California, United States
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 36m. Total distance: 28.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
36m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (83%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 23.8 miles on Riverside Freeway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 (Imperial Highway): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.2 miles (CA 91 / Riverside Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 27 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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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